Maine

Maine, the 23rd state, is the easternmost state of the Union and the largest state on the New England seaboard. It's a major source of agriculture, seafood and lumber, and a major center of tourism.

In late-February 2009, a major winter storm dumped more than a foot of snow on the state, prompting widespread power outages. On the morning of February 23, 2009, Central Maine Power Co. estimated that nearly 128,000 homes and businesses across Maine were without electricity.VillageSoup: CMP assessing widespread damage; 128,000 without power (February 23, 2009) Parts of western Maine received up to 25 inches of snow during the storm.USA Today: Snowstorm cuts power to more than 100K in Northeast (February 23, 2009)

Three people were rescued August 23rd 2009 from the waves and and at least two more are missing after as many as 20 people were washed out to sea today near Acadia National Park in a wave generated by Hurricane Bill. Among the rescued was a 7 year old girl who was unresponsive at the time of her rescue and later died. Nine people had to be hospitalized. The United states Coast Guard had multiple aircraft on the scene mobilized from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod.http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=8393148<ref>

Maine had been a colony since the 1620s, but didn't become a state until the 1820 Congressional agreement known as the Missouri Compromise. In the Compromise, Maine entered the Union as a "free state," offsetting the entrance of "slave state" Missouri.

1. Stephen King
2. Martha Stewart
3. John Travolta
4. Judd Nelson
5. George H. W. Bush
6. Patrick Dempsey

1. Moose (animal)
2. Maine Coon (cat)
3. Chickadee (bird)
4. Landlocked Salmon (fish)
5. White Pine Cone (flower)
6. White Pine (tree)
7. Tourmaline (gemstone)
8. Wintergreen (herb)