Maine
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| Abbreviation | ME Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Augusta |
| Population | 1,328,361 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Paul LePage (Republican, to January 2015) |
| Entered the Union | March 15, 1820 as the 23rd state |
| Motto | Dirigo (I direct) |
| Nickname | The Pine Tree State |
| Flower | White Pine cone and tassel |
| Bird | Chickadee |
| Song | State of Maine Song |
| Professional Sports Teams | No NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS, or NHL teams. (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | Originally used to distinguish the mainland from the offshore islands. Considered a compliment to Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I of England. She was said to have owned the province of Mayne in France |
| Historical Sites | Wadsworth-Longfellow House, Fort Edgecomb, Fort Halifax, Fort Kent, Fort Knox, Fort McClary, Fort O’Brien, Fort Point, Fort Popham, Eagle Island, Arnald Trail |
| Points of Interest | Bar Harbor, Allagash National Wilderness Waterway, Roosevelt Campobello International Park, and the St. Croix Island National Monument |
| Bordering States | Maine borders the state of New Hampshire, the country of Canada, and the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Maine from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Maine.gov: The Official Web Site of the State of Maine
http://www.state.me.us/
This is the official website for the State of Maine. - Maine State Library
http://www.state.me.us/msl/
Here is the homepage for the Maine State Library. - Maine Historical Society
http://www.mainehistory.org/
Here is the homepage for the Maine State Historical Society. - Maine State Museum
http://www.state.me.us/museum/
Here is the homepage for the Maine State Museum. - Maine State Archives
http://www.state.me.us/sos/arc/
Here is the homepage for the Maine State Archives. - Maine Department of Conservation Bureau of Parks and Lands
http://www.state.me.us/doc/parks/programs/index.html
Here is the homepage for Maine State Parks. - It Must Be Maine: Maine Office of Tourism
http://www.visitmaine.com/
Here is the official state tourism website for Maine. - Maine Secretary of State’s Kids’ Page
http://www.state.me.us/sos/kids/
The state of Maine designed this special page just for kids.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Maine
http://www.50states.com/maine.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Maine. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Maine
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/ME/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Maine’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Maine Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/me.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Maine. - GoTravelMaine
http://www.mainesunshine.com/
Check here for all Maine vacation travel information – lodging, attractions, recreation, restaurants and more. - State-of-Maine.US – Your Maine Guide to the Pine Tree State
http://www.etravelmaine.com/state/activities/tourist_attractions/tourist_attractions.htm
This site is Maine’s online travel and resource guide for tourist attractions in the state. - Maine.Info – Resources for Maine Travel and Living
http://www.maine.info/
Use this comprehensive site to find out about Maine’s upcoming events and festivals, to learn where to find everything from jobs to libraries, to choose activities from birding to sight-seeing, and to discover Maine’s adventures from dining to white-water rafting. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Maine
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/23000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Maine.
- Maine has 62 lighthouses. One of the most famous is Portland Head Light, which was commissioned by President George Washington.
- Almost 89% of Maine is forested.
- Nearly 90 percent of the nation’s lobster supply is caught off the coast of Maine, approximately 40 million pounds. Other ocean products are sardines and Atlantic salmon.
- Maine produces 98% of the nation’s low-bush blueberries. Other agricultural and farm products include apples, potatoes, dairy products, vegetables, poultry and eggs.
- The state fish of Maine is the Landlocked salmon, state animal is the Moose, state fossil is Pertica quadrifaria, state insect is the Ho neybee, state tree is the White pine tree and the state mineral is Tourmaline.
- There is evidence that Native Americans were living in Maine more than 2000 years ago.
Some Famous People from this State
- Joshua L. Chamberlain (1828 – 1914), Civil War general, governor of Maine, president of Bowdoin College.
- Dorothea Dix (1802 – 1887), humanitarian and social reformer.
- Stephen King, writer whose novels often are made into motion pictures. Some works include The Shining, Salem’s Lot, Carrie, Pet Sematary, and Midnight Shift.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 – 1882), poet and scholar.
- George Putnam, publisher.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 – 1896), abolitionist and humanitarian, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin.