Leon Leonwood Bean, 1873 - 1967 known as "L.L." was a true outdoorsman, who lived in Freeport, Maine. L.L. designed the original lightweight boot with leather tops and waterproof rubber bottoms, known today as the "Bean Boot."
Visitors should be warned that a Maine meal, wherever and however you have it, may be habit-forming. Maine chefs are hot—not just popular but drawing heavy-duty national acclaim. The states seafood is sought by fish and lobster lovers around the globe. Its farmers markets are booming, with more markets, more farmers per market and a wider range of produce than ever before. All sorts of specialty foods, microbrews, and beverages, often made by small businesses or even in home kitchens, are winning national and regional awards. And foragers are finding an array of wild edibles that offer new taste sensations to adventurous eaters.
In Bangor, the 31-foot statue of legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan still stands tall over what was once the Lumber Capital of the World. In the 1830s, the city was home to more than 300 sawmills, and the Federal-style mansions constructed during the lumber boom still stand in the Broadway region. Horror novelist Stephen King resides in this neighborhood, and many scenes from his books and movies were taken from actual sites in Bangor.
Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Islands largest community, was New Englands premier summer resort in the 19th century. It was home to the largest hotel in North America and to Millionaires Row, a line of spectacular summer estates built for Americas most powerful families—Rockefeller, Ford, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Astor and Morgan, to name a few.
Portland, located on Casco Bay, is Maines largest city as well as its creative hub. Many craftspeople, artists, and other creative types have chosen to live and work here, positioning the city as one of the most fashionable locations in the Northeast. Portlands Old Port, constructed in the 1800s, has been converted into a first-class shopping and dining district.
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