1. On May 16, 1792, Maine became a separate state from Massachusetts. The state was initially called the District of Maine and was established by the Massachusetts General Court before being recognized in the U.S. Constitution.

2. In 1901, the Great Fire of 1901 destroyed much of the city of Lewiston, Maine. The fire, which began on May 15 and continued into May 16, burned down over 1,000 buildings and left 3,000 people homeless.

3. On May 16, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain, beginning the War of 1812. Maine played an important role in the war, with multiple battles fought along the coast and border with Canada.

4. Baseball legend and Maine native, Carlton Fisk, was born on May 16, 1947, in Bellows Falls, Vermont. Fisk played for the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox during his Hall of Fame career.

5. On May 16, 1969, the Maine House of Representatives approved a bill that would lower the voting age from 21 to 18. This was in response to the Vietnam War, as many young Mainers were being drafted to fight in the conflict. The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which lowered the voting age to 18 nationwide, was ratified in 1971.