"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 1995
When Edmund Muskie defeated incumbent governor Burton M. Cross in Maine's 1954 g, Jeff Clark
With the indoor boat show season coming up, Maine's marine industry is at its mo
Zen master and former Audobon Society guide Dana Sawyer uses the Mahoosic trail, Christopher Kenneally
Submissions from 1994
A Brunswick gardner, who prefers to remain anonymous, explains how in just four, Jane Lamb
"Along the Waterfront" piece about Capt. Marc Brent of the Bar Harbor Whale Watc, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece about Corliss Holland, of Belfast, who builds and r, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece about George I. "Sonny" Hodgdon, Jr., a veteran Eas, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece about Harold "Dynamite" Payson, who has been buildi, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece about Peter Kass of South Bristol, the owner of Joh, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece about the belief of John Marshall, a partner of Sou, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece about the Maine Cat 22, a 22-foot catamaran, with a, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece briefly reporting that 40-foot cruising sailboats,, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece on the half-dozen Maine boatbuilding schools that a, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece profiling Paul Stubing, 67, an employee of Reggie T, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece reporting that Ken Johnson, a California-based impo, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece reporting that the greatest amount of waterborne ac, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece reporting that the Maine Seacoast Mission, which h, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece reporting the Apprenticeshop in Rockport two years, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece reporting the Rev. Robert "Bobby" Ives is back home, James P. Brown
"Along the Waterfront" piece report that haul-out time for boats, traditionally, James P. Brown
Architect Robert Knight stripped his 200-year-old Blue Hill farmhouse down to th, Robert Knight
Article about artist Henry Hyacinth Strater and the Ogunquit Museum of American, Davis Thomas
Article about Capt. Ben Willard, who was born at Simonton's Cove in what is now, William David Barry
Article about Dick Kennedy and his family, who have turned Camp Kieve, an old-gu, Jeff Clark
Article about Frank Weston Benson (1862-1951), an American Impressionist painter, Carl Little
Article about Maine's successful effort to help restore the endangered piping pl, Paul Karr
Article about North Haven, an island in Penobscot Bay, and about the summer home, Ellen MacDonald Ward
Article about Peter and Heidi Larsen who have refurbished the landmark Newagen S, James P. Brown
Article about puffin-grubbing on Matincus Rock, profiling Sue Schubel, 31, an ex, Pete Salmansohn
Article about Route 201 between Solon and Jackman, which is described as being o
Article about Searsport's 58-year-old Penobscot Marine Musuem, which first opene, James P. Brown
Article about staying at Tim Pond Wilderness Camps, which have been run by Betty, Sarah Goodyear
Article about the blueberry operation at the Brodis family farm in Hope, which i, Julia Norris
Article about the history of Montpelier, the Thomaston mansion of Gen. Henry Kno, Ellen MacDonald Ward
Article about the marten, a small furry animal about the size of a small house c, Sarah Scott
Article about the meeting of two geniuses on Mount Desert Island in the summer o, Stephen May
Article about the reclusive Miss Mary Jane Emerson Clapp of Portland who was bor, William David Barry
Article about the revival of the Kennebunkport Seashore Trolley Museum, which, j, Jeff Clark
Article about the successful battle waged in Kennebunkport to save the town's gr, Jeff Clark
Article about the the auction held in Mount Vernon on July 1 and 2 of last year, Sarah Goodyear
Article about Tom Bergh, who gave up the practice law for outdoor adventuring on, Hannah Holmes
Article about Verna Cox, of Verona Island, Maine's first lady of braided rugs., Jeff Clark
Article chronicles a Portland institution, the Roma restaurant. It briefly sketc, Sarah Goodyear
Article chronicles the sad history of the Grand Turk, a 560-ton three-decker car, Nicholas Dean
Article chronicling the ill-fated career of the steamship "City of Rockland," a, James P. Brown
Article containg advice to those who would own and operate a bed-and-breafast (B, Jeff Clark
Article describing life in Estcourt Station, Maine's northernmost village. Forty, Joseph E. Brown
Article on how to get a Maine garden ready for winter., Jane Lamb
Article on the largest snowplow in North America. The public works department o
Article on what it is that attracts people to Blue Hill, a small town of 1,941 r, Sarah Goodyear