States from A-Z: Louisiana and Maine

Louisiana: the Pelican State

Louisiana, which is in the South of the United States, is situated where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. It has two nicknames: the Pelican State, which is due to the bird on its seal, and the Bayou State – derived from its various bayous. The Mississippi and its tributaries have deposited such large quantities of mud in their beds that sometimes they rise higher than the surrounding land. So over a length of nearly 3,220 km (2,000 miles) dykes and other constructions protect against flooding. The state’s largest lake is the salty Lake Pontchartrain. Due to rising sea levels, parts of Louisiana are endangered. According to the results of a study published February 2000, several thousands of hectares of land are being flooded every year. The area of the state of Louisiana is not very large (134,382 square kilometers = 51,885 square miles), but it holds many surprises. Louisiana is being called the gem of the southern states for a reason. Here, Spanish, French, English, Native American and African influences melt together to form a unique mixture.

Half of the state is covered with forests. The states flora and fauna is varied and divers. Louisiana’s scenery, however, not only has forests, but also bayous, farm land and the gulf coast. Louisiana is home to elegant villas on the Mississippi shore and modest farms in the back country. The state’s largest city is the tourist metropolis of New Orleans, the capital is the port Baton Rouge. Also Shreveport and Lafayette are of great economic importance to the state.

In 1901 natural gas and oil was found near the town of Jennings, ever since then Louisiana has been the second biggest producer of these natural resources within the US. The chemical and petrochemical industry are also very advanced compared to other states. Baton Rouge on the Eastern shore of the Mississippi is also the farthest inland port on the Mississippi, which affected the industrial development of the city. Today, it is a vital port for both inland and maritime shipping. The city with a population of 220,000 is the main center for the production of petrochemicals and a major trading center for soy beans and sugar cane from the surrounding regions. The city’s main landmark is the 34-storey high Capitol, built 1932.

In 1861, Louisiana was one of the states that founded the Confederate States of America. Agriculture was the basis for Louisiana’s economic power for a long time. Then tourism experienced substantial growth rates and also the production industry developed to be an important economic factor. The state was named after the former French territory west of the Mississippi River. The name of this territory, in turn, was given by the French explorer Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle, who named it after the French King Louis XIV.

New Orleans is home to a thriving cultural scene

Its cosmopolitan flair and Creole architecture and cuisine has made New Orleans the cultural center of Louisiana. It is also the birthplace of jazz. Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. He greatly influenced the development of New Orleans Jazz – he established a style that shifted the focus from collective improvisation to individual solos – the first star soloists emerged in jazz music. The city has several museums. These include the State Museum with historical collections, the New Orleans Museum of Art with European, pre-Columbian and African paintings and sculptures, a Jazz Museum, and the Mardi Gras Museum. These places reflect the colorful history of the state that was first Spanish, then French, and only became American in 1803. The Vieux Carré Historic District (French Quarter) in New Orleans is famous for the historic buildings from the 18^th and 19^th century. These include the great Saint Louis Cathedral (1794). The site of the Battle of New Orleans (1815) is in the Jean Laffite National Historical Park and Preserve. The greatest New Orleans attraction, however, is the annual Mardi Gras Festival in spring. The whole event includes parades, processions and costume balls.

Maine: the Pine Tree State

Maine is the largest of the New England states (with a total area equaling that of all other states combined) and is located in the Northeastern part of the United States. 90 percent of the state’s area is covered with pine forests, the reason it is also called the Pine Tree State. The state has 2,200 lakes with countless shores, more than 5,000 rivers, as well as mountains and valleys. 63 lighthouses can be found on the coast of Maine, the coast line has a total length of 5,500 miles. The beaches are mostly off-limits, though, since they are privately owned. Only 2 percent are open to the public.

The capital Augusta has a population of just over 20,000, but the largest and liveliest city is Portland. Main attractions are the Portland Museum of Art, the biggest art museum in Maine with works of art from the 18^th century until today. These include works by John Singer Sargent, Rockwell Kent and Winslow Homer, as well as works ranging from European Impressionism to Surrealism with works by Degas, Monet, Renoir, Edgar Degas, Picasso, Munch and Magritte.

One important tourist attraction in Maine is the Acadia National Park that was established in 1929. The only National Park in New England is one of the ten most visited in the US with more than 2 million visitors a year. Located on and around Mount Desert Island it has coast lines as well mountains up to 470 meters (1542 feet) in height that offer an excellent view of the island with its little lakes and countless other little islands. Main is famous for its Indian Summer. Green, yellow, orange, red and brown leaves combined with clear blue skies and a rise in temperature to 20°C (68° Fahrenheit) all come together. This combination of nice weather and bright colors is popular among Mainers and tourists alike for walking, hiking, and vacations.

Also other places along the coast of Maine attract tourists. There are sandy beaches in the South of the state in places such as York, Ogunquit, Wells Beach and Kennebunkport. The water temperature, however, doesn’t rise above 12-14° Celsius (54-57°Fahrenheit) even in summer. Further North are mainly rocky beaches. Main agricultural products are seafood (the Maine lobster is famous), poultry, eggs, potatoes, dairy products, livestock, blueberries, and apples. Industrial products are paper, timber and furniture, electronics, foodstuffs, leather, and textile products.

The English and the French fought about Maine

The natives of Maine were Algonquin-speaking Indians of the eastern Abenaki, including the tribes of the Pigwacket, the Arosaguntacook, Kennebec and Penobscot. John Cabot was in the area from 1497-1499. His travels were the basis for the later territorial claims by the British. English King James already claimed the entire New England territory at the beginning of the 17^th century. The first European settlers, however, were the French in 1604. The first British settlers of the Plymouth Company came in 1607.The coastal region was named Maine in 1622. The Eastern part of Maine, the less densely populated region North of the Kennebec River was called Sagadahock territory in the 17^th century.

The region in its former borders became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1652. During the 17^th and early 18^th century the English and the French fought bitterly over the territory of Maine. After the French were defeated in the 1740s, the region East of Penobscots River fell under nominal rule of the Province Nova Scotia. Disputes between the British and the Americans continued from the War of Independence until the war of 1812

After the Declaration of Independence, Maine was a part of Massachusetts until 1820, even though they did not really share a border. But due to the Missouri Compromise, which allowed Missouri to join the Union as a slave state provided a slave free state would also join to maintain balance in the Senate, it was split off Massachusetts and joined the Union on March 15 as the 23^rd state of the US.