Maine Trivia & Tidbits
Looking for Maine trivia? Try our list Maine little know facts, tidbits and trivia.
—Established in 1995, the Ski Museum of Maine in Farmington (pop. 7,410) aims to identify and preserve the state’s skiing heritage as well as publicize the state’s skiing industry. Part of this effort included establishment of the Maine Ski Hall of Fame.
first appeared: 5/4/2008
—The Wadsworth-Longfellow House in Portland was the childhood home of 19th-century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Originally a two-story structure with a pitched roof, the house was the first wholly brick dwelling in the city.
first appeared: 3/9/2008
—Built in 1962, the Roosevelt International Bridge connects Lubec (pop. 1,652) and Campobello Island, site of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s summer home. The bridge spans an area of water called The Narrows, through which swift tidal currents flow. Before construction of the bridge, cars were ferried from the island to the mainland.
first appeared: 2/24/2008
—Logging in Maine began in the early 1600s when explorers first felled trees on Monhegan Island. In 1634, the first sawmill operated by steam was opened in South Berwick (pop. 6,671). By 1832, Bangor (pop. 31,473) had become the lumber shipping capital of the world, but by the 1880s, the industry was in decline.
first appeared: 2/10/2008
—Thunder Hole, a deep crevice where the force of incoming waves from the Atlantic Ocean creates a thunderous sound, is found in Acadia National Park on the shore of Mount Desert Island. Waves crashing into the hole can rise as high as 40 feet.
first appeared: 1/27/2008
—In Waterville (pop. 15,605), artist Kevin James last year completed the Lebanese Heritage Mural in collaboration with Waterville Main Street to honor the Lebanese-American community’s contributions to the area. Prior to actually working on the mural, James undertook extensive research and met with the town’s Lebanese-American community.
first appeared: 1/13/2008
—Established in 1894, the W.S. Wells & Sons cannery in Wilton (pop. 4,123) is the only fiddlehead fern cannery in the nation. The company sells nearly 50,000 pounds of the seasonal delicacy each year.
first appeared: 12/30/2007
—Skyline Farm Carriage Museum in North Yarmouth (pop. 3,210) has an extensive collection of antique carriages and sleighs, many of which were built or used locally. The museum’s educational programs offer insight into how horse-drawn carriages spurred cultural and economic development in New England.
first appeared: 12/2/2007
—Visitors marvel at the night sky projected on a 30-foot-tall domed ceiling at the Southworth Planetarium in Portland. The planetarium also offers astronomy and laser light shows.
first appeared: 11/18/2007
—Built in 1902, the Opera House in Waterville (pop. 15,605) began as a musical theater and later was used for touring performances and movies. Today, the opera house serves as a public performing arts facility.
first appeared: 11/4/2007
—Bill “Rough” Carrigan of Lewiston (pop. 35,690) was a catcher and manager for the Boston Red Sox, leading them to two World Series wins in 1915 and 1916. On his pitching roster for those two wins was Babe Ruth.
first appeared: 10/21/2007
—At the Marine Technology Center in Eastport (pop. 1,640), students learn boat-building and refurbishing as well as commercial fishing. By constructing both wooden and composite boats from start to finish, students gain an understanding of boat design and drafting as well as maintenance.
first appeared: 10/7/2007
—The Wyman Hydroelectric Plant in Bingham (pop. 989) was built during the Depression era and named for Walter Wyman, the founder of Central Maine Power Co. Wyman worked to alleviate unemployment and poverty in Maine in the 1930s.
first appeared: 9/30/2007
—Built in the 1830s, the Songo Locks allow visitors to see the entire 42-mile waterway that encompasses the Songo River, Sebago Lake, Brandy Pond and Long Lake. Boaters may have a short wait while the hand-turned drawbridge is raised.
first appeared: 9/9/2007
—The Ruggles House in Columbia Falls (pop. 599) was built between 1818 and 1820 for Judge Thomas Ruggles, a wealthy merchant, local postmaster, militia captain and justice of the Court of Sessions for Washington County. Intricately carved flutings, beadings and garlands of tiny flowers, as well as a flying stairway, are features for which the house is famous.
first appeared: 8/26/2007
—Rockport (pop. 3,209) long has been known for its arts community. Among the institutions that call the seaside town home are Bay Chamber Concerts, the Center for Maine Contemporary Art and the Maine Photographic Workshops.
first appeared: 8/12/2007
—The Cranberry Isles (pop. 128), which lie off the coast of Acadia National Park, include five islands—Bear, Sutton, Baker, Great Cranberry and Little Cranberry, also known as Islesford. The islands are considered one town, although only Islesford and Great Cranberry are inhabited year-round.
first appeared: 7/29/2007
—The Great Wass Archipelago comprises more than 43 islands off the coast of Jonesport (pop. 1,408). Great Wass, the largest island at 1,700 acres, is the geographic center of the archipelago and is connected to the mainland by a bridge through Beals Island.
first appeared: 7/15/2007
—Edmund “Rip” Black, an alumnus of the University of Maine, is best known for his involvement in the sport of hammer throw. He won a bronze medal for the United States in the sport at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.
first appeared: 7/1/2007
—During the 1930s, federal funds were allocated for a massive hydroelectric plant known as the Quoddy Tidal Project in Passamaquoddy Bay. Although a village for workers and two small dams were built, additional funding to complete the project was denied and the plan was abandoned.
first appeared: 6/17/2007
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