"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 1994
"North by East" piece reporting that the Hurricane Island Outbound School has ma
"North by East" piece reporting that the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Ass
"North by East"reporting that Maine fishermanm are beginning to havest sea cucum
Nursing homes in Maine have undergone a radical transformation over the last dec, Jeff Clark
Observations by the author during his weekend stay at Northern Pines in Raymond,, Edgar Allen Beem
"On the Waterfront" piece outlining the history of Portland Yacht Club, which ce, James P. Brown
"Outdoor Maine" piece about August being the best month for an outdoor-related v, Gene Letourneau
"Outdoor Maine" piece about how Wayne and Carmen Bourgoin, of Winslow, managed t, Gene Letourneau
"Outdoor Maine" piece briefly reporting that some of the best fly fishing of the, Gene Letourneau
"Outdoor Maine"piece briefly reporting that the team from the Portand Surfcaster, Gene Letourneau
"Outdoor Maine" piece offering several strategies for hunting ruffled grouse., Gene Letourneau
"Outdoor Maine" piece reporting that, according to Gene Letourneau's files, the, Gene Letourneau
"Outdoor Maine" piece reporting that experienced outdoors people are reporting h, Gene Letourneau
"Outdoor Maine" piece reporting that Jackman experienced a twenty-degree drop in, Gene Letourneau
Photographic journal with accompanying text on the town of Norway in the springt, Sarah Goodyear
Photograph of Samuel Fall of Lebanon, an inventor who around the end of the nine
Picture of the Brewer Boy Scout troop, possibly the first Boy Scout troop in the
Portland Trails, dedicated to the construction of a system of recreational trail, Jeff Clark
Profile of artist Elizabeth Busch of Glenburn, who earned her reputation as a qu, Jeff Shula
Profile of Barbara Skapa, a Maine wild mushroom entrepreneur and United Nations, Luann Yetter
Profile of Camden Hills State Park, which didn't begin to take on its modern ide, Sarah Scott
Profile of Dorothy Douglass of Bucksport, whose skill in tying salmon flies has, Sarah Goodyear
Profile of Erythronium americanum, commonly called the trout lily. Also known a, Richard Grant
Profile of Hans and Sheila Bucher, proprieters of Jessica's European Bistro in R, Sarah Goodyear
Profile of Jeff Gamelin, 43, owner of Freshwater Stone and Brickwork in Orland,, Sarah Goodyear
Profile of Michael Good, who came to Maine as a back-to-the-lander in the late s, Elizabeth Banwell
Profile of Molly Nelson, 30, who is shepardness to a flock of fifty sheep on Mos
Profile of the coastal town of Castine, with a focus on the author's experiences, Caskie Stinnett
Profile of the fiddlehead, along with recipes for eating the green delicacies., Susan Hermann Loomis
Profile of the Way-Way General Store in Saco, operated by Catherine Cousens, 62,, Paul Karr
Profiles of Rose Giles of Town Hill on Mount Desert Island and her two daughters, Nan Lincoln
Profiles of some of Portland's artists, including Alice Spencer, Brett Bigbee, F, Sarah Goodyear
Profiles of some of the people who live on boats in Portland Harbor, including L, Ken Textor
Review of "It Is Not Now: Tales of Maine," by John Gould., Peter Spectre
Sarah Goodyear describes a fishing trip aboard the "Bingo," one of several deep-, Sarah Goodyear
Short article accompanying a photograph depicts the aftermath of the Camden fire, Ellen MacDonald Ward
Short article describes Sherman Hutchins, a Penobscot boatbuilder who built a to, James P. Brown
Short article describes the discovery of fossils, mostly snails, corals, and tin
Short article describes the "Foggy Mountain" line of scents designed to lure dee
Short article describes the thirty-first northern voyage of the veteran arctic s, James P. Brown
Short article notes the 26-foot expansion of Moody's Diner in Waldoboro. Workers
Short article on the negative myth of the Maine wolf and the power and pervasive, Jeff Clark
Short essay describes the architecture of Portland City Hall. Created in 1912 b, Sarah Goodyear
Short piece summarizes the success of an innovative piece of Maine legislation w
Special 32-page section (located between pages 32 and 33), about the Portland Sy
"Talk of Bar Harbor" piece about Bar Harbor and the passenger ships visited ther, Nan Lincoln
"Talk of Portland" piece with coverage of the controversy surrounding a proposed, Jeff Clark
"Talk of Washington, D.C." piece by Christopher Corbett humorously describing th, Christopher Corbett
The Bar Harbor Hayseeders' Ball was started in 1895, and was the locals' answer, Nan Lincoln
The L. Ray Packing Company in Milbridge is run by the Rays, who have been in the, Nicols Fox