YEAR RANK MAINE U.S. Agriculture Land in Farms, Percent 1992 43 15% 43.6% 1997 40 6.7% 42.2% 2002 49 6.9% 41.4% 2007 49 6.8% 40.8% Land in Farms, Acres 2000 43 1,270,000 943,090,000 1992 43 1,258,297 945,531,506 1997 42 1,211,648 931,795,255 2002 40 1,369,768 938,279,056 2007 41 1,347,566 922,095,840 Average Acres per Farm 1990 36…
Maine is a relative small, sparsely settled state when it comes to population. Its people are predominantly white, of European-origin, with relatively few members of minority ethnic or racial groups. The state ranks about 40th in total population, population density, portion of non-whites, households, and metropolitan population. The exception is the rank for American Indians.…
Just south of Rangeley, the plantation’s South Shore Road runs along the south shore of Rangeley Lake and east-west across the northern section of the plantation. Rangeley Lake State Park occupies part of the shore near South Cove. Access to the Bald Mountain Trail is from the park.
The town is at the center of the Rangeley Lakes Region with many hotels, campsites, boat launching facilities and recreational opportunities. See photos. The region was the setting for Louise Dickenson Rich’s 1942 book We Took to the Woods. It hosts Hunter Cove nature preserve and Bald Mountain public reserved land.
A suburb of Augusta, Randolph, tiny in terms of land area, lies on the east bank of the Kennebec River near Gardiner. A pedestrian trail extends from the Kennebec River through Randolph and Chelsea. The trail once linked the river and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, now Togus Veterans Home. That was during the 1800’s by the narrow-gauge (two-foot wide tracks) Kennebec Central Railroad.
Benjamin Randall (1789-1859) a U.S. Representative, was born in Topsham on November 14, 1789, he pursued an academic course, was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1809. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1812 and began his practice in Bath. During the War of 1812 in September 1814, Randall served in the State…
Starting in the latter part of the 19th century, Maine had a unique system of railroads that ran on rails only two feet apart. Eventually five of these railroads…
A Brief History of Railroads Maine Railroad technology was first developed in Great Britain, and included Richard Trevithick’s steam locomotive of 1804 and George Stevenson’s locomotive “Rocket” of 1829. In addition to the standard gauge (width) lines reviewed here, narrow gauge railroads also had a special role to play in the state. The first railroad…
What Should You do if You have been Exposed? If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal, or by a pet or farm animal that has been behaving oddly, follow these steps: 1. Animals must be killed or captured without injuring the brain; brain tissue must be tested. 2. Immediately wash the…
“Quoddy is an example of a project planned by private capital and supported by pressure groups, but which could not be financed without public aid.” So noted Lincoln Smith in his analysis of the long-studied but never funded tidal hydroelectric project in Washington County. Conceived in the early 20th century by Dexter P. Cooper, the…
on the west bank of the Penobscot River, across from Bucksport, the main village is at the junction of Maine Route 174 and U.S. Route 1A, near the South Branch of the Marsh River. Prospect is home to Fort Knox, built in 1844 with Mount Waldo granite from Frankfort and named for Henry Knox, the first U.S. Secretary of War.
was closed in February of 2002 after 178 years of housing inmates. In 1823, construction of the prison was approved by the Legislature. It was opened officially in July, 1824 to serve as a penitentiary where convicts were sentenced to hard labor for life or for any terms of time not less than one year.…
The town surrounds most of Pocomoonshine Lake, the origins of whose fascinating name is unclear. In 1886, the Gazetteer of Maine referred to it as “Shining Lake.” See photos. Along its northern boundary is a chain of lakes, including Long Lake and Lewey Lake, easily accessible from Princeton Village.
Executive Orders are official acts of a governor to establish policies and practices for the Executive Branch in the administration of state government. These Orders may direct that certain actions be taken, that emergencies be dealt with in a prescribed way, etc. Here are some examples of the form and content of Executive Orders in…
With many fine houses and a historic downtown, Presque Isle has its commercial strip like so many other communities. See photos. The University of Maine campus here provides educational and cultural opportunities for area residents. Aroostook State Park is located at the southern end of the town, on Echo Lake. The French presque isle means “almost an island,” based on the twists and turns of the Aroostook River and the Presque Isle Stream.
This sparsely populated area is remote from even moderately sized towns. Maine Routes 169, 170, and 171 cut through the woods and bogs that characterize the area. Prentiss Village is at the junction of routes 169 and 171 in the south-central area of the township. The township’s population has been relatively stable in recent decades at around 200.
(1761-1807) was born in Falmouth, now Portland, on August 15, 1761 and has been called the “Father of the American Navy.” He played a decisive role in keeping the waters of Maine safe from Barbary pirates as Commander of U.S. naval forces during much of the Tripolitan War, 1801-1805. On March 2, 1818, in the…
Bradbury Mountain State Park offers picnicking, a modest walk to the summit, and a historic cattle pound. See video and photos. “Pineland Center ” is a community of non-profits and local businesses. Most of the town is rural residential, with homes and a few farmhouses widely spaced along the local roads. The few commercial establishments are clustered in Pownal Center Village.
Official Poverty Levels by Family Size Size Income 1 $12,140 2 $16,460 3 $20,780 4 $25,100 5 $29,420 6 $33,740 7 $38,060 8 $42,380 – – – – – – – – – – For each additional family member, add $4,320. Standards for 2018 issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The…
I saw mountains of potatoes–oceans–more potatoes than you would think the world’s population could consume in a hundred years. –Steinbeck These girls, probably in the 1950’s, had been hand-picking potatoes, then carrying their baskets to the barrels. The small card, or “ticket” on each barrel identifies the picker by number. The number of completed barrels…