"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 2004
"North by East" piece on the twin cities of Lewiston/Auburn, which are run respe
"North by East" piece on the unintended benefits to Maine of the four hurricanes
"North by East" piece on the University of Maine at Machias' ranking by U.S. New
"North by East" piece on Tom Duym, a vocational teacher at Deer Isle-Stonington
"North by East" piece on Township 15 Range 15, across from St. Pamphile, Quebec,
"North by East" piece on two Greenville-area icons that are on the market: Ken a
"North by East" piece on Verizon Telephone's discontinuation in March of its onc
"North by East" piece on Walt Taggart's farm in North Bath, where he has some 60
"North by East" piece on Wood Elf, a Jonesport-based business run by Shona Monro
"North by East" piece on World Wide Language Resources in Rumford, which supervi
"North by East" piece reporting that the Camden Hills share their name with anot
"North by East" piece with a list of 15 Maine towns with the highest median home
"North by East" piece with an "unofficial Maine history" detailing some events f
"North by East" piece with observations from visitors to Baxter State Park on wi
"North by East" piece with opinions and observations on "who's a Mainer?," discu
Photo essay by Gorham photographer Melonie Bennett, showcasing the lives of her
Photographer Melonie Bennett of Gorham took a candid shot of her brother-in-law
Photos of fifty years of Down East covers, from the magazine's 1954 inception to
Photos taken at the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland of children competing in, Peggy McKenna
Professor Warren Riess of the University of Maine used to recover artifacts from, Joshua F. Moore
Profile of Carol Palesky, 64, of Topsham, who started the Maine Taxpayer Action, Jeff Clark
Profile of Freeport artist Sarah Knock, 56, a recipient of a 2002 Maine Arts Com, Rebecca Martin Evarts
Profile of George Smith, 55, Winthrop native, head of the Sportsman's Alliance o, Gerry Boyle
Profile of Gov. John Baldacci, the third of eight children of a Bangor restaurat, Gerry Boyle
Profile of Stell Shevis, an eighty-eight year old artist who produces intricate, Joshua F. Moore
Rosemary Whitney and Debby Murray of Portland keep beehives at Whitney's farm in, Ken Textor
Short poem by Maine's poet laureate, Baron Wormser, entitled "January.", Baron Wormser
Special, 48-page guide to retiring in Maine, with a listing of Maine's retiremen
Sunken fragments in Cobscook Bay are all that remain of five Civil War warships, Henry Lofton
The 50-year-old Sparhawk Garden in Ogunquit is maintained by the Sparhawk Oceanf, Rebecca Martin Evarts
"The Class of Maine," with photos and brief profiles of some of the famous peopl, Paul Doiron
The Commission to Study Maine Hospitals, headed by Bill Haggett, the former CEO, Jeff Clark
The "Down East astrological chart" delineating the personality traits of twelve
"The Last Word" featuring a lighthearted, multiple-choice quiz to determine what
"The Maine Viewpoint" piece on the Bar Harbor fire horn; reducing Maine's fast-g
"The Talk of Camden" piece. Landmark French & Brawn grocery supplies customers w, Virginia Wright
"The Talk of Maine" piece comparing Maine's high state and local tax burden with, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on a federally-imposed 2007 deadline for Maine to crea, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on a growing number of so-called life coaches who are, Monica Wood
"The Talk of Maine" piece on Canton, which has decided to move 15 percent of its, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on how liquor has been sold over the years in Maine.
"The Talk of Maine" piece on how the Kennebec River has rebounded with fish, inc, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the Augusta-based "Uncle Henry's Weekly Swap or Sel, Brian Fiske
"The Talk of Maine" piece on the recent move of F. O. Bailey from Portland to Fa, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Maine" piece with statistics on the typical Mainer, noting that the, Jeff Clark
"The Talk of Mars Hill" piece on how Evergreen Wind Power's proposal to build Ma, Jeff Clark
The University of New England (UNE) overlooking the Saco River and the ocean in, Edgar Allen Beem
Tiny New Sweden (population 620) became infamous last year as the site of a del, Jeff Clark
Vacation activities in Maine are grouped humorously under the categories of the
"What's in a Picture?" 1890 photograph, with detailed caption, showing the ice-, Ellen MacDonald Ward