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August 22, 2008 There and Back

Maine essentials | Gather round, staycationers and flatlanders alike, and listen to these simple facts about our state

By John Mcdonald

Been out on Maine’s roads, lately? Not only is our beloved state being flooded with the usual hordes of what we politely call “summer visitors,” it’s also being all clogged up with our own relatives, friends and neighbors who are staying around Maine this summer for what’s now called a “staycation.” Over the years, folks in Augusta said they wanted us to use “correct” phrases like “summer visitors” to describe “people from away” — but what do we call Mainers who are now riding around our state acting very much like the summer complaints we’ve always complained about? â€&Copy;

In the interest of acceptance and inclusion and all that, I thought I’d include here a few interesting facts for both our visitors and our staycation neighbors about this place we like to call Maine, since that’s its name. Call this shameless self-promotion, but just by coincidence, many of these same facts are included in my popular book, Down the Road a Piece: A Storyteller’s Guide to Maine.â€&Copy;

Anyway, I hope, if you’re from out of state, you can read and enjoy these useful facts before it’s time to pack up your things — including all those kayaks, designer bicycles and barbeques — and head down the turnpike toward home. If you’re a staycationer, I still hope you enjoy these facts even though you’ve probably heard them a time or two before.â€&Copy;

First you should know that here in Maine — also known as Down East — we make a big deal about the fact that we are further east than anyone else in the country. I’m not sure how special that easterly thing makes us, and I’m not prepared to argue the merits of being further east than the rest of you, but the Maine city of Eastport boasts of being the easternmost city in the United States. It consequently claims to be the first city in the United States to receive the morning’s sun. Problem is, when you consider how early it is in the morning Eastport first sees the sun, the rest of the people in America are apt to say something like, “Who cares?”â€&Copy;

Fair enough. So, maybe that fact didn’t do anything for you.â€&Copy;

How about this: Maine is the only state whose name has only one syllable. And we’re the only state bordered by only one other state. Unfortunately for us, that one state happens to be New Hampshire. Kidding, kidding.â€&Copy;

Our other New England state neighbors often have trouble dealing with the sheer size of Maine since all five of our neighboring New England states can easily fit into the area known as Maine. We’re grateful none of those other states has yet tried to do it, but they could definitely fit if they figured out a way. On some summer weekends they have tried to get all their people into Maine, but most of their land they’ve left behind.â€&Copy;

To use one more example of how large Maine is compared with our New England neighbors, Aroostook County covers an area greater than the combined size of Connecticut and Rhode Island.â€&Copy;

Impressed? Some say all that proves is how small Connecticut and Rhode Island are.â€&Copy;

Okay, I can tell you’re not easily impressed. How about this: It’s a little known fact, but 90% of our nation’s toothpicks are manufactured not in China, but are instead whittled by hand by teams of retired loggers right here in Maine. You may laugh, but considering how many toothpicks a band of loggers can whittle from a good-sized 12-foot birch log, and considering they now sell for about $2 a box, toothpicks are probably the most profitable wood product on the planet. Think of that the next time you squeeze one between your two front teeth. â€&Copy;

You might not have learned this in your American history classes, but Eastport is also the only city in the United States to have once been under the rule of a foreign government. It was held from 1814 to 1818 by British troops under King George following the conclusion of the War of 1812.â€&Copy;

You may be wondering why United States government officials didn’t exactly work up a sweat trying to get Eastport back. Well, the simple fact is they didn’t. Once the Brits decided they weren’t really that interested in keeping our easternmost city it was eventually returned to its rightful owners — the people of Eastport.â€&Copy;

And we don’t like to brag about such things, but we’ll make an exception is this case: Best-selling author and Maine native Stephen King is a resident of Bangor and the world-famous retail giant L.L.Bean was founded and is still headquartered in Freeport.â€&Copy;

Now that you’re all filled up with trivial Maine knowledge, have a safe trip home — wherever home may be.â€&Copy;

John McDonald, an author, humorist and storyteller, can be reached at mainestoryteller@yahoo.com.

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