Maine: The Pine Tree State

Maine: The Pine Tree State — page 1
4 MAINE INTRODUCTION As the largest state among the six in New England Maine is something like the big fish in a small pond The state is not only the most northeastern state in New England it is the most northeastern state in the entire nation About 500 years ago Maine’s location made it a prime fishing and trading destination for explorers Today fishing is still important to the area Due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean the state has one of the largest annual ocean catches in the nation Along with the large catches off the Atlantic coast Maine is also known for its beautiful coastline which is nearly 3,500 miles long Charming fishing towns and beautiful beaches grace its shore There are also many rocky outcroppings and islands that made navigating the coast very tricky and dangerous in Maine’s early days Lighthouses were built to guide ships and today Maine has more than 60 lighthouses along its shore The Marshall Point Light marks the entrance to Port Clyde a small fishing town and former shipbuilding hub Maine’s state motto is Dirigo which is Latin for I direct Augusta is the capital of Maine It is the most eastern capital city in the United States Maine’s coast has sandy beaches tiny fishing villages and the only national park in New England Acadia National Park