Beyond the South End

Born and Raised in Maine

What does it take to be a real “Maineiac” or one who is “Born and Raised in Maine?” We’ll explore that question in this blog by highlighting some interesting sites I recently found online. Some of my Facebook friends have already found the blog “Born and Raised in Maine” and “Journey on the Back Roads of Maine.” I’ll give you a sample of some of the history and humor of Maine people and hopefully you’ll get a sense of what it means to be a Maineiac.

I have noted lately that there has been a proliferation of Maine based shows on T.V. which include a show about Maine State troopers, “North Woods Law.” Maineiacs call this area the “County” for Aroostook County which covers most of the top half of Maine and is mainly a wooded area. There is also a new show called “Downeast Dickering” which we’ll talk about later.

At the beginning of Downeast Dickering you’ll see a sign which reads, “What living should be.” I propose that we change the Maine license plates to include this phrase instead of the present “Vacationland” or “Pine Tree State.” I can’t remember which one is used now.

At this point in my life I have lived in Georgia longer than I have lived in Maine, where, yes, I was “born and raised.” In all the 30 plus years I lived in the Atlanta area though I’ve never lost my Maine roots or speech. I may have softened a little around the edges living in the South, but the Maine in me is still very present.

 Maine people are a hardy sort. They have to be because life is sometimes hard during the winter, especially up in the County. That’s where their humor comes in. In order to cope with the environment or a difficult situation in Maine, Maineiacs will often make a joke about it, believing that if you can only laugh at the tough day you’re having, then it can’t be all that bad and tomorrow is indeed another day.

Here’s a poem to illustrate that point which I found at the Born and Raised site:

 

 

Let’s look at this site some more. To quote the page, “This page is devoted [to] Maine living, Maine lifestyle and most important good ol’ Maine humor!” Not exactly perfect English grammar, but I suspect there is a true down-to-earth friendly Maineiac behind this statement.

A “Fun Fact of the Day” I came across here is: “Maine is reported to have more Moose per mile than any other state.” (Not square miles mind you)

Here are some more interesting pictures from this site that will give you a sense of what Maine is all about:

Monhegan Island

 

 

Gotta love that Maine humor.

An antiques store in Searsport which looks like a fun place to explore.

 

 

The Portland Press Herald photos of the year found on this site are also worth a look.

Journey on the Back Roads of Maine

Some great historical facts on this site along with some pictures you may not be able to see anywhere else.

 

The caption reads: “Some of the young cartoners in work room, Seacoast Canning Co., Factory #2. Five-year-old Preston working also. Location: Eastport, Maine” Obviously this was way before child labor laws.

 

 

Part of the caption reads: “1856-1920. Robert E. Peary attended Portland High School and Bowdoin College graduating in 1877 with a civil engineering degree. He worked as the town surveyor in Fryeburg, Maine…after retiring from the Navy in 1911, Peary summered on Eagle Island, which is now a state park, off the coast of Freeport.

 

Paraphrasing the caption: September 1878. Theodore Roosevelt visited Island Falls. He came with a cousin and two friends. They came by train to the Mattawamkeag Station (up in the County), the nearest point reached by the railroad, and traveled the remaining 36 miles by buckboard. They slept that night in a field-bed in the third floor of the William Sewall residence. Left to right: William Sewall, Wilmot Dow, Teddy Roosevelt at age 21.

I can tell you from my own experience of being stuck in Mattawamkeag, you won’t find a more desolate place in the dead of winter.

 

 

Photo from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, Pettengill’s store, Island Falls, taken about 1920.

 

“It was on a Thursday in early October of 1940, that Presque Isle residents took a break from the potato harvest to celebrate the first international barrel rolling contest.”

 

 

From the Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum. “An A.G. Bryson team hauling 60 logs on a bob sled at Cut Lake, Patten. H.W. Nelson, second from left, is the foreman.”

 

 

Photo from Lois Leavitt-Harrington. “This is a drawing of Sherman Railroad Station where my dad worked. We were Sherman Station but now it is called Stacyville.”

In case you don’t know it, Maine is the biggest state in New England. It is said that you could put all the other New England states within its borders. Therefore, there are many places in Maine I’ve never been through, visited, or even knew existed. You’ll find many of these places at this very informative site such as Addison, Dixfield, and Wilton. Have fun exploring Maine here.

Down East Dickering

I hope you all have seen at least one episode of my new favorite show, “Downeast Dickering.” I’ve given you a peek at one of the shows from a video on YouTube. Just love Duke.

 

 

I hope you all have seen at least one episode of my new favorite show, “Downeast Dickering.” I’ve given you a peek at one of the shows from a video on YouTube. Just love Duke.

YouTube: Down East Dickering Tony, Codfish and Duke

The guys you see on these shows are not actually Downeasters as that distinction is given to those Maineiacs who live along the coast and especially way Downeast Maine in Washington County. As far as I can tell, these guys hail from the middle of the state towards the western part of the state. However, I expect the title was a good alliterative one, thus the use of it.

That being said, all the men on this show are about as Maine as you can get. You get a real sense of what it means to be born and raised in Maine.

More References

I recommend the following references if you wish to get more involved in this subject. Methinks there could be a good term paper here for any of you college kids who may be reading this:

On Facebook:

Rockland Historical Society, Rockland, Maine History, We Grew Up in Thomaston Maine, The Humble Farmer with Robert Skogulund.

Radio stations: WERU 89.9 from Bluehill, Maine; WRFR 93.3 FM from Rockland

Maine State Archives

Maine Memory Network

TV station Channel 7 out of Rockland.

I’m proud to say that I was born and raised in Maine. Have fun exploring the sites we’ve talked about here and learning more about the Great State of Maine.

Thanks for listening.