Posted
on March 15, 2016
Maine
is very special – in bunches of ways.
It
is the easternmost state in the United States.
And
it's the northernmost, too, right?
Maine looks, on some maps
at least, like it is the northernmost of the 48 contiguous states
(the states that touch—so, all the states other than Alaska and
Hawaii), but it is only the sixth northernmost of the lower
68; Minnesota is #1, followed by North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and
Washington! And the following nations in Europe that are completely
or mostly farther north than Maine include: Ireland, the U.K.,
Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Luxembourg, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia!
Maine is the only state that borders on only one other state.
One
of the islands off the coast of Maine, Machias Seal Island, is
claimed by both the U.S. and Canada – the only disputed area that
contains land!
Machias Seal Island is apparently a puffin paradise!
The
largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere, the Old Sow, is
also off the coast of Maine.
Apparently it makes sucking noises.
Maine
has miles and miles of beautiful jagged, rocky coastline. Its
landscape is considered a “drowned coast,” because over the
centuries and millennia, rising sea levels have invaded land
features. What used to be valleys have become bays, and what used to
be mountain tops became islands.
It
is the least densely populated U.S. state east of the Mississippi
River. That's partly because it is so heavily forested (83% of the
land is covered by forests) that some large tracts of land are
uninhabited – and are not even organized into political units such
as counties or boroughs.
On
this date in 1820, Maine became the 23rd state in the U.S.
Thanks
to those rocky coasts, those colorful forests, and the many lakes and
rivers, Maine is pretty darn gorgeous!
Also
on this date:
Plan
ahead:
And
here are my Pinterest boards for:
