Grand-Bouctouche / ˈ b ʌ k t uː ʃ / is a Canadian town in Kent County , New Brunswick .
92-412: Grand-Bouctouche was originally named Tjipogtotjg (pronounced Chebooktoosk ), a Mi'kmaq word meaning "Great Little Harbour". The region was next settled by brothers Francois LeBlanc and Charles LeBlanc, and brothers Isidore Bastarache and Joseph Bastarache in 1785 as an Acadian community. "La Croix commémorative aux fondateurs de Bouctouche" was unveiled August 29, 1954, to pay tribute to the founders of
184-678: A New England Acadian flag. Maine Maine ( / m eɪ n / MAYN ) is a state in the New England region of the United States , and the northeastern most state in the Lower 48 . It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northwest, and shares
276-538: A few regional accents (for example, Chiac in the southeast of New Brunswick, or Brayon in the northwest of New Brunswick). Most can also speak English. The Louisiana Cajun descendants tend to speak English , including Cajun English or Louisiana French , a relative of Acadian French from Canada. Estimates of contemporary Acadian populations vary widely. The Canadian census of 2006 reported only 96,145 Acadians in Canada, based on self-declared ethnic identity. However,
368-483: A maritime border with Nova Scotia . Maine is the largest state in New England by total area, nearly larger than the combined area of the remaining five states. Of the 50 U.S. states , it is the 12th-smallest by area , the 9th-least populous , the 13th-least densely populated , and the most rural. Maine's capital is Augusta , and its most populous city is Portland , with a total population of 68,408, as of
460-706: A period of 74 years, six wars (the four French and Indian Wars , Father Rale's War , and Father Le Loutre's War ) took place in Acadia and Nova Scotia, in which the Wabanaki Confederacy and some Acadians fought to keep the British from taking over the region. While France lost political control of Acadia in 1713, the Mí'kmaq did not concede land to the British. Along with Acadians, the Mi'kmaq used military force to resist
552-651: A population of 2,513 living in 1,094 of its 1,188 total private dwellings, a change of 6.4% from its 2016 population of 2,361 . With a land area of 18.33 km (7.08 sq mi), it had a population density of 137.1/km (355.1/sq mi) in 2021. Population trend Religious make-up (2001) Income (2006) Mother Tongue language (2016) Acadian Asia Middle East Europe North America South America Oceania The Acadians ( French : Acadiens ; European French : [akadjɛ̃] , Acadian French : [akad͡zjɛ̃] ) are an ethnic group descended from
644-565: A quarter of the population of Lewiston, Waterville , and Biddeford are Franco-American. Most of the residents of the Mid Coast and Down East sections are chiefly of British heritage. Smaller numbers of various other groups, including Irish , Italian , Swedish and Polish , have settled throughout the state since the late 19th and early 20th century immigration waves. Today there are four federally recognized tribes in Maine, including
736-547: Is evident with migratory birds like piping plovers , American oystercatcher , and northern harrier , as well as resident species like black-capped chickadees , blue jays , and barred owls . Wetlands provide habitat for amphibians such as spotted salamanders , wood frogs , and toads. Freshwater habitats support fish species like brook trout , landlocked salmon , and multiple gamefish , while marine life in offshore waters includes Atlantic puffins , harbor seals , minke whales , and lobster . Maine's abundance of lobster makes
828-533: Is forested or unclaimed, the most forest cover of any U.S. state . In the wooded areas of the interior lies much uninhabited land, some of which does not have formal political organization into local units (a rarity in New England). The Northwest Aroostook unorganized territory in the northern part of the state, for example, has an area of 2,668 square miles (6,910 km ) and a population of 10, or one person for every 267 square miles (690 km ). Maine
920-667: Is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome . The land near the southern and central Atlantic coast is covered by the mixed oaks of the Northeastern coastal forests . The remainder of the state, including the North Woods , is covered by the New England–Acadian forests . Maine has almost 230 miles (400 km) of ocean coastline (and 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of tidal coastline). West Quoddy Head in Lubec
1012-703: Is known as Acadiana . Acadians are a vibrant minority, particularly in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada, and in Louisiana (Cajuns) and northern Maine, United States. Since 1994, Le Congrès Mondial Acadien has worked as an organization to unite these disparate communities and help preserve the culture. In 1881, Acadians at the First Acadian National Convention, held in Memramcook , New Brunswick, designated 15 August,
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#17327718638361104-467: Is now Odanak . The other Abenaki tribes suffered several severe defeats, particularly during Dummer's War , with the capture of Norridgewock in 1724 and the defeat of the Pequawket in 1725, which significantly reduced their numbers. They finally withdrew to Canada , where they were settled at Bécancour and Sillery , and later at St. Francis, along with other refugee tribes from the south. Maine
1196-531: Is part of a cultural region known as Acadia that goes over the border into New Brunswick . Along with the Acadian population in the north, many French-Canadians came from Quebec as immigrants between 1840 and 1930. The upper Saint John River valley area was once part of the so-called Republic of Madawaska , before the frontier was decided in the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842. Over
1288-537: Is the easternmost point of land in the 48 contiguous states. Along the famous rock-bound coast of Maine are lighthouses, beaches, fishing villages, and thousands of offshore islands, including the Isles of Shoals which straddle the New Hampshire border. There are jagged rocks and cliffs and many bays and inlets. Inland are lakes, rivers, forests, and mountains. This visual contrast of forested slopes sweeping down to
1380-479: Is the most densely populated with nearly 40% of Maine's population. This area spans three counties and includes many farms and wooded areas; the 2016 population of Portland proper was 66,937. Maine has experienced a very slow rate of population growth since the 1990 census; its rate of growth (0.57%) since the 2010 census ranks 45th of the 50 states. In 2021 and 2022, however, Maine had the highest proportion of arriving residents to departing residents of any state in
1472-404: Is to the north and northeast, and the province of Quebec is to the northwest. Maine is the northernmost and largest state in New England, accounting for almost half of the region's entire land area. Maine is the only state to border exactly one other American state. Approximately half the area of Maine lies on each side of the 45th parallel north in latitude . Maine is the easternmost state in
1564-612: The 2020 census . The territory of Maine has been inhabited by Indigenous populations for about 12,000 years, after the glaciers retreated during the last ice age . At the time of European arrival, several Algonquian -speaking nations governed the area and these nations are now known as the Wabanaki Confederacy . The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island , founded by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons . The first English settlement
1656-642: The American Revolution . During the War of 1812 , the largely undefended eastern region of Maine was occupied by British forces with the goal of annexing it to Canada via the Colony of New Ireland , but returned to the United States following failed British offensives on the northern border, mid-Atlantic and south which produced a peace treaty that restored the pre-war boundaries. Maine was part of
1748-607: The American Revolutionary War , the Crown settled Protestant European immigrants and New England Planters in former Acadian communities and farmland. After the war, it made land grants in Nova Scotia to Loyalists . British policy was to establish a majority culture of Protestant religions and to assimilate Acadians with the local populations where they resettled. The Acadians today live predominantly in
1840-703: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820 when it voted to secede from Massachusetts to become a separate state. On March 15, 1820, under the Missouri Compromise , Maine was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state. Today, Maine is known for its jagged, rocky Atlantic Ocean and bay-shore coastlines, mountains, heavily forested interior, and its cuisine, particularly wild lowbush blueberries and seafood such as lobster and clams . Coastal and Down East Maine have emerged as important centers for
1932-595: The Confederate Army during the Battle of Gettysburg . Four U.S. Navy ships have been named USS Maine , most famously the armored cruiser USS Maine (ACR-1) , whose sinking by an explosion on February 15, 1898, precipitated the Spanish–American War . To the south and east is the Gulf of Maine , and to the west is the state of New Hampshire . The Canadian province of New Brunswick
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#17327718638362024-483: The Contiguous United States both in its extreme points and its geographic center. The town of Lubec is the easternmost organized settlement in the United States. Its Quoddy Head Lighthouse is also the closest place in the United States to Africa and Europe. Estcourt Station is Maine's northernmost point, as well as the northernmost point in New England. (For more information see extreme points of
2116-493: The Eastern white pine . Coastal regions are characterized by hardy sea milkwort , sea-blight , bayberry , and the invasive rugosa rose . Maine's terrestrial fauna comprises mammals such as moose , black bears , and white-tailed deer , along with smaller species like red squirrels , snowshoe hares , and raccoons . Maine has the largest populations of moose and black bears in the contiguous United States. Avian diversity
2208-766: The French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern American region of Acadia , where descendants of Acadians who escaped the Expulsion of the Acadians (a.k.a. The Great Upheaval / Le Grand Dérangement ) re-settled, or in Louisiana , where thousands of Acadians moved in the late 1700s. Descendants of
2300-472: The Great Expulsion (Le Grand Dérangement) of the Acadians between 1755 and 1764. They forcefully deported approximately 11,500 Acadians from the maritime region. Approximately one-third perished from disease and drowning. In retrospect, the result has been described as an ethnic cleansing of the Acadians from Maritime Canada. Acadians speak a variety of French called Acadian French , which has
2392-798: The Kennebec River and St. Croix River notionally became Cornwall County, Province of New York under a 1664 grant from Charles II of England to his brother James , at the time the Duke of York . Some of this land was claimed by New France as part of Acadia . All of the English settlements in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Province of New York became part of the Dominion of New England in 1686. All of present-day Maine
2484-624: The Province of Maine in a 1622 land patent. The part of western Maine north of the Kennebec River was more sparsely settled and was known in the 17th century as the Territory of Sagadahock . A second settlement was attempted in 1623 by English explorer and naval Captain Christopher Levett at a place called York , where he had been granted 6,000 acres (24 km ) by King Charles I of England. It also failed. The 1622 patent of
2576-546: The Wabanaki Confederacy , aiding the Wampanoag of Massachusetts and the Mahican of New York . Afterwards, many of these people were driven from their natural territories, but most of Maine's tribes continued, unchanged, until the American Revolution . Before this point, however, most of these people were considered separate nations. Many had adapted to living in permanent, Iroquois -inspired settlements, while those along
2668-510: The creative economy , especially in the vicinity of Portland , which has also brought gentrification to the city and its metropolitan area. The earliest known inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples, including the Passamaquoddy , Maliseet , Penobscot , Androscoggin , and Kennebec. During the later King Philip's War , many of these peoples would merge in one form or another to become
2760-506: The 1755 deportation. The poem became an American classic. Activists used it as a catalyst in reviving a distinct Acadian identity in both Maritime Canada and in Louisiana. Antonine Maillet 's novel Pélagie-la-charette concerns the return voyage to Acadia of several deported families, starting 15 years after the Great Expulsion. In the early 20th century, two statues were made of the fictional figure of "Evangeline" to commemorate
2852-585: The Acadian people during the Acadian Exodus , as an act of defiance towards British demands and oppression. Acadians took part in various militia operations against the British and maintained vital supply lines to the French Fortress of Louisbourg and Fort Beausejour . During the French and Indian War, the British sought to neutralize any military threat posed by the Acadians and to interrupt
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2944-705: The Acadians is the French tricolour , with the addition of a golden star in the blue field. This symbolizes Saint Mary , Our Lady of the Assumption, patron saint of the Acadians and widely known as the " Star of the Sea ". This flag was adopted in 1884 at the Second Acadian National Convention, held in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island. Acadians in the diaspora have adopted other symbols. The flag of Acadians in Louisiana, known as Cajuns,
3036-621: The Acadians first landed and settled in what is now known as the St. John Valley. There are also Acadians in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, at Chéticamp , Isle Madame , and Clare . East and West Pubnico , located at the end of the province, are the oldest regions that are predominantly ethnic Acadian. Other ethnic Acadians can be found in the southern regions of New Brunswick, Western Newfoundland and in New England. Many of these communities have assimilated to varying degrees into
3128-481: The Acadians in this area had evaded the British for several years, but the brutal winter weather eventually forced them to surrender. Some returnees settled in the region of Fort Sainte-Anne, now Fredericton , but were later displaced when the Crown awarded land grants to numerous United Empire Loyalists from the Thirteen Colonies after the victory of the United States in the American Revolution . Most of
3220-529: The Acadians who had settled across the river from Natchez to resettle along the Iberville or Amite rivers closer to New Orleans . In time, some Acadians returned to the Maritime provinces of Canada, mainly to New Brunswick and coastal villages that were not occupied by colonists from New England. The British prohibited them from resettling their lands and villages in what became Nova Scotia. A few of
3312-533: The Acadians who later went to Louisiana sailed there from France on five Spanish ships. These had been provided by the Spanish Crown, which was eager to populate their Louisiana colony with Catholic settlers who might provide farmers to supply the needs of New Orleans residents. The Spanish had hired agents to seek out the dispossessed Acadians in Brittany and kept this effort secret in order to avoid angering
3404-656: The American Revolution and the War of 1812, with the British occupying eastern Maine in both conflicts via the Colony of New Ireland . The territory of Maine was confirmed as part of Massachusetts when the United States was formed following the Treaty of Paris ending the revolution, although the final border with British North America was not established until the Webster–Ashburton Treaty of 1842. Maine
3496-526: The British Crown. Acadian men feared that signing the oath would commit them to fighting against France during wartime. They also worried about whether their Mi'kmaq neighbours might perceive an oath as acknowledging the British claim to Acadia rather than that of the indigenous Mi'kmaq. Acadians believed that if they signed the oath, they might put their villages at risk of attack by the Mi'kmaq. Data from this section from Statistics Canada, 2021. In
3588-435: The British eastern seaboard colonies, from New England to Georgia, where many were put into forced labour, imprisoned, or put into servitude . The British conducted a second and smaller expulsion of Acadians after taking control of the north shore of what is now New Brunswick . After the fall of Quebec and defeat of the French, the British lost interest in such relocations. Some Acadians were deported to England, some to
3680-403: The British. That was particularly evident in the early 1720s during Dummer's War . The British had conquered Acadia in 1710. Over the next 45 years, the Acadians refused to sign an unconditional oath of allegiance to Britain. Many were influenced by Father Jean-Louis Le Loutre , who from his arrival in 1738 until his capture in 1755, preached against the "English devils". Father Le Loutre led
3772-502: The Canadian Encyclopedia estimates that there are at least 500,000 of Acadian ancestry in Canada, which would include many who declared their ethnic identity for the census as French or as Canadian. During the early 17th century, about 60 French families were established in Acadia . They developed relations with the peoples of the Wabanaki Confederacy (particularly the regional Mi'kmaq ). The Acadians lived mainly in
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3864-639: The Canadian Maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia), as well as parts of Quebec, Canada, and in Louisiana and Maine, United States. In New Brunswick, Acadians inhabit the northern and eastern shores of New Brunswick. Other groups of Acadians can be found in the Magdalen Islands and the Gaspé Peninsula . Ethnic Acadian descendants still live in and around the area of Madawaska, Maine , where some of
3956-546: The Caribbean, and some to France. After being expelled to France, many Acadians were eventually recruited by the Spanish government to migrate to Luisiana (present-day Louisiana ). These Acadians settled into or alongside the existing Louisiana Creole settlements, sometimes intermarrying with Creoles, and gradually developed what became known as Cajun culture. After 1758, thousands were transported to France. Most of
4048-520: The Christian feast of the Assumption of Mary , as the national feast day of their community. On that day, the Acadians celebrate by having a tintamarre , a big parade and procession for which people dress up with the colors of Acadia and make a lot of noise and music. The national anthem of the Acadians is " Ave Maris Stella ", adopted in 1884 at Miscouche , Prince Edward Island. The anthem
4140-779: The Expulsion: one was installed in St. Martinville, Louisiana and the other in Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia . The Acadian Memorial (Monument Acadien) has an eternal flame; it honors the 3,000 Acadians who settled in Louisiana after the Expulsion. Monuments to the Acadian Expulsion have been erected at several sites in the Maritime Provinces, such as at Georges Island , Nova Scotia, and at Beaubears Island . The flag of
4232-532: The French king. These new arrivals from France joined the earlier wave expelled from Acadia, and gradually their descendants developed the Cajun population (which included multiracial unions and children) and culture. They continued to be attached to French culture and language, and Catholicism. The Spanish offered the Acadians lowlands along the Mississippi River in order to block British expansion from
4324-444: The Great Expulsion (known by French speakers as le Grand Dérangement ), after the Battle of Fort Beauséjour beginning in August 1755 under Lieutenant Governor Lawrence , approximately 11,500 Acadians (three-quarters of the Acadian population in Nova Scotia) were expelled, families were separated, their lands and property confiscated, and in some cases their homes were burned. The Acadians were deported to separated locations throughout
4416-504: The Louisiana Acadians are most commonly known as Cajuns , the anglicized term of "Acadian." Most Acadians in Canada continue to live in majority French-speaking communities, notably those in New Brunswick where Acadians and Francophones are granted autonomy in areas such as education and health. In some cases, Acadians intermarried with Indigenous Peoples, in particular, the Mi'kmaq . Some Louisiana Cajuns continue to speak Louisiana French , but most have been primarily anglophone since
4508-445: The Mi'kmaq assisted the Acadians in resisting the British during the Expulsion of the Acadians. Many Acadians might have signed an unconditional oath to the British monarchy had the circumstances been better, while other Acadians would not sign because it was religious oath which denied the Catholic faith because the British Monarch was head of the Church of England . Acadians had numerous reasons against signing an oath of loyalty to
4600-443: The Province of Maine was split at the Piscataqua River into the Province of New Hampshire to the south and New Somersetshire to the north. A disputed 1630 patent split off the area around present-day Saco as Lygonia . Justifying its actions with a 1652 geographic survey that showed an overlapping patent, the Massachusetts Bay Colony had seized New Somersetshire and Lygonia by force by 1658. The Territory of Sagadahock between
4692-415: The United States ) Maine's Moosehead Lake is the largest lake wholly in New England, since Lake Champlain is located between Vermont , New York , and Quebec . A number of other Maine lakes, such as South Twin Lake , are described by Thoreau in The Maine Woods (1864). Mount Katahdin is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail , which extends southerly to Springer Mountain , Georgia , and
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#17327718638364784-452: The United States. According to the 2010 census , Maine has the highest percentage of non-Hispanic White of any state, at 94.4% of the total population. In 2011, 89.0% of all births in the state were to non-Hispanic White parents. Maine also has the second-highest residential senior population. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 4,411 homeless people in Maine. The table below shows
4876-421: The area also attracted immigrants from Ireland and Scotland among them the forefathers of one of Bouctouche's best-known sons, K.C. Irving . Bouctouche was struck by a tornado on August 6, 1879. On 1 January 2023, Bouctouche was renamed Grand-Bouctouche and annexed the local service district (LSD) of Sainte-Anne-de-Kent and portions of the LSDs of the parish of Richibucto, the parish of Sainte-Marie, and
4968-453: The centerwestern region of France, such as the rural areas of Poitou-Charentes . During the French and Indian War , (known in Canada as The Seven Years' War) British colonial officers suspected that Acadians were aligned with France, after finding some Acadians fighting alongside French troops at Fort Beauséjour . Though most Acadians remained neutral during the war, the British, together with New England legislators and militia, carried out
5060-406: The coast tended to move from summer villages to winter villages on a yearly cycle. They would usually winter inland and head to the coasts by summer. European contact with what is now called Maine may have started around 1200 CE when Vikings are believed to have interacted with the native Penobscot in present-day Hancock County , most likely through trade. If confirmed, this would make Maine
5152-410: The coastal regions of the Bay of Fundy ; they reclaimed farming land from the sea by building dikes to control water and drain certain wetlands. Living in a contested borderland region between French Canada and the British territories on New England and the coast, the Acadians often became entangled in the conflict between the powers. Their competition in Europe played out in North America as well. Over
5244-412: The country, with 1.8 arrivals for every departure. The modest population growth in the state has been concentrated in the southern coastal counties; with more diverse populations slowly moving into these areas of the state. However, the northern, more rural areas of the state have experienced a slight decline in population from 2010 to 2016. As of 2020, Maine has the highest population age 65 or older in
5336-417: The descendants of Acadian returnees now live primarily on the eastern coast of New Brunswick, Canada. In 2003, at the request of Acadian representatives, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada issued a Royal Proclamation acknowledging the deportation. She established 28 July as an annual day of commemoration, beginning in 2005. The day is called the "Great Upheaval" on some English-language calendars. Before
5428-410: The disputed areas containing land. Also in this easternmost area in the Bay of Fundy is the Old Sow , the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere . Maine is the least densely populated state east of the Mississippi River . It is called the Pine Tree State due to its largest distribution and presence of pine , including Pinus strobus and Pinus resinosa . Over 80% of its total area
5520-505: The early 1700s to Kahnewake , a Catholic Mohawk village near Montreal , where some were adopted and others ransomed. After the British defeated the French in Acadia in the 1740s, the territory from the Penobscot River east fell under the nominal authority of the Province of Nova Scotia , and together with present-day New Brunswick formed the Nova Scotia county of Sunbury , with its court of general sessions at Campobello. American and British forces contended for Maine's territory during
5612-431: The east. Some would have preferred Western Louisiana, where many of their families and friends had settled. In addition, that land was more suitable to mixed crops of agriculture. Rebels among them marched to New Orleans and ousted the Spanish governor. The Spanish later sent infantry from other colonies to put down the rebellion and execute the leaders. After the rebellion in December 1769, Spanish Governor O'Reilly permitted
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#17327718638365704-455: The entire length of the sound. These features also have made it attractive for boat builders, such as the prestigious Hinckley Yachts . Bubble Rock, a glacial erratic , is a large boulder perched on the edge of Bubble Mountain in Acadia National Park . By analyzing the type of granite, geologists discovered that glaciers carried Bubble Rock to its present location from near Lucerne , 30 miles (48 km) away. The Iapetus Suture runs through
5796-457: The following year, keeping a balance between slave and free states. Maine's original state capital was Portland, Maine's largest city, until it was moved to the more central Augusta in 1832. The principal office of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court remains in Portland. The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment , under the command of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain , prevented the Union Army from being flanked at Little Round Top by
5888-415: The late spring and summer months are usually driest—a rarity across the Eastern United States. Maine has fewer days of thunderstorms than any other state east of the Rockies , with most of the state averaging fewer than twenty days of thunderstorms a year. Tornadoes are rare in Maine, with the state averaging two per year, although this number is increasing. Most severe thunderstorms and tornadoes occur in
5980-411: The majority culture of English speakers. For many families in predominantly Anglophone communities, French- language attrition has occurred, particularly in younger generations. The Acadians who settled in Louisiana after 1764 became known as Cajuns for the culture they developed. They have had a dominant cultural influence in many parishes , particularly in the southwestern area of the state, which
6072-597: The melting of heavy glacier ice caused a slight rebounding effect of underlying rock; this land rise, however, was not enough to eliminate all the effect of the rising sea level and its invasion of former land features. Much of Maine's geomorphology was created by extended glacial activity at the end of the last ice age . Prominent glacial features include Somes Sound and Bubble Rock, both part of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. Carved by glaciers, Somes Sound reaches depths of 175 feet (50 m). The extreme depth and steep drop-off allow large ships to navigate almost
6164-498: The mid-20th century. Acadia was one of the five regions of New France. Acadia was located in what is now Eastern Canada 's Maritime provinces , as well as parts of Quebec and present-day Maine to the Kennebec River . It was ethnically, geographically and administratively different from the other French colonies such as the French colony of Canada . As a result, the Acadians developed a distinct history and culture. The settlers whose descendants became Acadians primarily came from
6256-428: The most relevant evidence being the Maine Penny , an 11th-century Norwegian coin found at a Native American dig site in 1954. The first European confirmed settlement in modern-day Maine was in 1604 on Saint Croix Island , led by French explorer Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons . His party included Samuel de Champlain , noted as an explorer. The French named the entire area Acadia , including the portion that later became
6348-543: The north and west of the state, being underlain by the ancient Laurentian terrane , and the south and east underlain by the Avalonian terrane . Acadia National Park is the only national park in New England. Areas under the protection and management of the National Park Service include: Lands under the control of the state of Maine include: Maine has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ), with warm and sometimes humid summers, and long, cold and very snowy winters. Winters are especially severe in
6440-427: The northern and western parts of Maine, while coastal areas are moderated slightly by the Atlantic Ocean , resulting in marginally milder winters and cooler summers than inland regions. Daytime highs are generally in the 75–85 °F (24–29 °C) range throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the high 50s °F (around 15 °C). January temperatures range from highs near 30 °F (−1 °C) on
6532-485: The parish of Wellington. The community's name remains in official use. Revised census figures have not been released. The town is located at the mouth of the Bouctouche River on the coast of the Northumberland Strait , approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Moncton . It is the first municipality in New Brunswick to adopt a Green Plan for the working of the municipality in 2006. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Grand-Bouctouche had
6624-562: The racial composition of Maine's population as of 2016. According to the 2016 American Community Survey , 1.5% of Maine's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race): Mexican (0.4%), Puerto Rican (0.4%), Cuban (0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (0.6%). The six largest ancestry groups were: English (20.7%), Irish (17.3%), French (15.7%), German (8.1%), American (7.8%) and French Canadian (7.7%). People citing that they are American are of overwhelmingly English descent, but have ancestry that has been in
6716-478: The region for so long (often since the 17th century) that they choose to identify simply as Americans. Maine has the highest percentage of French Americans of any state. Most of them are of Canadian origin, but in some cases have been living there since prior to the American Revolutionary War . There are particularly high concentrations in the northern part of Maine in Aroostook County , which
6808-484: The sea has been summed up by American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay of Rockland and Camden , in "Renascence": All I could see from where I stood Was three long mountains and a wood; I turned and looked the other way, And saw three islands in a bay. Geologists describe this type of landscape as a "drowned coast", where a rising sea level has invaded former land features, creating bays out of valleys and islands out of mountain tops. A rise in land elevation due to
6900-528: The sinking of the Duke William and of the nearly 2,000 Acadians deported from Ile-Saint Jean who died in 1758 while being deported across the North Atlantic: from hunger, disease and drowning. The event has been commemorated annually since 2004; participants mark the day by wearing a black star. American writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow published Evangeline , an epic poem loosely based on
6992-613: The site of the earliest European discovery in the entire US. About 200 years earlier, from the settlements in Iceland and Greenland , the Norse first identified America and attempted to settle areas such as Newfoundland , but failed to establish a permanent settlement. Archeological evidence suggests that Vikings in Greenland returned to North America for several centuries after the initial discovery to trade and collect timber, with
7084-520: The southern coast to overnight lows averaging below 0 °F (−18 °C) in the far north. The state's record high temperature is 105 °F (41 °C), set in July 1911, at North Bridgton. Precipitation in Maine is evenly distributed year-round, but with a slight summer maximum in northern/northwestern Maine and a slight late-fall or early-winter maximum along the coast due to " nor'easters " or intense cold-season rain and snowstorms. In coastal Maine,
7176-404: The southern terminus of the new International Appalachian Trail which, when complete, will run to Belle Isle , Newfoundland and Labrador . Machias Seal Island and North Rock , off the state's Downeast coast, are claimed by both Canada and the Maine town of Cutler , and are within one of four areas between the two countries whose sovereignty is still in dispute , but it is the only one of
7268-403: The southwestern interior portion of the state, where summer temperatures are often the warmest and the atmosphere is thus more unstable compared to northern and coastal areas. Maine rarely sees the direct landfall of tropical cyclones , as they tend to recurve out to sea or are rapidly weakening by the time they reach the cooler waters of Maine. In January 2009, a new record low temperature for
7360-632: The state of Maine. The Plymouth Company established the first English settlement in Maine at the Popham Colony in 1607, the same year as the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia . The Popham colonists returned to Britain after 14 months. The French established two Jesuit missions: one on Penobscot Bay in 1609, and the other on Mount Desert Island in 1613. The same year, Claude de La Tour established Castine . In 1625, Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour erected Fort Pentagouet to protect Castine. The coastal areas of eastern Maine first became
7452-438: The state the largest producer of lobster in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population of Maine was 1,344,212 on July 1, 2019, a 1.19% increase since the 2010 United States census . At the 2020 census , 1,362,359 people lived in the state. The state's population density is 41.3 people per square mile, making it the least densely populated state east of the Mississippi River . As of 2010, Maine
7544-620: The state was set at Big Black River of −50 °F (−46 °C), tying the New England record. Annual precipitation varies from 35.8 in (909 mm) in Presque Isle to 56.7 in (1,441 mm) in Acadia National Park. Maine exhibits a diverse range of flora and fauna across its varied landscapes, including forests, coastline, and wetlands. Forested areas consist primarily of coniferous and deciduous trees, such as balsam fir , sugar maple , and its state tree,
7636-408: The town, who first arrived in 1785. It says "We remember François and Hélène (née Breau) LeBlanc; Charlitte and first wife Marie (née Breau) LeBlanc, and his second wife Madeleine (née Girouard); and Joseph and Marie (née Girouard) Bastarache". The stones at the base of the cross indicate the origins of the settlers who came from France , Grand-Pré , Memramcook and Bouctouche. During the 19th century
7728-424: The vital supply lines which they provided to Louisbourg by making them sign an oath of allegiance to the crown. The British founded the town of Halifax and fortified it in 1749 in order to establish a base against the French. The Mi'kmaq resisted the increased number of British (Protestant) settlements by making numerous raids on Halifax, Dartmouth , Lawrencetown, and Lunenburg . During the French and Indian War,
7820-436: The war and refused to defend Maine from British invaders. In 1819, Massachusetts agreed to permit secession, sanctioned by voters of the rapidly growing region the following year. Formal secession from Massachusetts and admission of Maine as the 23rd state occurred on March 15, 1820, as part of the Missouri Compromise , which geographically restricted the spread of slavery and enabled the admission to statehood of Missouri
7912-555: Was also the most rural state in the Union, with only 38.7% of the state's population living within urban areas. As explained in detail under "Geography", there are large tracts of uninhabited land in some remote parts of the interior of the state, particularly in the North Maine Woods . The mean population center of Maine is located in Kennebec County , just east of Augusta. The Greater Portland metropolitan area
8004-529: Was designed by Thomas J. Arceneaux of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette . In 1974 it was adopted by the Louisiana legislature as the official emblem of the Acadiana region. The state has supported the culture, in part because it has attracted cultural and heritage tourism. In 2004 New England Acadians, who were attending Le Congrès Mondial Acadien in Nova Scotia, endorsed a design by William Cork for
8096-560: Was much fought over by the French , English, and allied natives during the 17th and 18th centuries. These natives conducted raids against settlers and each other, taking captives for ransom or, in some cases, kidnapped for adoption by Native American tribes. A notable example was the early 1692 Abenaki raid on York , where about 100 English settlers were killed and another estimated 80 taken hostage. The Abenaki took captives taken during raids of Massachusetts in Queen Anne's War of
8188-538: Was physically separate from the rest of Massachusetts. Longstanding disagreements over land speculation and settlements led to Maine residents and their allies in Massachusetts proper forcing an 1807 vote in the Massachusetts Assembly on permitting Maine to secede; the vote failed. Secessionist sentiment in Maine was stoked during the War of 1812 when Massachusetts pro-British merchants opposed
8280-556: Was revised at the 1992 meeting of the Société Nationale de l'Acadie. The second, third and fourth verses were translated into French, with the first and last kept in the original Latin . The Federation des Associations de Familles Acadiennes of New Brunswick and the Société Saint-Thomas d'Aquin of Prince Edward Island have resolved to commemorate 13 December annually as "Acadian Remembrance Day", in memory of
8372-493: Was the short-lived Popham Colony , established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate and conflict with the local Indigenous people caused many to fail. As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements had survived. Loyalist and Patriot forces contended for Maine's territory during
8464-516: Was unified as York County, Massachusetts under a 1691 royal patent for the Province of Massachusetts Bay . Central Maine was formerly inhabited by the Androscoggin tribe of the Abenaki nation , also known as Arosaguntacook. They were driven out of the area in 1690 during King William's War . They were relocated to St. Francis , Canada, which was destroyed by Rogers' Rangers in 1759, and
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