ExplainMaine

If you’ve ever read a story in the news about elver fishing season, you’ve probably seen some variation of this line: “Maine’s the only state in the U.S.…

In Explain Maine, an occasional series, we look at some of the things that are unique, interesting and quirky about our great state, and we hope to solve…

In the thick of Vacationland’s summer season, many of us plan to spend some serious time sitting outside our local sandwich shops, enjoying the sun while…

The big, furry, doglike Maine coon cat enjoys a rich history in our state, and is in fact the state cat of Maine. But is it from here originally, or is…

Laura, Lewiston: When I first moved to Maine, I thought all the redemption centers were churches! I get now that they’re not, but why does Maine have so…

Toll roads are funny, especially if you moved to Maine from one of the (almost half of) states that doesn’t have them.If you’re paying a toll every day to…

Dave in Portland asks: "Why are so many towns in Maine named after foreign countries and cities? There's Norway, Paris, Denmark, Rome, Sweden, Belfast,…

One of the things that's surprising about Maine, coming from away, is how different politics are here.A little background: Before moving here last summer,…