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 2007

Profile of painter Charles Wilder Oakes, 50, of Spruce Head. After years of str, Michaela Cavallaro

Profile of Peggy Greenhut Golden, who since 1977 has helped build Portland's Gre, Scott Sutherland

Profile of Stephen Zeh, 54, of Temple, a Pennsylvania native and former fur trap, Ken Textor

Profile of Tom Curry, 49, whose series of paintings over the past decade shows C, Susan Hand Shetterly

Profiles of fifteen Maine companies to watch, including: Portland-based Aging Ex, of Down East Editors

Profiles of Kennebunkport residents who help define the town. Jestena Broughton, Virginia Wright

Profiles of ten notable local musicians, including singer/percussionist Erin Dav, Sam Pfeifle

"Retiring in Maine: A Guide Compiled by the Editors of Down East," with articles, East editors Down

Review of "You Alone in the Maine Woods," an information-packed booklet that the, Andrew Vietze

Russell Libby directs the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA, Jeff Clark

Sara Donnelly of Portland, who describes her natural habitat as metropolitan, at, Sara Donnelly

Since 2001, 3,000 Somalis have settled in Lewiston, an in-migration that receive, Cynthia Anderson

Special section, "Maine for the Holidays: A Guide to Christmas Shopping on the M, of Down East Editors

Statistics for Maine's annual Christmas Bird Count, and details of birds seen, i

The author praises the beauty of trees in the winter, when they no longer provid, Richard Grant

The author revisits some persistent legends of pirates in Maine, verifying some, Colin Woodard

The demand for housesitters in Maine has diminished over the past decade, with h, Joshua F. Moore

The five island town of the Cranberries off Mount Desert Island is the only isla, Letitia Baldwin

The Gulf of Maine Census of Marine Life is unique in focusing on ecosystem-based, Colin Woodard

"The Maine Viewpoint" piece on the possibility that the Portland Public Library, Press Herald Portland

The official program of the Designers' ShowHouse 2007, Sept. 8 - Sept. 30, prese, Meadow Rue Merrill

The Ogunquit Playhouse, founded in 1932, is one of a few dozen of its caliber to, Jeff Clark

The sand on Wells' seven miles of beach is washing away because of two sixties-e, Virginia Wright

The shrimp industry, once the Gulf of Maine's cash cow, has at least temporarily, Joshua F. Moore

The synergy between Maine and its birch trees includes the use of birch for toot, Rebecca Sawyer-Fay

"The Talk of Maine" piece analyzing the role of county governments in Maine, a f, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece on a change in snow-removal tactics on Maine roads, da, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece on alleged mountain lion sightings in Maine. Keel Kem, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece on a proposal by Peter Vigue, president and CEO of Cia, Jeff Clark

"The talk of Maine" piece on changes in the Portland arts scene. Ari Solotoff, e, Michaela Cavallaro

"The Talk of Maine" piece on how Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) h, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece on Maine gunmakers like Bushmaster Firearms in Windham, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece on the filming of Steven King's "The Mist" in New Orle, Joshua F. Moore

"The Talk of Maine" piece on the increased use of soup kitchens and food pantrie, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece on the obsolete Maine State Museum building and the la, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece on the once controversial and now widely admired Maine, Jeff Clark

"The Talk of Maine" piece with a profile of Jim Delamater, president and CEO of, Joshua F. Moore

The ten Maine towns that are arguably the most friendly to dogs are described ac, Michaela Cavallaro

Tim Swenson's $20 million Grand Victorian condominium hotel, modeled on the Hote, Colin Woodard

Tony and Sally Grassi, with the help of architect Matt Elliott, of Elliott Ellio, Joshua F. Moore

Unity, population about 2,000, is home to Unity College, which offers more envir, Virginia Wright

"What's in a Picture?" piece on a 1934 photo of seven counselors at Camp Ettowah, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on a 1940 fire that consumed Domhegan, Civil War ge, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on a 1980 potato blockade by Maine farmers who felt, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on a humorous photo of a writer wrapped in a quilt, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on a photograph by Casco Bay Weekly photographer, T, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on a trick picture of three boys pushing against t, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh checking his airpla, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on nurses Carolyn Grant and Blanche Arnold, who cli, Joshua F. Moore

"What's in a Picture?" piece on the inaugural arrival of the steamship "Belfast", Joshua F. Moore