9 Interesting Facts About Maine

I still remember my fifth grade project that required me to come up with a report with interesting facts about Maine. Everyone in our class was assigned a different U.S. state, and I was thrilled to get Maine. My grandparents lived in Maine, my mother grew up in Maine and being in Maine was a big part of my childhood memories.

Interesting facts about Maine

Not surprisingly, I can’t remember the exact facts I pulled together for that long-ago report. That is, except that the last names of the two Maine senators at the time were Muskey Muskie and Hathaway. Now I know they’re Collins and King. However, it was a ton of fun coming up with this roundup of nine interesting facts about Maine that are relevant for today.

Facts about Maine lobster

Lobster is definitely the state crustacean — if there were such a thing. According to some experts, fishermen catch more than 100 million pounds of lobster off Maine’s coast. It’s why we’ve covered lobster in a number of interesting ways, including:

How to cook lobster

Best Maine lobster rolls near Portland

History of the lobster roll

Finally, according to the Maine government, over 90 percent of the nation’s lobsters are caught along the Maine coast.

Interesting info about Maine lighthouses

Maine has more lighthouses than any other state in the United States. There are 67 lighthouses along the Maine coast. We’ve tried to visit a bunch of them, including when we were doing our article on food trucks in Maine. You’ll find some great ones at the Portland Head Light.

Speaking of the Portland Head Light, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine. It was first lit in 1791.

Also, with regards to Christmas tree lightings, you must check out the Nubble Light in York, Maine. This is what it looks like all lit up at the holidays.

Lobster trap Christmas trees

Speaking of Christmas tree lightings, in Maine you’re likely to see regular Christmas trees but also variations that reflect Maine’s seafaring economy. This includes trees made from lobster traps, like the one I photographed at Portland International Jetport this past holiday season.

Or you might see a tree made from or decorated with colorful buoys. One such buoy tree in Wells even has a tuna tail instead of a star at the top of it.

Maine has the most coastline in the U.S.

The state of Maine has over 3,500 miles of coastline. That’s more than the entire west coast of the United States.

When you look at a map, you might not think there is that much coastline. However, the people who determine this interesting fact about Maine have taken all of the nooks and crannies plus harbors and inlets into the equation.

How the Pine Tree State got its name

Even with all of that coastline, most of Maine is made up of forests. Much of those forests are pine trees, one of the reasons Maine is called the Pine Tree State. Maine also has many sugar maples, which contributed to its gorgeous fall foliage.

Acadia National Park is super popular

According to the National Park Service, of the national parks in Maine, Acadia National Park is the most popular. In fact, it is one of the top 10 most popular national parks in the entire United States. NPS says more than 4 million people visit each year.

Here are some other interesting facts about Acadia. It has:

• 27 miles of historic motor roads
• 158 miles of hiking trails
• 45 miles of carriage roads

Also, Acadia, located on Mount Desert Island, Maine, is a dog-friendly national park (not all are).

Blueberries are a Maine crop

According to the Maine.gov website, over 98 percent of the nation’s low bush blueberries are harvested in Maine. That’s why this fruit has become one of Maine’s larger exports.

People use blueberries for jams, jellies, pies and more. Speaking of jams, Stonewall Kitchen in York sells its organic blueberry jam nationwide. We spotted these jars of it at the Costco in Maine. We’ve also seen it at other Costco locations, including outside of Pittsburgh.

The Maine whoopie pie

Whether you’re visiting Maine or live here, you must try the state’s whoopie pies. There are all kinds of variations, including our favorite from Aunties in Kennebunk’s Lower Village — whoopie pie truffles. At least, that’s how I like to describe them.

You might run into a former president

At one time you might have run into two former presidents in Kennebunkport, Maine. That’s because the summer home of former President George H. W. Bush and his son President George W. Bush is in Kennebunkport. His family has vacationed there for decades and still do.

In fact, Bush 43 often marches in the Kennebunkport Memorial Day parade. Also, The George Bush Presidential Library is located in Kennebunkport. Finally, this past Kennebunkport Prelude, former first daughters Jenna and Barbara did a book signing for their children’s book collaboration Love Comes First.

Other fun facts about Maine

Since writing this article, we’ve come across other fun facts about Maine. This includes:

Why so many Maine towns are named after foreign countries.