Mainebiz Special Editions

V O L . X X V I N O. X V I 200 200 IDEAS FOR MAINE'S BICENTENNIAL 88 Fact Book / Doing Business in Maine 3 The Freeport branch of McDonald's serves up fast food from a Greek Revival mansion built around 1850. The eatery, established in 1984, is one of only two among McDon- ald's 14,000 U.S. locations to be sited inside a historic home. Ironically for a state so identified with beer, Maine is also known as the birthplace of Prohibition. The state was the first to ban the sale and manufacture of alcohol in 1851 (although the law was repealed five years later), and in 1880, Portland Mayor Neal Dow ran for president on the Prohibi- tion Party ticket. 1 Maine developed a reputation for its hunting and fishing in the 1880s, but it wasn't until "Vacationland" was added to license plates in the 1930s that the moniker started to stick. 2 In recent decades, many historic homes throughout Maine have been converted into bed-and-breakfasts, often by buyers retiring from corporate careers and seeking an owner/operator alternative. Investment includes historic preservation projects and operational upgrades. In Rockland, the Berry Manor Inn was built in 1898 by a prominent merchant. The mansion was a center of grand hospitality for more than a century and converted into a B&B in 1998. Downhill skiing took hold and expanded to western Maine in the early 1900s, according to the New England Ski Museum. Rope tows and ski trains were instituted, attracting local enthusiasts. In 1936, the U.S. Forest Service, Appala- chian Mountain Club and towns opened ski trails on border mountains in Maine and New Hampshire. By the 1940s, it was clear that ski area development contributed to economic vitality. The newly formed Maine Ski Council contemplated developments at Saddleback, Sugarloaf and other mountains. Portland's municipal organ began providing popular musical entertainment in 1911, and was once the second-largest musical instrument in the world. Today Portland is one of only two American cities with a municipal organ — the other is San Diego. When the Maine Turnpike opened in 1947, it was the second modern toll high- way in the U.S.; the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940. The Maine pike was the first in the world to be paved entirely with asphalt, and the wide grass median was an innovative safety feature at the time. Common Ground Fair started in 1977 and became one of the largest of Maine's fall festivals. The town of Strong was once known as the "toothpick capital of the world," and was home to toothpick mills such as Forster Manufacturing Co., which shut down in 2003. Maine historically has produced much of the global wooden toothpick sup- ply. However, the Maine Forest Products Council says the state is not responsible for 90% of it, as widely thought. In 2019, Maine's Airbnb hosts earned $100 million from more than 534,000 guests, up from 430,000 bookings in 2018 that generated $67 million. Active listings exploded from 12,500 on Jan. 1 to 20,000 by November. Portland, beaches and Acadia National Park were hot spots for Airbnb and other vacation rental listings. Positives include supplemental income for hosts and economic benefits to communities. Negatives include "dark neighborhoods" when peak season ends and decreased workforce housing options. 3 U.S. Route 1, the longest north-south road in the country, runs from Fort Kent, Maine to Key West, Fla. A monument at Fort Kent marks Mile 1 of 2,369 overall, though it should be noted that Key West calls itself "Mile 0," so it may depend on your perspective. The first federal hospital for the care of military veterans was established in Togus on Nov. 1, 1866. Now known as Togus VA Medical Center, it began as a 134-room former hotel that was purchased by the federal government for $50,000. Maine's thriving craft beer industry is a major driver of tourism, and the state is home to 150 breweries, according to the Brewers Association, ranking Maine sec- ond nationally in the number per capita. 4 Maine is the third-largest producer of maple syrup among U.S. states, after Vermont and New York. At least 116 syrup producers were planning to tap maple trees this year, and the industry is estimated to generate $48.7 million in economic activity annually and support more than 800 jobs. In addition to distinguished museums devoted to art, natural science, Civil War history, native American history, Arctic explo- ration, rare maps, etc., Maine is also home to offbeat museums that have become popular tourist attractions. They include the Umbrella Cover Museum, on Peaks Island; the International Cryptozoology Museum, in Portland; the Maine Coast Sardine History Museum, in Jonesport; and the Telephone Museum, in Ellsworth. 2 4 P H O T O / A B S E C O N 4 9 , W I K I P E D I A P H O T O / K VA H E Y, W I K I P E D I A P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y T H E B & B T E A M P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R 1

• Cover