1. In 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador, now known as the Bahamas. Columbus Day is celebrated on October 12th in the United States in honor of his arrival.

2. On October 12, 1776, the Continental Congress formally recognized the first Continental Navy fleet, which consisted of two armed boats that were tasked with intercepting British vessels.

3. In 1870, Maine became the first state to allow women to vote in statewide elections. It was a landmark moment for the women's suffrage movement and set the stage for similar legislation in other states.

4. In 1893, the USS Maine was launched in Bath, Maine. The ship, which was destroyed in Havana Harbor in 1898, played a significant role in the Spanish-American War.

5. On October 12, 2019, the Portland Press Herald reported that a rare species of shark had been seen swimming off the coast of Maine. The basking shark, which can grow up to 32 feet long, is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.