Down East magazine, has been publishing since August 1954, and continues as one of Maine's most prominent monthly magazines. Their web site's history page provides the following description:

"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.

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Submissions from 2018

 

Guide; Film;Such Strange Eyes: In our era of binging on full season of hour-long television shows, tackling an eight-episode short-form series should be a piece of cake. Right?, Joel Crabtree

 

Guide; Music; Battle of the Batons: Who's who in the search for a new lead conductor of the PSO?, Will Grunewald

 

Guide; Swig of the Month; Green Bee: Blueberry Dream

 

Guide; Swig of the Month; Saco River Brewing

 

Guide; Theater; Sneak Peek

 

Holiday Calendar

 

How Allagash White Conquered the World, Will Grunewald and Pablo Iglesias Illustrator

 

How (And Why) To Persevere: Homespun entrepreneurship is as Maine as Maple Syrup. But when your're making a living off the land, contentment comes in cycles., Carrie Braman

 

How to Beat Back Homesickness (One Lunch at a Time): When you're feeling displaced, a little social ritual goes a long way, Marco Aviles

 

How to Date (And Not Lose Hope): There are no more singles in your area! Try again later, Jesse Ellison

 

How to Get Real About Money: On adjusting to a life lived closer to the bone (and to neighbors who aren't shy about discussing it)., Jillian Bedell

 

How to Have a Baby on n Island ( Even a Landlocked One): A lot of pregnant women feel a little at sea. Some of them actually are., Laura Serino

 

How to Know Everyone in the Refrigerated Aisle: Because anonymity is overrated, Mary Pols

 

How to Learn to Love the Hustle: When living your Maine dream means working four jobs, you can get discouraged or you can get to work. And you might learn something about yourself, Irene Yadao

 

How to Make Sense of a Maine Home, Hannah Holmes

 

How to Pull Off a Creative Career From a Town With Five Stoplights, Ryan Spose Peters

 

How to Survive Winter- With a little help from your neighbors: A breakdown on a lonely road, right falling, temps dropping, nothing a little goodwill can't handle, Johanna S. Billings

 

In Memoriam: Barbara Bush, of Walker's Point, 1925-2018, Donald R. Winslow and David Valdez Photographer

 

Is This Man a Victim?: Maine adopted Kenyan runner Moninda Marube as a symbol of human trafficking's invisible casualties, but a close look at his case raises hard questions--and illustrates the challenge of investigating and prosecuting trafficking crimes, Kathryn Miles and Tristan Spinski Photographer

 

Learn the Fern: What does a veteran forager know about Maine's iconic fiddleheads that you don't Curl up with Michael's Burke's tale of a tagalong day in the field, Douglas Merriam Photographer

 

Letters from Adult Summer Camp, Brian Kevin

 

Lobstering; A Breaking Wave, Virginia M. Wright

 

Maine Dispatches

 

Maine Dispatches

 

Maine Dispatches

 

Maine Dispatches

 

Maine Homes; Antiques Roadshow, Sarah Stebbins

 

Maine Homes; Antiques Roadshow; Faux Tomahawks! Makeshift Cmmodes!, Sarah Stebbins

 

Maine Homes; Backyard Policy; Granny Flat Redux: Accessory dwelling units aren't just for your mother-in-law anymore, Sara Anne Donnelly

 

Maine Homes; Crafty; Teacher's Pet Projects, Jillian Bedell

 

Maine Homes; Festivities; Victorian Times Three

 

Maine Homes; Finds; Market Conditions, Sarah Stebbins

 

Maine Homes; Garden; Bees and Butterflies, Virginia M. Wright and Jason P. Smith Photographer

 

Maine Homes; Garden; Growing Together, Virginia M. Wright and Douglas Merriam Photographer

 

Maine Homes; Garden; Shady Lady, Virginia M. Wright and Kathleen Clemons Photographer

 

Maine Homes; Garden; Trash to Treasure, Virginia M. Wright and Molly Haley Photographer

 

Maine Homes; Glampin; Fancy-Pants Camps, Virginia M. Wright

 

Maine Homes; Home Building; Special Delivery, Virginia M. Wright

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; All in Good Fun, Sara Anne Donnelly

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Greenhouse Effect, Lorry Fleming and Cait Bourgault

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Home Depot, Sara Anne Donnelly and Trent Bell Photographer

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Modern Cabin, Deep Roots, Virginia M. Wright

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Modern in the Middle, Candace Karu

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Retro Revival, Sarah Stebbins and Chris Becker Photographer

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Rough Diamond, Debra Spark and Sandy Agrafiotis Photographer

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Small Wonder, Sarah Stebbins

 

Maine Homes; House Tour; Super Natural, Sarah Stebbins and Rob Karosis Photographer

 

Maine Homes; My Space; Angela's Aerie, Sarah Stebbins

 

Maine Homes; My Space; Drawing Room, Sarah Stebbins and Cody Barry Photographer

 

Maine Homes; My Space; Story Land, Sarah Stebbins and Douglas Merriam Photographer