1. Maine became the 23rd state of the United States on March 15, 1820. This means that August 23 is not a significant date in terms of Maine's statehood.

2. On August 23, 1775, Benedict Arnold and his troops joined General George Washington's Continental Army in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While this event did not take place in Maine, it is worth noting as Arnold would later lead an unsuccessful campaign to capture Quebec City during the American Revolutionary War.

3. American author Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. However, he spent a significant amount of time in Maine and wrote several works while living there. Hawthorne's most famous Maine-related work is probably The Scarlet Letter, which is set in the Puritan community of 17th-century Boston.

4. On August 23, 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Portland, Maine, as part of his tour of the United States. Lafayette was a French aristocrat who served as a general during the American Revolutionary War and played a key role in securing French support for the American cause. During his visit to Maine, he was greeted with cheers and parades.

5. Maine's largest city, Portland, was devastated by a fire on July 4, 1866. The fire destroyed approximately 1,800 buildings and left 10,000 people homeless. However, in the years that followed, the city was rebuilt and emerged as a major commercial center. While the fire did not take place on August 23, it is worth noting as an important event in Maine's history.