What about us, Maine?

Posted by ptb under *dislike, Miscellany |

After looking at our visitor logs over the last year, I feel I have to do something about a group of states that never visit. You know who you are…well, you really don’t know who you are, do you…

Maine…monosyllabic Maine. No one’s even sure what you’re named for.

I once walked into Maine, but I didn’t get very far and I think I only stayed for lunch. It was really just for the novelty of being able to walk out of New Hampshire (I’ll get to you soon enough).

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that not many people from Maine visit since it’s apparent that there are way more trees than people up there, and trees don’t get the internet. Maine has the lowest population density East of the Mississippi, and it really doesn’t get more East than Maine.

In doing a background check on Maine, the thing that struck me was that every city I could name was more famous for being somewhere else. The capital, Augusta, Portland, Belfast and of course Norway are all conspicuously borrowed. I thought Bangor was original and then Angie pointed out to me there was a Bangor, PA. I have to hand it to them for a place like Beans Corner Bingo, that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

A number of movies and TV shows seem to be set in Maine, but The Cider House Rules, The Shawshank Redemption and Murder She Wrote don’t really inspire me to visit. The Iron Giant, Dark Shadows (Angelique is named after a witch on that show), and Casper the Friendly Ghost are a different story entirely.

A lot of fun things have come from Maine; like Maine Coons, Moxie, Milton Bradley, and Matt Stairs, so maybe it’s not so bad. On second thought, Moxie is terrible.

I hear you’re beautiful Maine, and I’m sure I’ll be back. Just keep in mind that our site looks pretty nice too. So ignore all the mountains and Canada and look over here, Mainers, Mainards, Manians, or whatever you call yourselves, we get plenty of visitors from the other Portland.

Image courtesy of Greenwich Mean Time.com.
Moxie image by JoeShlabotnik/ / CC BY 2.0

Other states that never stop by: Utah, Nebraska

Tags: Maine, My Latest Distraction, Things to do in Maine, What about us?

Angelique said,

I would like to clarify that I was not named for a witch on a tv show. That is all.
Kevin Haley said,

Interesting little piece here, but Portland is “conspicuously” borrowed from Portland, England (Portland, Ore. is named after Portland, Maine), Bangor is a Welsh word, and the city of Bangor, Maine is named after the city of the same name in Wales.

– Kevin
Portland, Maine
ptb said,

Hey, I’m just glad someone from Maine actually stopped by.

Mission accomplished! Thanks, Kevin from Maine.
Jason Toddman said,

Just a few comments from a Mainer born and bred.
1. I assume your comparison of city names was a joke; there are many towns here not named after someplace else. Rockland for example was named because… well, there’s a lot of rock on the coast there.
2. Another series that used Maine as a locale was The Real Adventures o Jonny Quest. Idiotic showotherwise but I liked the fact that it took place in a town I lived next to (Rockport, which was actually the town that Professor Stokes of Dark Shadows was supposed to be living in).
3. Maine is also noted for lobster and blueberries (it is the leading worl producer of each), both of which I like much beytter than I do Moxie (which I agree IS terrible).
4. Mainers is accurate for the serious folks. Those of us with a sense of humor prefer the terms ‘Mainiacs’, however. 🙂
5. I’m *glad* there are more trees than people here; trees are much better neighbors overall.
6. Actually quite a few Mainers visit New Hampshire for the mountains (especially Mt. Washington), and for the sales-tax free merchandise.