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Maine became a state on March 15, 1820 and was the 23rd state to do so.  With a population of just over 1.3 million people in an area of 30,862 square miles, main is the 39th most populous state in the nation.  During the Colonial era Maine was a part of Massachusetts and by the late 1700s; several tracts of land in Maine were sold off by lottery. Two tracts of 1,000,000 acres, one in south-east Maine and another in the west were bought by a wealthy Philadelphia banker named William Bingham. This land became known as the Bingham Purchase.

The capital city of Maine is Augusta but Portland is probably the most recognizable city.  Maine is best known for sea food and Stephen King.  Almost all of Stephen King's books take place - in part at least - in both real and imaginary towns and cities.  The best known geographical features in Maine are the pine trees (and this is why it is called The Pine Tree State) and it's rocky coast line dotted with lighthouses used to call ships home safely in rough waters.

The oldest light house in Maine was built on the orders of George Washington in 1787.  Life in the lighthouse was frequently dangerous and even life threatening, for the lighthouse keeper during bad weather.  The fog can get so thick that sailors cannot see the fast approaching rocky cliffs, sometimes requiring the lighthouse keeper to ring bells for hours on end to keep the unsuspecting mariners safe.

More symbols of Maine include the moose, lobster, and blueberries.

The moose is the state animal of Maine - standing 6-7 feet tall and weighing in at 850-1580 pounds.  They are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants, and are the largest relative of the deer family living in North America.

Lobster harvesting in Maine is a way of life for many people who rely on the sea to make their living.  Almost 50% of the county's lobster comes from Maine.

The blueberry is a major industry in Maine with about 25% of the lowland crop coming from this single state.  They are a native plant of this area, occurring naturally in the forest understory.

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