Life’s a Beech
The real story behind the simultaneous rise and fall of one of our state’s great tree species.
Ball Canto
A University of Southern Maine professor’s unlikely new opera takes a run at a pioneering black baseball legend.
Split Decision
How Maine ended up with its oddball system for picking a president — and why that system is better than the way 48 other states do it.
The Wreck Chaser
Hundreds of military planes crashed in Maine during World War II, including 48 that resulted in fatalities. Wreckage is still scattered in the North Woods, on mountain slopes and lake bottoms, and off the coast. Aviation archaeologist Peter Noddin is on a mission to document the site of each crash — and to honor those who died.
Nasty Summer Cold
It’s the 200th anniversary of Maine’s epically cold “year without a summer.”
The Phantom Punch Was a Hit
Fifty years ago, the “phantom punch” gave Lewiston a black eye. How boxing’s most infamous fight inspired a Portland trainer’s hall-of-fame career.
A Practical Application
With ’Skeeter Skidaddler, Allen Pollock has reimagined insect repellent as an attractive natural fragrance.
Pitching In
Stonewall Kitchen’s new CEO has embraced the company’s festive culture.
A Battle Lost
When it comes to football, Biddeford High School is no longer in neighboring Thornton Academy’s league, literally or figuratively. Thus ends “The Battle of the Bridge,” a spirited rivalry between Biddeford and Saco that dated to 1893. And there’s no question which of the two former mill towns feels the loss more acutely.
Dread and Breakfast
Is Lewiston’s Hotel Crypt a trick or a treat?
Whose Town Is It Anyway?
A flurry of development in the Kennebunks has prompted a philosophical tug-of-war about the towns’ identities.
The Throwbacks
Vintage baseball might resemble a Colonial Williamsburg reenactment, but it’s a real sport, with real rules and regulations. Meet Maine’s Dirigo Vintage Base Ball Club.