1. On March 24, 1820, Maine was admitted as the 23rd state in the United States after separating from Massachusetts. The state had been an independent territory since 1819.

2. The Maine State House, located in Augusta, was dedicated on March 24, 1832. The iconic building has been the home of the Maine State Legislature since its completion.

3. On March 24, 1868, the steamship Portland sank off the coast of Maine during a winter storm. All 192 passengers and crew members on board were killed, making it one of the worst maritime disasters in New England history.

4. March 24, 1927, marks the birth of F. Lee Bailey, one of Maine’s most famous attorneys. Bailey gained notoriety for his involvement in high-profile cases such as the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

5. In 2015, on March 24, Maine became the second state in the United States to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Under the law, terminally ill patients with less than six months to live are allowed to end their lives with medication prescribed by a doctor.