MAINE - The Pine Tree State, officially joined the United States as the 23rd state in 1820, famously entering as part of the Missouri Compromise. But before achieving statehood, the vast territory we now know as Maine existed under several different names and administrative statuses, primarily linked to its powerful southern neighbor, Massachusetts.
From Province to District to State: What Was Maine Called Before 1820?
Understanding what Maine was called before 1820 reveals a complex colonial history of land grants, shifting jurisdictions, and a growing desire for independence.
Early Colonial Grants: The Province of Maine (1622 & 1639)
The earliest English claims to the region established the name, which would eventually endure.
- 1622 Grant: The English Crown granted the land between the Merrimack and Kennebec rivers to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Captain John Mason. They initially named this territory the "Province of Maine."
- Division and New Somersetshire: Gorges and Mason later divided their grant. Mason took the southern portion, which became New Hampshire. Gorges briefly referred to his northern territory as "New Somersetshire."
- 1639 Renewal: Gorges obtained a renewed and more specific royal charter in 1639, confirming his rights and officially designating his territory as "The Province or County of Mayne" (Maine).
Under Massachusetts Rule: Yorkshire (Late 17th Century)
Despite Gorges's charter, political turmoil in England and competing claims led to instability. Following the collapse of the short-lived Dominion of New England in the late 17th century, present-day Maine's territory was formally incorporated into the expanded Province of Massachusetts Bay. During this period, it was often administered and referred to as "Yorkshire" or the County of York within Massachusetts. Maine remained politically tied to Massachusetts for over a century.
The District of Maine (1780-1820): The Path to Statehood
As the population grew and a distinct regional identity developed, sentiment for separation from Massachusetts increased. From 1780 until it finally achieved statehood, the region was officially designated the "District of Maine" within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This designation acknowledged its distinct geographic identity while maintaining its political connection to Massachusetts. Several attempts were made during this period to separate and form a new state.
Statehood Achieved (1820)
The long-held desire for independence culminated in 1820. As part of the Missouri Compromise (which admitted Missouri as a slave state), Maine was admitted to the Union as a free state, the 23rd state, on March 15, 1820, officially separating from Massachusetts.
Before becoming the State of Maine in 1820, the region existed under various names and jurisdictions. It was first charted as the Province of Maine in the 1620s/1630s (with brief mentions of New Somersetshire), later administered as Yorkshire while part of Massachusetts Bay, and finally known as the District of Maine within Massachusetts from 1780 until statehood. This complex history reflects the shifting political landscape of colonial New England and Maine's long journey to becoming the independent state it is today.
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Sources:
- Maine Historical Society
- Maine State Archives
- Colonial Records of Maine and Massachusetts Bay Colony
- Massachusetts Historical Society
- Histories of Colonial New England
- U.S. National Archives (Missouri Compromise, Maine Statehood Documents)
- Biographies of Sir Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason
