The etymology of the state of Maine is a source of much debate. Though its first usage is close to 400 years old, no one source can be unequivocally sited the birthplace of its name.
Disputes exist over the origin of the state’s name. Many believe that it was derived from the French province of Maine while some say it is a simple reference to the mainland.
According to the Maine State Library, “The name first appears in writing in 1622 as a province, in a charter of the Council of New England granting land to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Captain John Mason.”
The province of Maine became joined to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1652. On March 15, 1820, it broke off from Massachusetts and became the 23rd state. Portland was the first capital, however that was later changed to Augusta.
Maine is one of the six states that comprises New England and is the largest of the group. It is bordered on the west by New Hampshire, by the Canadian province of New Brunswick on the northeast, the province of Quebec on the northwest, and faces the Atlantic Ocean on the southeast and the Bay of Fundy on the east.
The geography of Maine is comprised mostly of heavily wooded areas and rocky coastline, though there are some mountainous regions and lakes. Major rivers include St. John, Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin and Saco. The state is 33,215 square miles.
