Economy · Agriculture
Abandoned
Farmhouses and other rural structures reveal how changing populations and patterns of work transformed Maine communities.
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Work, resources, and movement
Maine Economy
Explore how agriculture, fisheries, forests, industry, employment, income, and transportation have shaped livelihoods and communities across Maine.
Browse the subject
Eight routes into Maine’s economy
Begin with an overview or focus on the industries, infrastructure, resources, and measures that explain economic activity across the state.
Economy archive
Entries from A onward
This opening archive page connects economic history with farms, fisheries, transportation systems, industrial sites, towns, and working landscapes.
Recreation · Agriculture
Agricultural Fairs
Explore the role of fairs in presenting livestock, crops, skills, equipment, competitions, and rural community traditions.
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Economy · Agriculture
Agricultural Subsidies
An introduction to public support intended to address production risks, changing markets, and food-supply stability.
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Economy · Agriculture
Agriculture
Trace the development of farming, livestock practices, community regulation, and Maine’s changing rural landscape.
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Economy · Transportation
Airline, The
Follow the east–west Route 9 corridor between Bangor and Calais, including its origins as a planned military road.
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Economy · Transportation
Airports
Review the role of public airports, scheduled passenger service, and general aviation in connecting Maine communities.
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Economy · Fisheries
Alewife Landings
Historical landing records provide a route into changes in catch, value, price, and the commercial significance of alewives.
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Agriculture · Cities & Towns
Allagash
Examine a large, sparsely populated northern community where rivers, woods, farming, hunting, and camping meet.
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Economy · Fisheries
American Eel Landings
Learn about the species and use landing records to examine its place in Maine’s freshwater and marine economy.
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Economy · Fisheries
American Plaice Landings
Historical commercial landing patterns show periods of expansion and decline in this groundfish fishery.
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Forest Products · Townships
Appleton Township
A remote Somerset County township defined by forest roads, mountains, and a landscape shaped by resource use.
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History · Transportation
April 15
Browse events associated with this date, including entries that intersect with Maine transportation and public history.
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Economy · Fisheries
Atlantic Pollock Landings
Compare long-term shifts in commercial landings, total value, and price within the pollock fishery.
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Economy · Fisheries
Atlantic Redfish
Historical records document the steep change from substantial redfish landings to much smaller catches.
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Economy · Fisheries
Atlantic Salmon Landings
Explore salmon habitat, historical range, conservation context, and records of commercial production.
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Forest Products · Townships
Attean Township
Follow the township’s name, population record, forest setting, ponds, and relationship to the Jackman area.
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Cities & Towns · Forest Products
Baileyville
Discover a border community whose Woodland village, river setting, and pulp industry are closely connected.
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Employment · Industrial Facilities
Bath Iron Works
Trace shipbuilding along the Kennebec River and the development of a major Maine industrial institution.
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Economy · Ecology · Townships
Big Six Township
A western border township with unimproved forestry roads, waterways, and extensive undeveloped terrain.
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Bridges · Transportation
Black Bridge
Learn about the 1909 truss bridge across the Androscoggin River between Brunswick and Topsham.
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Continue through the archive
Use reference pages for terminology and navigation, or jump to an alphabetical section of the complete collection.
A–Z index
Browse alphabetically
Jump directly to entries beginning with a particular letter, regardless of their subject category.
About this section
Economy in geographic and historical context.
Mainean Encyclopedia treats the economy as more than a list of industries. Entries connect work and production to waterways, forests, farms, towns, transportation routes, public policy, and long-term change.
Many articles preserve historical records. Readers should check the period and source described within an entry before treating a figure as current.
How to use this section
A practical research path
Move from a broad economic field to a particular industry, place, facility, species, or historical record.
1
Choose a field
Start with agriculture, fisheries, forestry, employment, income, industry, or transportation.
2
Open an entry
Review its subject, geographic setting, historical period, and connections to other topics.
3
Check the dates
Distinguish historical datasets and archived descriptions from present-day conditions.
4
Follow links
Continue through related towns, natural resources, government topics, maps, and reference tools.
FAQ
Exploring Maine’s economy
Answers to common questions about the organization and use of this category.
What does the economy category include?
It includes overview material, agriculture, employment, fisheries, forest products, income, industrial facilities, transportation, and entries where economic activity intersects with places or natural resources.
Are all statistics in these entries current?
No. Many entries document historical periods or datasets. Check the dates and source context within an article before using a figure as a description of current conditions.
Where can I find articles about commercial fishing?
Use the Fisheries category for species landings, catch values, prices, and other material related to Maine’s marine economy.
How do I research farming and rural life?
Begin with Agriculture, then follow links to fairs, subsidies, communities, abandoned farm properties, historical practices, and related landscape topics.
Does this section cover roads, bridges, airports, and shipping?
Yes. Transportation entries cover routes and infrastructure, while industrial and employment articles may also explain shipbuilding and other transportation-related work.
Why do town and township entries appear here?
Economic activity is tied to place. A community may appear because farming, forestry, manufacturing, fisheries, tourism, or transportation is central to its development.