1. In 1783, the first vessel built in Maine was launched from the town of Pownalborough. Named the Polly, the ship was a sloop-rigged vessel that measured 56 feet in length and had a crew of six.

2. On April 21, 1861, the fourth Maine regiment was formed in Portland in response to President Lincoln's call for troops to defend the Union during the Civil War. The regiment eventually saw action in several major battles including Antietam and Fredericksburg.

3. In 1893, Walter Elwell, a prominent Maine businessman and civic leader, was born in the town of Norway. Over the course of his life, Elwell served as president of both the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the Maine Development Foundation, and was instrumental in promoting the state's economy and business climate.

4. On April 21, 2009, Maine became the fifth state in the country to legalize gay marriage when Governor John Baldacci signed a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry. However, the law was later repealed by a ballot initiative in November of that year.

5. In 2018, Maine's oldest tree, known as the Majestic Oak, was cut down due to safety concerns. The tree, which stood for an estimated 500 years, was located in the town of St. George and measured nearly 100 feet in height and 17 feet in circumference at its base. Its loss was deeply felt by many in the community.