You may know Maine as the state of Stephen King’s ‘It‘, but there’s more to the north-eastern state than horrifying clowns that live in sewers. Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about the Pine Tree State.
- State Number 23
Despite being part of New England, territory typically associated with the thirteen colonies, Maine was never part of the original thirteen. Until 1820, Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was only a district, not a separate state until March 15, 1820, when it became the 23rd state of the Union. Maine was established as part of the Missouri Compromise to keep free and slave states equal, which also allowed Missouri to become a state the following year.
2. One Syllable State
Maine is the only state to have one syllable, but there isn’t a universally agreed origin of the state’s name. The most popular theory is that it was named after the former province of Maine in France, since the first European explorers were French. Another theory, put forward in 2002, goes that Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who founded Maine in 1622, in reference to his ancestral village near Broadmayne, England. Another useless fact – ‘Maine’ appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 (William the Conqueror’s survey of England) in reference to the county of Dorset.
3. Mini Desert
There is a small desert in Maine. Perhaps unimaginatively called “The Desert of Maine,” it is a 40 acre area of exposed glacial silt near Freeport. To complicate things, it isn’t technically a desert. A desert by definition receives less than 250mm of precipitation a year, whereas Freeport has an average annual precipitation of 1270mm. Maine’s desert was formed by overgrazing and soil erosion.
4. We Love Lobsters!
Maine is pretty famous for its lobsters. The state is responsible for 90% of the US’ lobster supply and is a major economy. In 2018, the lobster catch was worth $484.5 million. Meanwhile at the University of Maine, there is a lobster institute with the aim of conducting more research into lobsters and develop sustainable fishing practices.
5. Get Those Decorations Down
There are plenty of crazy laws in Maine. Under one law, you may be given a fine for leaving your Christmas decorations up after January 14th. In Augusta, it is illegal to stroll down the street playing a violin. Meanwhile in South Berwick, you cannot park in front of any Dunkin Donuts store.
6. Naming the West
Portland, Oregon, was named after Portland, Maine. The Oregon city was established in 1845 after being founded by two New Englanders – Asa Lovejoy from Boston, Massachusetts, and Francis W. Pettygrove from Portland, Maine. Naming the new city is believed to be the result of a coin toss that Pettygrove won. So he named it after his hometown of Portland.
7. State Cat
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Maine’s state cat is the Maine Coon. The cats are native to Maine, but little is known about their ancestral history. Some explanations include Marie Antoinette attempting to escape France on board Captain Samuel Clough’s ship, taking with her the Turkish Angora cats she owned. The ship and her cats made it to Maine, where the cats bred with local short-hair breeds and developed into the Maine Coon. However, a more likely explanation is that a long haired breed, similar to a Norwegian Forest Cat, was brought to Maine by Norsemen in the 11th Century where they bred with local short-hair breeds to lead to the Maine Coon.
8. Prohibition First
Maine was the first state to ban the sale and manufacture of alcohol in 1851. It was known as “Maine Law” and was produced by Neal Dow, a temperance activist and the mayor of Portland. Laws prohibiting alcohol had spread to 12 additional states by 1855. The law was unpopular with the working class and with immigrants, with opposition turning violent and leading to the Portland Rum Riot on June 2, 1855. Dow later campaigned for presidency. In 1880, he headed the Prohibition Party, but wasn’t very successful. The Prohibition Party got 10,305 votes – or 0.1% of all votes cast in the election.
9. Cold State
Being the most northern state in the continental United States, Maine can get pretty cold. It is classified as the coldest state in spring (in autumn and winter, that designation goes to North Dakota for continental, whereas Alaska is generally the coldest state in the entirety of the US). Maine’s coldest temperature recorded was -50°F on January 16, 2009. The freezing cold temperature was recorded at Clayton Lake in Aroostook County.
10. Stick A Seal On It. Again.
Another state with the seal on its flag. In the center of the seal is a moose sat beneath a pine tree, flanked by a farmer (representing the state’s agriculture) and a seaman (representing the state’s maritime economy). The term “dirigo” on top of the seal means “I Lead” in Latin. The current flag was adopted in 1909.
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