7 Fun Facts About Maine You Never Knew

Maine is the first state that sees sunlight every day…but did you know that the precise locations change throughout the year? How about despite there being thousands of coastal islands, only a handful are inhabited year-round? Or that while lobster and blueberries are major agricultural exports, the potato is becoming just as popular? If you think you know Maine, think again.

Maine certainly is a sizable state. Clocking in at nearly one-half of the total area of New England, this approximately 35,000-square-foot swath of land will take you anywhere between six and eight hours to drive from southernmost Kittery to northernmost Madawaska.

Naturally, those hefty dimensions mean there is plenty to love about The Pine Tree State. But it also means there is plenty about this state that will surprise you, too, including several fascinating Maine facts intricately linked to the locales where Opal resorts and hotels are located. Here are a few of our favorite – and lesser-known – things, proving there’s more to Maine than just lobster and lighthouses.

WHAT IS MAINE KNOWN FOR?

1. Out of Maine’s 4,000 Islands, Only 15 Are Populated Year-Round

Technically speaking, there are over 4,600 islands off the coast of Maine. This includes the largest actual island – Mount Desert Island at 108 square miles – to tiny ledges that can only be considered islands during a very low tide. In fact, only 1,200 of those coastal islands have an acre or more and only 15 boast a year-round population. One of the most populated year-round? The Mid-Coast island of Vinalhaven, with about 1,269 residents as of the 2020 census and located about 12 miles off the coast from Rockland. About the size of Manhattan (but not a skyscraper in sight), this 24-square-mile island is home to one of the largest lobster fleets in the world and the kind of rugged coastline – dotted with weathered lobster shacks and quintessential cottages – that Maine is known for. It’s also the former home of the late artist Robert Indiana – a contemporary to Andy Warhol – who, to escape the busy hum of the New York art scene, spent the last 40 years of his life here

• Where to Stay if You Want to Take a Day Trip to Vinalhaven: Samoset Resort

2. There Are Really Three Locations to Witness America’s First Light

As the eastern and northernmost state in the contiguous United States, you might already be aware that Maine is the first state the sun’s rays touch every day. What you might not know is that – because the sun is in a different location across the sky throughout the year – the precise points that see America’s first light actually rotates throughout the year. From March to mid-September, it’s 1,748-foot Mars Hill near the Canadian border; from Mid-September to October, it’s Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec; and from Mid-October to early March, it’s 1,532-foot Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor. That means that Acadia’s tallest peak actually holds the title of “First to See Sunrise” for most of the year.

• Where to Stay if You Want to Witness Sunrise on Cadillac: Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina | West Street Hotel

3. Move Over, Blueberries & Lobsters. Maine is Also All About Potatoes

Yes, it’s true that Maine is responsible for 90% of the country’s lobster supply (that’s nearly 40 million pounds hauled in by 4,600 licensed lobstermen). And yes, you’re also correct that Maine is the single largest producer of blueberries, accounting for 99% of the nation’s yield (in fact, the state grows more wild blueberries than any other place on Earth).

But did you know that the potato is spiking as a major Maine crop? In 2021, when large potato-producing states like Idaho and Washington saw a nearly 9% decline in their yield, Maine growers saw yields rise upwards of 30%, leading the state to ship potatoes cross-country to fill in the gap. Whether it’s the popular Russet, a special hybrid for Frito-Lay or Cape Cod Chips, or one of the many other varieties, Maine is also one of the country’s leaders in the market.

4. The Longest Rock Jetty in Maine Calls Rockport Home

Located in the Mid-Coast town of Rockport, at the edge of Samoset Resort’s property, the Rockland Breakwater is a marvel to witness – and to walk. That’s because it stretches 4,300 feet (that’s almost a mile!) into the harbor, making it not just the longest jetty in the state, but the second-longest in New England (after the Provincetown Harbor Breakwater in Massachusetts). But that’s not the only impressive fact about this sinewy grey line that protects Rockland’s commercial port and working harbor: It actually took a whopping 18 years to build. Construction started in 1881, quarrying 730,000 tons of giant granite blocks from the nearby island of Vinalhaven. It takes about 15 minutes to stroll the full length (round trip) of the landmark, where on its easternmost end, a historic lighthouse (built in 1902) stands sentinel over the waves.

• Where to Stay if You Want to Stroll the Rockland Breakwater: Samoset Resort

5. There’s a Myriad of Museums Dedicated to Quirky Subjects

If you’re a lover of oddball roadside attractions, Maine has got you covered with fun and funky options from Casco Bay to Washington County. In the Portland area, that includes two whacky wonders: the International Cryptozoology Museum, dedicated to the study of mysterious and mythological animals (i.e. Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, Yeti), and the Umbrella Cover Museum, home to hundreds of umbrella sleeves on display. Just a bit further north in Union, you’ll find a 30-foot-tall wooden replica of a vintage Moxie bottle housing memorabilia related to this famous state beverage (if you’re not from New England, this quirky carbonated beverage is likely not in your palette profile). Then in Ellsworth, there’s the New England Museum of Telephone that’s, yes, devoted to all things telephony. And, of course, you can’t forget the Sardine History Museum – home to colorful tins, labels, vintage photos, and salvaged equipment – in Jonesport.

6. Acadia is One of the 10 Smallest National Parks, Yet One of the 10 Most Visited

Acadia National Park’s 49,000 acres might not sound small, but it’s certainly on the more compact size when compared to the 62 other national parks that reside in the US (for perspective, you can fit 45 Acadia-sized parcels within the bounds of Yellowstone National Park). But as the old adage goes, great things come in small packages. In the case of Acadia, that means pink granite cliff ledges that gradually melt into the sea, densely wooded spruce and pitch-pine forests laced with historic carriage roads, and sloping glacier-carved peaks. And with easily accessible scenescapes like these, it’s no wonder Acadia National Park is the fifth most-visited national park in the country (to the tune of just under four million people in 2023, in fact).

• Where to Stay if You Want to Take a Lighthouse Cruise: Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina | West Street Hotel

7. Modern Donuts Were Invented Here & There is a Festival to Prove It

The first iteration of the donut is generally traced back to Dutch immigrants in seventeenth-century New York, who prepared fried dough balls called olykoeks (or “oily cakes”) that were solid in shape, resulting in undercooked centers. The modern donut, however – with its iconic ring shape – came about in the mid-nineteenth century when a captain from Rockport, Maine, decided to punch out the center of the cake with the ship’s tin pepper box during one of his voyages. Why? He was simply tired of the golden-brown edges, but soggy centers. Not to mention, the handy hole allowed him to skewer the pastry on the ship’s wheel, keeping his hands free. The invention proved to be so popular, they started being sold around the town. And as they say, the rest is history – a history that’s now celebrated annually during the Rockport Donut Festival. New in 2023, its 2024 dates are earmarked for June 7 and 8.

• Where to Stay if You Dig Donuts: Samoset Resort