Maine
Maine | ||
---|---|---|
State of Maine | ||
Senate President Troy Jackson (D)[nb 1] | | |
Legislature | Maine Legislature | |
• Upper house | Senate | |
• Lower house | House of Representatives | |
Judiciary | Maine Supreme Judicial Court | |
U.S. senators | Susan Collins (R) Angus King (I) | |
U.S. House delegation | 1. Chellie Pingree (D) 2. Jared Golden (D) (list) | |
Area | ||
• Total | 35,385[2] sq mi (91,646 km2) | |
• Land | 30,862 sq mi (80,005 km2) | |
• Water | 4,523 sq mi (11,724 km2) 13.5% | |
• Rank | 39th | |
Dimensions | ||
• Length | 320 mi (515 km) | |
• Width | 205 mi (330 km) | |
Elevation | 600 ft (180 m) | |
Highest elevation | 5,270 ft (1,606.4 m) | |
Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) | |
Population (2020) | ||
• Total | 1,362,359 | |
• Rank | 42nd | |
• Density | 43.8/sq mi (16.9/km2) | |
• Rank | 38th | |
• Median household income | $56,277[5] | |
• Income rank | 35th | |
Demonym |
| |
Language | ||
• Official language | None[6] | |
• Spoken language | ||
EDT) | ||
USPS abbreviation | ME | |
ISO 3166 code | US-ME | |
Traditional abbreviation | Me. | |
Latitude | 42° 58′ N to 47° 28′ N | |
Longitude | 66° 57′ W to 71° 5′ W (45°N 69°W / 45°N 69°W) | |
Website | www |
List of state symbols | |
---|---|
Motto | Dirigo |
Slogan | The Way Life Should Be |
Song |
|
Living insignia | |
White pine | |
Inanimate insignia | |
Beverage | Moxie[8] |
Food | Blueberry pie Whoopie pie |
Fossil | Pertica quadrifaria |
Gemstone | Tourmaline |
Rock | Granitic pegmatite[9] |
Ship | Bowdoin |
Soil | Chesuncook soil |
State route marker | |
State quarter | |
Released in 2003 | |
Lists of United States state symbols |
Maine (
The territory of Maine has been inhabited by
Today, Maine is known for its jagged, rocky
History
The earliest known inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples, including the
The first European confirmed settlement in modern-day Maine was in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, led by French explorer Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. His party included Samuel de Champlain, noted as an explorer. The French named the entire area Acadia, including the portion that later became the state of Maine. The Plymouth Company established the first English settlement in Maine at the Popham Colony in 1607, the same year as the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. The Popham colonists returned to Britain after 14 months.[18]
The French established two
The 1622 patent of the Province of Maine was split at the
Central Maine was formerly inhabited by the
Maine was much fought over by the
After the British defeated the French in Acadia in the 1740s, the territory from the Penobscot River east fell under the nominal authority of the Province of Nova Scotia, and together with present-day New Brunswick formed the Nova Scotia county of Sunbury, with its court of general sessions at Campobello. American and British forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution and the War of 1812, with the British occupying eastern Maine in both conflicts via the Colony of New Ireland.[24][25] The territory of Maine was confirmed as part of Massachusetts when the United States was formed following the Treaty of Paris ending the revolution, although the final border with British North America was not established until the Webster–Ashburton Treaty of 1842.
Maine was physically separate from the rest of Massachusetts. Longstanding disagreements over land speculation and settlements led to Maine residents and their allies in Massachusetts proper forcing an 1807 vote in the Massachusetts Assembly on permitting Maine to secede; the vote failed. Secessionist sentiment in Maine was stoked during the War of 1812 when Massachusetts pro-British merchants opposed the war and refused to defend Maine from British invaders. In 1819, Massachusetts agreed to permit secession, sanctioned by voters of the rapidly growing region the following year.
Statehood and Missouri Compromise
Formal secession from Massachusetts and admission of Maine as the 23rd state occurred on March 15, 1820, as part of the
Maine's original state capital was Portland, Maine's largest city, until it was moved to the more central Augusta in 1832. The principal office of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court remains in Portland.
The
Four
Geography
This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2018) |
To the south and east is the Gulf of Maine, and to the west is the state of New Hampshire. The Canadian province of New Brunswick is to the north and northeast, and the province of Quebec is to the northwest. Maine is the northernmost state in New England and the largest, accounting for almost half of the region's entire land area. Maine is the only state to border exactly one other American state (New Hampshire). Approximately half the area of Maine lies on each side of the 45th parallel north in latitude.
Maine is the easternmost state in the United States both in its extreme points and in its geographic center. The town of
Maine's
Maine is the least densely populated state east of the Mississippi River. It is called the Pine Tree State; over 80% of its total land is forested or unclaimed,[29] the most forest cover of any U.S. state. In the wooded areas of the interior lies much uninhabited land, some of which does not have formal political organization into local units (a rarity in New England). The Northwest Aroostook unorganized territory in the northern part of the state, for example, has an area of 2,668 square miles (6,910 km2) and a population of 10, or one person for every 267 square miles (690 km2).
Maine is in the
Maine has almost 230 miles (400 km) of ocean coastline (and 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of tidal coastline).
All I could see from where I stood
Was three long mountains and a wood;
I turned and looked the other way,
And saw three islands in a bay.— Edna St. Vincent Millay, Renascence
Geologists describe this type of landscape as a "drowned coast", where a rising sea level has invaded former land features, creating bays out of valleys and islands out of mountain tops.[34] A rise in land elevation due to the melting of heavy glacier ice caused a slight rebounding effect of underlying rock; this land rise, however, was not enough to eliminate all the effect of the rising sea level and its invasion of former land features.
Much of Maine's geomorphology was created by extended glacial activity at the end of the last ice age. Prominent glacial features include Somes Sound and Bubble Rock, both part of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. Carved by glaciers, Somes Sound reaches depths of 175 feet (50 m). The extreme depth and steep drop-off allow large ships to navigate almost the entire length of the sound. These features also have made it attractive for boat builders, such as the prestigious Hinckley Yachts.
Bubble Rock, a
Acadia National Park is the only national park in New England. Areas under the protection and management of the National Park Service include:[35]
- Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Maine Acadian Culture in St. John Valley
- Roosevelt Campobello International Park on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada, operated by both the U.S. and Canada, just across the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge from Lubec
- Saint Croix Island International Historic Site at Calais
- Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Lands under the control of the state of Maine include:
- Maine State Parks
- Maine Wildlife Management Areas (WMA)
Climate
Maine has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb), with warm and sometimes humid summers, and long, cold and very snowy winters. Winters are especially severe in the northern and western parts of Maine, while coastal areas are moderated slightly by the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in marginally milder winters and cooler summers than inland regions. Daytime highs are generally in the 75–85 °F (24–29 °C) range throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the high 50s °F (around 15 °C). January temperatures range from highs near 30 °F (−1 °C) on the southern coast to overnight lows averaging below 0 °F (−18 °C) in the far north.[36]
The state's record high temperature is 105 °F (41 °C), set in July 1911, at North Bridgton.[37] Precipitation in Maine is evenly distributed year-round, but with a slight summer maximum in northern/northwestern Maine and a slight late-fall or early-winter maximum along the coast due to "nor'easters" or intense cold-season rain and snowstorms. In coastal Maine, the late spring and summer months are usually driest—a rarity across the Eastern United States. Maine has fewer days of thunderstorms than any other state east of the Rockies, with most of the state averaging fewer than twenty days of thunderstorms a year. Tornadoes are rare in Maine, with the state averaging two per year, although this number is increasing. Most severe thunderstorms and tornadoes occur in the southwestern interior portion of the state,[38] where summer temperatures are often the warmest and the atmosphere is thus more unstable compared to northern and coastal areas.[39] Maine rarely sees the direct landfall of tropical cyclones, as they tend to recurve out to sea or are rapidly weakening by the time they reach the cooler waters of Maine.
In January 2009, a new record low temperature for the state was set at
Annual precipitation varies from 35.8 in (909 mm) in Presque Isle to 56.7 in (1,441 mm) in Acadia National Park.[40]
Location | July (°F) | July (°C) | January (°F) | January (°C) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Portland | 78/59 | 26/15 | 31/13 | −0/−10 |
Lewiston | 81/61 | 27/16 | 29/11 | −2/−12 |
Bangor | 79/57 | 26/14 | 27/6 | −2/−14 |
Augusta | 79/60 | 26/15 | 27/11 | −2/−11 |
Presque Isle | 77/55 | 25/13 | 20/1 | −6/−17 |
Flora and fauna
Maine exhibits a diverse range of flora and fauna across its varied landscapes, including forests, coastline, and wetlands. Forested areas consist primarily of coniferous and deciduous trees, such as balsam fir, sugar maple, and its state tree, the Eastern white pine.[42] Coastal regions are characterized by hardy sea milkwort, sea-blight, bayberry, and the invasive rugosa rose.[43]
Maine's terrestrial fauna comprises mammals such as
Demographics
Population
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1790 | 96,540 | — | |
1800 | 151,719 | 57.2% | |
1810 | 228,705 | 50.7% | |
1820 | 298,335 | 30.4% | |
1830 | 399,455 | 33.9% | |
1840 | 501,793 | 25.6% | |
1850 | 583,169 | 16.2% | |
1860 | 628,279 | 7.7% | |
1870 | 626,915 | −0.2% | |
1880 | 648,936 | 3.5% | |
1890 | 661,086 | 1.9% | |
1900 | 694,466 | 5.0% | |
1910 | 742,371 | 6.9% | |
1920 | 768,014 | 3.5% | |
1930 | 797,423 | 3.8% | |
1940 | 847,226 | 6.2% | |
1950 | 913,774 | 7.9% | |
1960 | 969,265 | 6.1% | |
1970 | 992,048 | 2.4% | |
1980 | 1,124,660 | 13.4% | |
1990 | 1,227,928 | 9.2% | |
2000 | 1,274,923 | 3.8% | |
2010 | 1,328,361 | 4.2% | |
2020 | 1,362,359 | 2.6% | |
2023 (est.) | 1,395,722 | 2.4% | |
Source: 1910–2020[47] |
The
The mean population center of Maine is located in Kennebec County, just east of Augusta.[50] The Greater Portland metropolitan area is the most densely populated with nearly 40% of Maine's population.[51] This area spans three counties and includes many farms and wooded areas; the 2016 population of Portland proper was 66,937.[52]
Maine has experienced a very slow rate of population growth since the 1990 census; its rate of growth (0.57%) since the 2010 census ranks 45th of the 50 states.[53] In 2021 and 2022, however, Maine had the highest proportion of arriving residents to departing residents of any state in the country, with 1.8 arrivals for every departure.[54] The modest population growth in the state has been concentrated in the southern coastal counties; with more diverse populations slowly moving into these areas of the state. However, the northern, more rural areas of the state have experienced a slight decline in population from 2010 to 2016.[55]
As of 2020, Maine has the highest population age 65 or older in the United States.[56]
According to the
According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 4,411 homeless people in Maine.[59][60]
The table below shows the racial composition of Maine's population as of 2016.
Race | Population (2016 est.) | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Total population | 1,329,923 | 100% |
White |
1,260,476 | 94.8% |
Black or African American |
16,303 | 1.2% |
American Indian and Alaska Native | 8,013 | 0.6% |
Asian |
14,643 | 1.1% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander |
211 | 0.0% |
Some other race |
3,151 | 0.2% |
Two or more races |
27,126 | 2.0% |
According to the 2016
People citing that they are
Maine has the highest percentage of
The upper
Birth data
Note: Births in table do not sum to 100% because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race.
Race
|
2013[70] | 2014[71] | 2015[72] | 2016[73] | 2017[74] | 2018[75] | 2019[76] | 2020[77] | 2021[78] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White: | 11,950 (93.5%) | 11,842 (93.2%) | 11,805 (93.6%) | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
> Non-Hispanic White
|
11,774 (92.1%) | 11,654 (91.8%) | 11,563 (91.7%) | 11,484 (90.4%) | 10,958 (89.1%) | 11,022 (89.5%) | 10,401 (88.3%) | 10,231 (88.7%) | 10,619 (88.4%) |
Black | 455 (3.6%) | 450 (3.5%) | 473 (3.7%) | 411 (3.2%) | 545 (4.4%) | 546 (4.4%) | 541 (4.6%) | 514 (4.5%) | 551 (4.6%) |
Asian | 253 (2.0%) | 248 (1.9%) | 186 (1.5%) | 192 (1.5%) | 219 (1.8%) | 202 (1.6%) | 217 (1.8%) | 195 (1.7%) | 197 (1.6%) |
American Indian | 118 (0.9%) | 158 (1.2%) | 143 (1.1%) | 97 (0.7%) | 88 (0.7%) | 99 (0.8%) | 96 (0.8%) | 85 (0.7%) | 71 (0.6%) |
Hispanic (of any race) | 172 (1.3%) | 200 (1.6%) | 251 (2.0%) | 238 (1.9%) | 229 (1.9%) | 224 (1.8%) | 257 (2.2%) | 258 (2.2%) | 305 (2.5%) |
Maine Total | 12,776 (100%) | 12,698 (100%) | 12,607 (100%) | 12,705 (100%) | 12,298 (100%) | 12,311 (100%) | 11,779 (100%) | 11,539 (100%) | 12,006 (100%) |
- Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
In 2018, The top countries of origin for Maine's immigrants were Canada, the Philippines, Germany, India and Korea.[79]
Language
Maine does not have an official language,[6] but the most widely spoken language in the state is English. The 2010 census reported 92.91% of Maine residents aged five and older spoke only English at home. French-speakers are the state's chief linguistic minority; census figures show that Maine has the highest percentage of people speaking French at home of any state: 3.93% of Maine households are French-speaking, compared with 3.45% (including Cajun and Creole) in Louisiana, which is the second highest state.[7] Spanish is the third-most-common language in Maine, after English and French.[80]
Religion
According to the
In 2014, the Roman Catholic Church was the largest religious institution and the Baptists (7% Evangelical and 5% Mainline) was the state's the largest Protestant institution, followed by the Methodists (6%) and the Congregationalists (5%). The atheists and the agnostics are only 6% of the state, but 26% of Mainers said that they "Believe in God but they are Unaffiliated." The 81% of Mainers believed in God, while 3% do not know and 16% do not believe in God. The 34% of Mainers think that "religion is very important" and 29% said that is "important", while 21% said that religion is not important.[82]
By the publication of another study in 2020 through the Public Religion Research Institute, approximately 62% of the population were Christian; the religiously unaffiliated slightly increased to 33% from the separate 2014 study by the Pew Research Center.[83] In a 2022 study by the Public Religion Research Institute, 63% of the population were Christian, and 30% were religiously unaffiliated, reflecting a shift of population. Among the non-Christian population in 2022, 1% were Unitarian Universalist, 5% Jewish, and 1% New Ager.
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, with Christianity as the dominant faith, the largest denominations by number of adherents were Catholicism (219,233 members), non-denominational Protestantism (45,364), and United Methodists (19,686).[84] According to the same study, there were an estimated 16,894 Muslims in the state.
Economy
Total employment 2020:
- 520,969[85]
Total employer establishments 2020:
- 41,646[85]
The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that Maine's total gross state product for 2021 was $77.96 billion.[86] Its per capita personal income for 2021 was $58,484, 30th in the nation. As of September 2022[update], Maine's unemployment rate is 3.3%.[87] As of September 2023, Maine's minimum wage is $13.80.[88]
Maine's
Maine's industrial outputs consist chiefly of paper, lumber and wood products, electronic equipment, leather products, food products, textiles, and bio-technology. Naval shipbuilding and construction remain key as well, with Bath Iron Works in Bath and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.
Brunswick Landing, formerly Naval Air Station Brunswick, is also in Maine. Formerly a large support base for the U.S. Navy, the BRAC campaign initiated the Naval Air Station's closing, despite a government-funded effort to upgrade its facilities. The former base has since been changed into a civilian business park, as well as a new satellite campus for Southern Maine Community College.[91]
Maine is the top U.S. producer of
Tourism and outdoor recreation play a major and increasingly important role in Maine's economy. The state is a popular destination for sport
Historically, Maine ports played a key role in national transportation. Beginning around 1880, Portland's rail link and
Maine has very few large companies that maintain headquarters in the state, and that number has fallen due to consolidations and mergers, particularly in the
Taxation
Maine has an income tax structure containing two brackets, 6.5 and 7.95 percent of personal income.[96] Before July 2013, Maine had four brackets: 2, 4.5, 7, and 8.5 percent.[97] Maine's general sales tax rate is 5.5 percent. The state also levies charges of nine percent on lodging and prepared food and ten percent on short-term auto rentals.[98] Commercial sellers of blueberries, a Maine staple, must keep records of their transactions and pay the state 1.5 cents per pound ($1.50 per 100 pounds) of the fruit sold each season. All real and tangible personal property located in the state of Maine is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. The administration of property taxes is handled by the local assessor in incorporated cities and towns, while property taxes in the unorganized territories are handled by the State Tax Assessor.
Shipbuilding
Maine has a long-standing tradition of being home to many shipbuilding companies, such as Bath Iron Works and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Maine was home to many shipyards that produced wooden sailing ships. The main function of these ships was to transport either cargos or passengers overseas. One of these yards was located in Pennellville Historic District in what is now Brunswick, Maine. This yard, owned by the Pennell family, was typical of the many family-owned shipbuilding companies of the time period. Other such examples of shipbuilding families were the Skolfields and the Morses. During the 18th and 19th centuries, wooden shipbuilding of this sort made up a sizable portion of the economy.
Transport
Airports
Maine receives
Many smaller airports are scattered throughout Maine, serving only general aviation traffic. The Eastport Municipal Airport, for example, is a city-owned public-use airport with 1,200 general aviation aircraft operations each year from single-engine and ultralight aircraft.[99]
Highways
Rail
Passenger
The Downeaster passenger train, operated by Amtrak, provides passenger service between Brunswick and Boston's North Station, with stops in Freeport, Portland, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, and Wells. The Downeaster makes five daily trips.[100]
Freight
Freight service throughout the state is provided by a handful of regional and shortline carriers:
Shipping
Cargo
The International Marine Terminal in Portland provides shipping container transport. In 2021 an estimated 36,700 shipping containers moved through the terminal. In 2017, a total of 17,515 shipping containers were transported. The Icelandic shipping company Eimskip opened its United States headquarters in Portland in 2013. Its ships stop in Portland once a week in a route that includes Atlantic Canada and Iceland with connections to northern Europe and Asia.[101] In 2015, the terminal moved 10,500 containers. The Maine Port Authority in 2016 began a $15.5 million expansion and improvement of the terminal. The Maine Port Authority leased the International Marine Terminal from the city of Portland in 2009.[102]
Law and government
The
The
The
The highest court in the state's
In a 2020 study, Maine was ranked as the 14th easiest state for citizens to vote in.[103]
Politics
Maine politics are dynamic in nature, with parties loosely hung together, governors often winning by pluralities rather than majorities, and significant turnover both in members and parties in legislative districts. In his 2010 article Maine's Paradoxical Politics, Kenneth Palmer suggests that "Maine's political leaders find themselves as centrists, primarily because they want to find practical solutions to difficult problems."[104]
The results of the elections are often
Maine uses ranked choice voting in primary elections for state and federal offices, as well as in general elections for federal offices. Ranked choice voting was adopted by voters in a 2016 referendum.[106]
Counties
Maine is divided into political jurisdictions designated as counties. Since 1860 there have been 16 counties in the state, ranging in size from 370 to 6,829 square miles (958 to 17,700 km2).
County name | County seat | Year founded | Population 2020 Census |
Percent of total | Area (sq. mi.) | Percent of total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Androscoggin | Auburn | 1854 | 111,139 | 8.16% | 497 | 1.44% |
Aroostook | Houlton | 1839 | 67,105 | 4.93% | 6,829 | 19.76% |
Cumberland | Portland | 1760 | 303,069 | 22.25% | 1,217 | 3.52% |
Franklin | Farmington | 1838 | 29,456 | 2.16% | 1,744 | 5.05% |
Hancock | Ellsworth | 1789 | 55,478 | 4.07% | 1,522 | 4.40% |
Kennebec | Augusta | 1799 | 123,642 | 9.08% | 951 | 2.75% |
Knox | Rockland | 1860 | 40,607 | 2.98% | 1,142 | 3.30% |
Lincoln | Wiscasset | 1760 | 35,237 | 2.59% | 700 | 2.03% |
Oxford | Paris | 1805 | 57,777 | 4.24% | 2,175 | 6.29% |
Penobscot | Bangor | 1816 | 152,199 | 11.17% | 3,556 | 10.29% |
Piscataquis | Dover-Foxcroft | 1838 | 16,800 | 1.23% | 4,377 | 12.67% |
Sagadahoc | Bath | 1854 | 36,699 | 2.69% | 370 | 1.07% |
Somerset | Skowhegan | 1809 | 50,477 | 3.71% | 4,095 | 11.85% |
Waldo | Belfast | 1827 | 39,607 | 2.91% | 853 | 2.47% |
Washington | Machias | 1790 | 31,095 | 2.28% | 3,255 | 9.42% |
York | Alfred | 1636 | 211,972 | 15.56% | 1,271 | 3.68% |
Total counties: 16 | Total 2020 population: 1,362,359 | Total state area: 34,554 square miles (89,494 km2) |
Law enforcement
Municipalities
Organized municipalities
An organized municipality has a form of elected local government which administers and provides local services, keeps records, collects licensing fees, and can pass locally binding
- The largest municipality in Maine, by population, is the city of Portland (pop. 66,318).
- The smallest city by population is Eastport (pop. 1,331).
- The largest town by population is Brunswick (pop. 20,278).
- The smallest town by population is Frye Island, a resort town which reported zero year-round population in the 2000 Census; one plantation, Glenwood Plantation, also reported a permanent population of zero.
- In the 2000 census, the smallest town aside from Frye Island was Centerville with a population of 26, but since that census, Centerville voted to disincorporate and therefore is no longer a town. The next smallest town with a population listed in that census is Beddington (pop. 50 at the 2010 census).
- The largest municipality by land area is the town of Allagash, at 128 square miles (332 km2).
- The smallest municipality by land area is Monhegan Island, at 0.86 square miles (2.2 km2). The smallest municipality by area that is not an island is Randolph, at 2.23 square miles (6 km2).
Unorganized territory
Most populous cities and towns
Rank | Name
|
County | Pop. | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portland Lewiston |
1 | Portland | Cumberland | 68,408 | Bangor South Portland | ||||
2 | Lewiston | Androscoggin | 37,121 | ||||||
3 | Bangor | Penobscot | 31,753 | ||||||
4 | South Portland | Cumberland | 26,498 | ||||||
5 | Auburn | Androscoggin | 24,061 | ||||||
6 | Biddeford | York | 22,552 | ||||||
7 | Scarborough | Cumberland | 22,135 | ||||||
8 | Sanford | York | 21,982 | ||||||
9 | Brunswick | Cumberland | 21,756 | ||||||
10 | Westbrook | Cumberland | 20,400 |
Throughout Maine, many municipalities, although each separate governmental entities, nevertheless form portions of a much larger population base. There are many such population clusters throughout Maine, but some examples from the municipalities appearing in the above listing are:
- Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Scarborough, and Falmouth
- Lewiston and Auburn
- Bangor, Orono, Brewer, Old Town, and Hampden
- Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach
- Brunswick and Topsham
- Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, and Oakland
- Presque Isle and Caribou[110]
Education
There are thirty institutions of
Bowdoin College is a liberal arts college founded in 1794 in Brunswick, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in the state. Colby College in Waterville was founded in 1813 making it the second oldest college in Maine.[113] Bates College in Lewiston was founded in 1855 making it the third oldest institution in the state and the oldest coeducational college in New England.[114] The three colleges collectively form the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium and are ranked among the best colleges in the United States; often placing in the top 10% of all liberal arts colleges.[115][116][117]
Maine's per-student public expenditure for elementary and secondary schools was 21st in the nation in 2012, at $12,344.[118]
The collegiate system of Maine also includes numerous
The Maine Community College System, founded in 1985 also serves "to provide associate degree, diploma and certificate programs directed at the educational, career and technical needs of the State's citizens and the workforce needs of the State's employers."[119] This system includes Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), York County Community College (YCCC), Central Maine Community College (CMCC), Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC), Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC), Northern Maine Community College (NMCC), and Washington County Community College (WCCC).[120]
Private schools in Maine are funded independently of the state and its furthered domains. Private schools are less common than public schools. A large number of private elementary schools with under 20 students exist, but most private high schools in Maine can be described as "semi-private".
Maine also has Vocational Schools, such as the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology[121] and Sanford Regional Technical Center[122] that teach trades such as welding, construction and vehicle repair to students.
Culture
Agriculture
Maine was a center of agriculture before it achieved statehood. Prior to colonization, Wabanaki nations farmed large crops of corn and other produce in southern Maine.[123]
Maine was a center of grain production in the 1800s, until grain production moved westward. However, in the early 2000s the local food movement spurred renewed interested in locally grown grains. In 2007, the Kneading Conference was founded. In, 2012, the Skowhegan grist mill Maine Grains opened.[124][125] The revival of grain farming and milling in Maine has led to the creation of other businesses, including bakeries and malthouses.[126]
Maine has many vegetable farms and other small, diversified farms. In the 1960s and 1970s, the book "Living the Good Life" by Helen Nearing and Scott Nearing caused many young people to move to Maine and engage in small-scale farming and homesteading. These back-to-the-land migrants increased the population of some counties.[127]
Maine is home to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and had 535 certified organic farms in 2019.[128]
Festivals
Maine has multiple fairs and festivals that are held annually, which include La Kermesse, a celebration of the state's French and French Canadian heritage, the Fryeburg Fair, the Cumberland Fair, the Union Fair, the Common Ground Country Fair, a number of Old Home Days festivals, and a number of Portland Food Festivals.[129][130][131]
Food
Along with the growth of the local food movement over the last several decades, Maine has received national recognition for its food and restaurant scene. Portland was named Bon Appetit magazine's Restaurant City of the Year in 2018.[132] In 2018, HealthIQ.com named Maine the 3rd most vegan-friendly state.[133] Biddeford was selected by Food & Wine in 2022 as one of America's next great food cities.[134] Maine food shares many ingredients with Wabanaki cuisine, including corn, beans, squash, wild blueberries, maple syrup, fish, and seafood.[135]
Baked beans are a common dish in Maine, served at community suppers where the beans are sometimes cooked underground in a bean hole. In New England, Maine baked beans are one of two well-known regional styles of baked beans, the other being Boston baked beans. Maine baked beans use thicker skinned, native bean varieties such like Marafax, soldier, and yellow-eye beans.[136] From 1913 until 2021, baked beans were canned on the Portland waterfront at the B&M Baked Beans factory.
Sports teams
Professional
- Maine Celtics, basketball, NBA G League
- Double-A Northeast
- Maine Mariners, ice hockey, ECHL
Non-professional
- Premier Developmental League
- Maine Roller Derby, roller derby, Women's Flat Track Derby Association
NCAA
USCAA
Terminology
Maine maintains some vernacular and terminology that is unique in comparison to the rest of the country.[141] Some of these include:
- "From away" - A non-native person of Maine.[142]
- "Upta camp" - Going to a more out-of-the-way, rustic place.[142] Popularized by Bob Marley after his special of the same name.[143][144]
- "Ayuh" - An affirmative response, like "Yes".[142]
People from Maine
Citizens of Maine are often known as Mainers.[145] The term Downeaster may be applied to residents of the northeast coast of the state. The term Mainiac is considered by some to be derogatory, but is embraced with pride by others,[146] and is used for a variety of organizations and for events such as the YMCA Mainiac Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon.[147]
See also
- Index of Maine-related articles
- Outline of Maine
- Maine portal
- New England portal
- United States portal
References
Notes
- ^ In the event of a vacancy in the office of governor, the president of the State Senate is first in line for succession.
- ^ Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
- ^ Maine is the U.S. state with the highest percentage of French-speaking population.[7]
Citations
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There's a reason it's called "Vacationland" ...
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- ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ "Median Annual Household Income". The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. September 22, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ a b "Maine—World Travel Guide". World Travel Guide. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ a b "Data Center Results". Modern Language Association. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
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- ^ "LD 269, SP 128, Text and Status, 131st Legislature, First Regular Session".
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- ^ a b "Maine's Creative Economy". Maine Arts Commission. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
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- ^ MPBN, "Rolling Back the Frontier" Archived July 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Story of Maine; accessed January 3, 2011
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- ^ "York commemorates Candlemas Raid Archived December 2, 2018, at the Wayback Machine". The Portsmouth Herald. February 1, 2001.
- ^ John Demos, The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story from Early America, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994, pp. 186 and 224
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- ^ Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, "The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns", Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44–6.
- ^ Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, "Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites", Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82–86.
- ^ Mary C. Waters, Ethnic Options: Choosing Identities in America (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990), p. 36.
- ^ French Canadian Emigration to the United States 1840–1930. Claude Bélanger, Department of History, Marianopolis College,[when?]
- ^ French-Canadian Americans by Marianne Fedunkiw,[when?]
- ^ "Bringing in the Swedes". Maine History Online. 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Births: Final Data for 2013" (PDF). cdc.gov.
- ^ "Statistics" (PDF). cdc.gov.
- ^ "Statistics" (PDF). cdc.gov.
- ^ "National Vital Statistics Reports" (PDF). cdc.gov. January 31, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ "Births: Final Data for 2017" (PDF). cdc.gov. November 7, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Data" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
- ^ "Data" (PDF). Cdc.gov. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ "Data" (PDF). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "Data" (PDF). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ "Immigrants in Maine" (PDF).
- ^ "Languages—Maine". City-data.com.
- ^ Staff (February 24, 2023). "PRRI – American Values Atlas: Religious Tradition in Maine". Public Religion Research Institute. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- ^ "Religions in Maine".
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- ^ "2020 Congregational Membership". www.thearda.com. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
- ^ a b "Quickfacts Maine". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
- ^ "Gross Domestic Product: All Industry Total in Maine (MENGSP)". St. Louis Federal Reserve. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
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- ^ Writer, Peter McGuireStaff (November 13, 2021). "With other cargo ports in chaos, Portland's is sailing toward a record-breaking year". Press Herald. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
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[Bates College] was the first coeducational college in New England.
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External links
State government
- Maine government
- Maine Office of Tourism Search for tourism-related businesses
- Visit Maine (agriculture) Maine fairs, festivals, etc.—Agricultural Dept.
U.S. government
- Maine State Guide, from the Library of Congress
- U.S. EIA Energy Profile for Maine—economic, environmental and energy data
- U.S. Geological Survey Real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Maine
- U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Maine State Facts—agricultural
- U.S. Census Bureau Quick facts on Maine
- Portland Magazine Editorial on Maine news, events, and people
Information
- Maine at Curlie
- Maine Historical Society
- Old USGS maps of Maine.
- 1860 Map of Maine by Mitchell.
- 1876 Panoramic Birdseye View of Portland by Warner at LOC.,
- Geographic data related to Maine at OpenStreetMap