888-MAINE-45
www.visitmaine.com

www.state.me.us

 

 

 

#   Entered Union   Year Settled

23rd       Mar. 15, 1820     1624

 

Nickname

Pine Tree State

 

Rank      Population

40th       1,316,456

 

Rank      Square Miles

36th       35,385

 

State Bird

Black-capped Chickadee

 

State Flower

White Pine Cone and Tassel

 

State Tree

Eastern White Pine

 

State Motto

Dirigo    I lead

 

The largest of in area, Maine, in 1820, was the 23rd state to join the Union. Its New England states name comes from an ancient French province of the same name. The most sparsely populated state east of the Mississippi River, it's appropriately called the "Pine Tree State," as 90 percent of its land is forest.

 

Not surprisingly, most of Maine's economy is related to timber and the production of paper and paper products although the millions of tourists who flock each summer to "Vacationland" are a significant source of revenue. The capital is Augusta.

 

Ahh, the life in Maine! The Pine Tree State became the 23rd state in the Union on March 15, 1820. Campers enjoy the dense woodlands and beautiful scenery. Others prefer a lobster dinner on Maine's picturesque coastline. What do you think of when you think of Maine? How about "Red Paint" people, the Vikings, the French, or Massachusetts?

 

We don't know much about the "Red Paint" people, the first inhabitants of the area 5,000 years ago, except that they used red clay to line the graves of their dead. Five hundred years before Columbus reached the West Indies, Leif Ericson and his Vikings landed on the Maine coast.

 

In 1604, the land was part of a French province. Control of the land was in dispute between the French and the British until the British took ownership after their victory in the French and Indian War in 1763. After the American Revolution, Maine was a province of Massachusetts. People living in the area began to demand statehood after Massachusetts failed to provide adequate protection against British raids during the War of 1812.

 

Many people moved to Maine for the timber industry, others for the beauty of the area or a chance to settle somewhere new. Nearly 300,000 people already lived there when it became a state. Now it is the most sparsely populated state east of the Mississippi.

 

The town of Kennebunkport, Maine, has been a fashionable seaside resort since the early 20th century. Do you know what former president and first lady still vacation there? Have you ever visited Maine?

 

Would you ever guess that the closest U.S. port city to Europe is in Maine? Well, it is.

 

The Port of Portland

The coastline of Maine totals about 3,500 miles and consists of sandy beaches, peninsulas, islands, inlets, bays, coves and harbors. Portland Harbor is one of many harbors on the Maine coast.

 

The city was built on two hilly peninsulas overlooking Casco Bay. The harbor became a major shipbuilding and mast building center in the 18th century. By 1806, Portland ranked as the sixth largest port in the country.

 

Its success made it a target for attack by the British during the War of 1812 and by the Confederates during the Civil War. Portland was also a target for German U-boats, or submarines, during World War I. It was rated the most important harbor in the continental U.S. during World War II, since it was the closest one to Europe.

 

The coastline and islands of Casco Bay were ringed with artillery bunkers on the alert for submarines. Some fishermen and divers claim that there are sunken German U-boats somewhere in Casco Bay.

 

Wabanaki Basketry

The Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Mikmaq, and Maliseet tribes of Maine are known as the Wabanaki Indians, or "People of the Dawn." They are known for their baskets that they weave with the leaves of sweet grass and thin strips of an ash tree (splints).

 

These Indian tribes share a common story that tells how their ancestors emerged from an ash tree when the Creator split it with an arrow. So, for thousands of years, they have used ash splints to make baskets for both personal and community use. Today, many people collect them as beautiful works of art.

 

The baskets fall into two categories: work baskets, which are used for gathering, storing, and transporting goods, and fancy baskets, ones that are crafted for the public, with decorative designs. Intricate shapes and designs and bold colors are used to make woven handkerchief baskets, powder-puff holders, purses, vases, wastebaskets, thimble baskets, candy dishes, knitting baskets, cradles, and fans.

 

Mary Mitchell Gabriel, a member of the Passamaquoddy tribe, has spent more than 60 years perfecting the art of basket making. She is working to preserve this important cultural tradition by teaching her two daughters how to make the baskets. She is also teaching others through the Maine Cooperative Extension Service and the Maine Basketmakers Alliance.