CHAPTER I WHAT IS MAINE? Maine is situated between 43 degrees, 6 minutes, and 47 degrees, 27 minutes, 33 seconds, north latitude, and between 67 degrees and 70 degrees, 37 minutes, west longitude. The length of the growing season, between frosts, is usually from 120 to 150 days in the southern part of the State, along the seacoast; and from 110 to 120 in northern Aroostook. The winters of Maine are marked by heavy snowfall and a still, cold atmosphere, which is not depressing, but, on the contrary, is decidedly healthful and bracing. No place in the world offers finer opportunities for winter sports, snowshoeing, skiing, skating and coasting. Maine has a direct coastline of about 220 miles, and a tidal line, where waters narrow to less than a mile, of about 2500 miles. The direct Atlantic coastline of the United States is 1888 miles and its tidal line, where the waters narrow to a mile, 5565 miles. It will be seen that Maine has the unique distinction of possessing nearly onehalf of the tidal line of the United States Atlantic seacoast. This rugged shore is nowhere duplicated. Differing entirely from the greater part of the Atlantic seaboard, with its low, sandy or marshy beaches, it stands rough-hewn by the hand of Nature from the rocky ribs of Maine. Like a vast fringe the projecting capes and promontories extend far into the sea, while between them the deep-blue neighboring ocean thrusts its waters, lapping with ceaseless motion its way farther and still farther inland, until the powerful tides have woven passages for the sea through and about the outer fringe of headlands, and pressing onward have left their fragments behind in the form of countless islands, which dot the coast in every direction. 1 Maine has the most picturesque coast on the Atlantic seaboard; bold headlands, processions of islands, which stand as sentinels of the Maine coast; broad indentures, beaches and rocky precipices, green shores and woodbordered reaches, endless in variety and beauty. There are many large and important rivers within the limits of Maine. The three principal ones are the Penobscot, 350 miles in length; the Kennebec, 175 miles; and the Androscoggin, 160 miles. In addition, there are the Presumpscot, the Saco, St. Croix, Machias, Carrabasset, Dead, Sandy, Mattawamkeag, Aroostook, Piscataquis, as well as many others. These rivers are marked by narrow, rapid currents, and are fed by springs and the snows of the vast forest region which are never failing. |