"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 2006
"The Talk of Maine" piece on downtown development in Bath, where prices are 30 p
"The Talk of Maine" piece on health insurance costs in Maine. Insurance compani, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on how coyotes, beavers, deer, raccoons, moose, fisher, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on Mary Adams and her referendum campaign that put the, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on size caps imposed on retail stores instituted by th, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the conclusion that Maine's ban on smoking in resta, Jeff. Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the nationally-known Maine Photographic Workshops a, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the state Department of Agriculture's controversial
The year (2005) in Maine in pictures.
Three outdated buildings have found new life at the hands of some ingenious Main, Joshua F. Moore
Tips on cutting your own Maine Christmas tree, with details on the many types of
Two Roads Maine, affiliated with the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, conducts, Edgar Allen Beem
Vintage maps and charts of Maine are becoming hot items on the collectible marke, Ken. Textor
Westbrook has become an affordable small city since a foul-smelling pulp operati, Edgar Allen Beem
"What's in a Picture?" piece on a 1940 photo by Jack Delano, which captures two, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on a carefully composed photo of women drinking fro, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on a photograph of six quarry workers employed by t, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on a photo taken by Joseph Coburn Smith to provide, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on Maine state senator Arnold Peabody of Houlton, w, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on photographer Philip
"What's in a Picture?" piece on photo of a man in a primitive diving suit prepar, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on Registered Maine Guide Charley Miller, who set u, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on the Broiler Festival, which was first held in 19, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on the last self-portrait taken by Chansonetta Stan, Joshua F. Moore
"What's in a Picture?" piece on the USS Montauk, which dropped anchor near Portl, Joshua F. Moore
Submissions from 2005
"150 Reasons to Give Thanks We Live in Maine," including Route 11 between Fort K
A beach house built on the footprint of a tear-down house in Biddeford Pool is t, Rebecca Martin Evarts
A boathouse adjacent to a station-master's house was once part of a Coast Guard, Patrick McManus
A brief list of the wonders of Maine's winters, which snowbirds miss when they s
According to "Pizza Marketing Quarterly," Maine has more pizza shops per capita, Andy King
A detailed article on June bugs, with information contributed by Dick Dearborn,, Ken Textor
After living in their home on the slopes of Mount Battie for 15 years, Stephen a, Edgar Allen Beem
A guide to the cryptic codes for Maine's unorganized townships and plantations,
A guide to "the Maine Hippie Trail," featuring the Hempstock festival in Starks,
A home in Deer Isle evolved into something greater than the sum of its parts thr, Joshua F. Moore
A look at Portland's Barber Foods, which has assembled Maine's most diverse work, Abby Zimet
A look behind the scenes at Maine Public Radio and its award-winning daily radio, Michaela Cavallaro
A multiple-choice Portland trivia test, containing questions about the city's hi
An article about a winter trip the author took with Maine artist Marguerite Robi, Elizabeth Peavey
An article about Fryeburg, through which winds 20 miles of the Saco River, near, Virginia Wright
An article on Aldermere Farm in Rockport, land which gentleman farmer Albert H., Richard Grant
An article on double-crested cormorants or "shags," which the Rockland-based gro, Ken Textor
An article on East Machias, a community whose ties to the past remain visibly in, Virginia Wright
An article on growing Siberian squill (Scilla sibirica), early-blooming bulbs th, Rebecca Sawyer-Fay
An article on how the author gets bitten by the antiquing bug during an off-seas, Elizabeth Peavey
An article on lichen, "a cross-kingdom alliance between a fungus and a plant (i, Richard Grant
An article on Rick Tibbetts, 47, a professional forager of every type of wild ed, Michael Sanders
An article on the $32-million renovation of the Maine State House, started in 19, Edgar Allen Beem
An article on the emblematic Maine pickup truck and what it signifies about thos, James R. Babb
An essay by author Paul Theroux on his solitary winter stay at a primitive cabin, Paul Theroux