Maine's Hail to the Chief
A visit from the President of the United States always brings with it excitement. In Maine, perhaps part of that excitement stems from the fact that presidents rarely visit the state–only 18 of the 45 presidents have visited Maine in the nation’s 244-year history.
Many of these visits came at significant points in a presidency; and some visits had controversy, conflict, and ironic twists. For example:
* During George Washington’s visit, Maine was not even Maine, it was part of Massachusetts.
* President Ulysses S. Grant was the hero of the recently ended Civil War.
* President Richard Nixon was met with protests that saw Mainer battle Mainer.
* President Carter spent the night of his visit with a common, ordinary Maine family, in their modest home.
* President Trump’s visit came in the middle of a global pandemic.
Each of Maine's presidential visits left us with great stories, and a detailed view of Maine's lively history.
A Navy veteran of the first Gulf War and former reporter for The Bar Harbor Times,Mac Smith lives in Stockton Springs, Maine, in the village of Sandy Point. He is also the author of Mainers on the Titanic and Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine.