"The goal of Down East has always been to hold a mirror up to Maine — its storied past and lively present — and to celebrate its flinty, independent character and unhurried way of life. As Maine has changed with the times, however, so has Down East. Today the state has come to embrace its future as well as its past. Accordingly, the magazine now focuses more on contemporary Maine life and what the future might bring and less on historical background and quaint rusticity. Booming circulation and advertising gains demonstrate the wisdom of this editorial shift."
Portland Public Library's collection of Down East is complete, and begins with the first issue, August 1954. The hard copies are available in the Portland Room.
Submissions from 1996
"North by East" piece reporting that an increasing number of Mainers are turning
"North by East" piece with a profile of Herbert "Bud" Wood, 75, of South Thomast
Photo essay about children and their swimming holes, such as the one photographe, Tonee Harbert
Piece on Bangor, with short articles on Bangor's lead in privatizing municipal s
Profile of Arthur Davis, 56, who started Maine Bonsai Gardens at his home in Woo, Jane Lamb
Profile of Carol and Peter Bass, who started Maine Cottage Furniture in 1988 in, Jeff Clark
Profile of CR Lawn, founder of Waterville-based Fedco Seeds. He first organized, Patrick Morris
Profile of David Betts, 47, of Bucksport, a former house painter who started Gro, Mark Condon
Profile of Fred Hutchinson, who has been president of his alma mater, the Univer, Jeff Clark
Profile of John J. Pullen, 82, of Brunswick, who wrote the highly readable "The, Ellen MacDonald Ward
Profile of Kathryn Swift of Hope and her business Wildflowers of Maine, which sh, C J. Davies
Profile of Max Folsom, a bush pilot who missed only three days of flying in nort, Andrew Vietze
Profile of painter Lois Dodd, 68, a summer resident of Cushing, who has painted, Elizabeth Peavey
Profile of pewterer Ken Kantro, owner of Lovell Designs in Portland's Old Port., Elizabeth Peavey
Profile of Portland native, Joe Payne, who is hired by the Friends of Casco Bay, Jeff Clark
Profile of realist artist Linden Frederick, 43, a New York native, who moved to, Sarah Scott
Profile of Richard S. Lee, 76, a horse breeder who owns the Maine Lee Morgan Hor, Beth Thomas
Profile of sisters Adeline and Caroline Wing of Bangor , who lived together for, Edgar Allen Beem
Profiles of notable Bangor-area residents who describe why they love the area, i
Reminiscence by Deborah Dalfonso, on her experience as a candy striper at St. Jo, Deborah Dalfonso
Russell Pond, at the center of Baxter State Park, is set in a verdant valley and, Andrew Vietze
Since 1990, there have been two volunteers at Seguin Island Light each summer, c, Ken Textor
Some little-known vignettes of the life of painter Winslow Homer, who lived at P, Craig Fisher and Ashton Helen
Special, 54-page guide to Christmas Shopping in Maine, detailing 50 great gift i
Thanks to a referendum that the state rallied behind 20 years ago, Bigelow Mount, Andrew Vietze
The Dark Harbor House is owned by Matt Skinner, a retired Boston University prof, Deborah Dalfonso
The legendary Golden Road, built by Great Northern Paper Co. through 96 miles of, Jeff Clark
"The Maine Viewpoint" piece on the defeat of a ballot measure, "Question 1," tha
"The Talk of Bath" piece about about Bath's Carlton Bridge and the contention ov, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Bath" piece on Rogers Hardware in Bath, profiling owners John and G, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on expert birders, Wendy Howes of Wilton and Wally Sum, Robert Kimber
"The Talk of Maine" piece on how an announcement last February by Gov. Angus Kin, Sarah Scott and Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on shortcuts that can cut summer travel time on Maine, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the Bangor Public Library, its efficient and helpfu, Elizabeth Peavey
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the unlikely success of the mid-winter Camden Confe, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the Wellington Elementary School, one of the last t, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on two referendum questions. The first, backed by for, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on UFO sightings in Maine. The state was third or fou, Powell Boyer
"Trips Down East" section with articles on day trips in southern Maine; fall fol, Powell Boyer, Elizabeth Peavey, Matthew Mayo, and Patrick Morris
Two of Maine's four congressional delegates--Sen. William Cohen, a Republican, a
"What's in a Picture?" 1930s photograph, by photographer George French , showing, Ellen MacDonald Ward
"What's in a Picture?" piece on a class picture of children in a one-room school, Ellen MacDonald Ward
"What's in a Picture?" piece on Sam Osborne, a freed slave who was brought to Wa
"What's in a Picture?" piece on the aftermath of the 1907 fire at Old Orchard Be, Ellen MacDonald Ward
"What's in a Picture?" piece on the Bath-built Dorothy B. Barrett, a five-master, Ellen MacDonald Ward
"What's in a Picture?" piece on the dirigible Shenandoah at its mooring mast abo, Ellen MacDonald Ward
"What's in a Picture?" piece on the Gardiner riverfront in the early 1890s, wher, Ellen MacDonald Ward
"What's in a Picture?" piece with a photograph and description of ice harvesting
Submissions from 1995
A brief reminiscence by George Carey, of his childhood vacations on the coast of, George Carey
Account of author Edgar Beem's climb of Mount Katahdin with his 13-year-old daug, Edgar Allen Beem