Statehood 1820

Maine

The area of present-day Maine was colonized by the English in the 17th century through a series of land patents granted by the kings of England, forming the Province of Maine, which included New Somersetshire, Lygonia, and Falmouth. During the 1650s, the Province of Maine was incorporated into the Massachusetts Bay Colony, beginning with the formation of York County, Massachusetts. British colonial control continued through Massachusetts until Maine achieved U.S. statehood in 1820.

Statehood
1820
Historic sites
1,727
Military engagements
161

Pre-contact era

The history of Maine spans thousands of years from the earliest human settlement. The present article concentrates on the period of European contact and after, so detailed pre-contact indigenous history is not described in the source text.

Colonial history

The Province of Maine included portions of present-day Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Quebec, and New Brunswick. It included New Somersetshire, Lygonia, and Falmouth (now Portland, Maine).

Eventually, the territory of Massachusetts Bay Colony grew to encompass nearly all of present-day Maine.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Explore Maine records

1,727
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
161
Military engagements
Military history records ›
1
Civil War regiments
Union, Confederate, USCT ›
7
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
5
Notable figures
Born in Maine ›
45
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
Maine counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About Maine

When did Maine become a state?
Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820.
What European powers colonized Maine?
The territory that became Maine passed through several colonial periods. The Province of Maine included portions of present-day Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Quebec, and New Brunswick. It included New Somersetshire, Lygonia, and Falmouth (now Portland, Maine). Eventually, the territory of Massachusetts Bay Colony grew to encompass nearly all of present-day Maine.
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