United States, Maine
Welcome to the great state of Maine! From the pristine wilderness of the conifer and hardwood forests that cover 90% of the state, to the magnificent rocky coastline of the north, to the long sandy beaches of the south, Maine is truly a scenic wonder. Picturesque lighthouses and quaint fishing villages add to the natural splendor of the coastline. Majestic homes of 19th century sea captains, many with their original widow's walks, grace the seaside towns.
Humorist Will Rogers remarked, "Did you ever see a place that looked like it was built to enjoy? Well this whole state of Maine looks that way."
Maine isn't just about beautiful scenery and wilderness. Maine's history and economy have been linked to vast timber reserves and to the sea; in this case, the Atlantic Ocean. The abundance of timber served the state well as Maine became noted for its shipbuilding in colonial times. The first ship built and launched in western hemisphere was the Virginia launched in 1607. Shipbuilding continued to flourish in Maine as the manufacture of wooden ships gave way to iron and steel. The first atomic submarine, the Swordfish was built in Maine. On the other end of the scale, Maine produces more canoes than any other state in the union.
Though the wooden shipbuilding industry disappeared long ago, Maine forests continue to provide the raw resources for its most important manufactured products; cardboard boxes, paper bags, wood pulp, and paper.
Maine's blueberry harvest is the largest in the nation, yielding almost all the low bush blueberries grown in the United States. Potatoes are a major product of Maine, growing well in the cool north. And the state is famous for delicious shellfish, too, especially clams and the famous Maine lobster. Maine's yearly lobster catch is larger than any other state.
It is really not known how the name for this state originated. One theory suggests that the state was named by French colonists after the French province of Mayne. Another mentions that "Main" was a common term to describe a mainland.
