Maine

Women’s History Month puts spotlight on Maine people and places

Published

1 year ago

March 3, 2025

Women’s History Month puts spotlight on Maine people and places

Actor Danny Kaye, left, with U.S. Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine and actor Jimmy Stewart during the 1955 Overseas Press Club dinner. Photo courtesy of the Margaret Chase Smith Library

It’s not hard to localize Women’s History Month in Maine. You can start by learning about some of the amazing women from Maine who’ve left their mark on politics, literature and various other fields.

There’s Margaret Chase Smith of Skowhegan, the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the the classic anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” while living in Brunswick. Frances Perkins retreated to her home in Newcastle when she wasn’t helping reshape American labor laws as Secretary of Labor under Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

There are also local self-guided tours and guided tours of sites important in the history of women in the U.S., as well as reading lists at Maine libraries and other events. Women’s History Month is celebrated annually in March.

TRAILBLAZERS

The Portland Women’s History Trail is divided into seven self-guided walks around the city, and introduces people to women from two centuries of history. The trail’s website features maps, routes and descriptions of each site. The Congress Street Walk, for example, highlights women at work and in the arts. One of the sites is the Curtis & Sons Chewing Gum factory on Fore Street (now Hub Furniture) where young women toiled in the late 1800s. Another is the Exchange Street building where Gail Laughlin (1868-1952), a prominent lawyer and suffragist, had her office in the early 1900s. The Congress Street walk also includes the “Little Water Girl” statue inside the Portland Public Library, which honors Lillian Ames Stevens (1844-1914), the second president of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.

Several sites on the Munjoy Hill walk focus on the homes of individual women, including Hattie Branch (1898-1995), a Black woman who worked at Union Station and as a housekeeper, and Edith Beaulieu, who raised her family on the hill while serving in the state Legislature in the 1970s and ’80s. There are also walks covering Gorham’s Corner, State Street, Stevens Avenue, Stroudwater and the West End. The walks range in number of sites from less than a dozen to about two dozen.

First Parish Church in Portland is one of the sites on the Congress Street walk of the Portland Women’s History Trail. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald

Embark Maine Tours in Bath runs a guided tour of women’s history in the City of Ships. The one-mile walking tour focus on the lives of women in Bath, from varying backgrounds, who stepped into public life between 1850 and 1920. One story shared on the tour is about Annie Hayden writing to her sweetheart Thomas W. Hyde (later founder of Bath Iron Works) in September of 1862, asking about his injury at the battle of Antietam during the Civil War. People on the tour also learn about Mary Heuston, an enslaved woman from South Carolina, brought to Maine in 1850 during a family vacation to care for children. With the help of the local African American community, Heuston self-emancipated and lived in Maine until her death in 1913. Tours are 90 minutes, cost $25 per person, and are scheduled this month for March 22 and 29.

A women’s history tour group in Bath, in front of a home shared by Annie Hayden Hyde and Thomas Hyde. Photo courtesy of Embark Maine Tours

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Republican Margaret Chase Smith of Skowhegan was the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress, as a member of the House of Representatives from 1940 to 1949 and the Senate from 1949 to 1973. She gained national attention in 1950 for denouncing the methods used by Republican Sen. Joseph McCarthy in his anti-communist crusade, in what came to be known as her “Declaration of Conscience” speech. At the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, people can schedule appointments to tour the archive, museum and public policy center. There are documents, awards, photos and other memorabilia from her political career. At some point in the spring, the library will likely resume normal operating hours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A painted portrait of Margaret Chase Smith hangs within the former U.S. senator’s homestead in Skowhegan, where, in an attached library, there is a section devoted to her unsuccessful presidential run in 1964. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald

Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in a U.S. president’s Cabinet, as Secretary of Labor under Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1945, and is recognized as the driving force behind such transformational New Deal measures as Social Security, the 40-hour work week, child labor laws and the minimum wage. When not in Washington, D.C., she lived at her family’s longtime home on River Road in Newcastle, which was declared Maine’s second national monument last year. Right now, people can walk the trails and grounds of the Frances Perkins National Monument, and see the house from the outside. This summer, the staff plans to open the self-guided exhibit about Perkins in the property’s historic barn, with a gift shop.

The Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, the site of Perkins’ longtime home. Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald

THE WRITE STUFF

The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Brunswick is where the influential anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (1852) was written. It’s also where Stowe sheltered John Andrew Jackson, a formerly enslaved man seeking his freedom. People can see the room where Stowe wrote in the house, which is now owned by Bowdoin College and also houses faculty offices. The house is open most Thursdays and Fridays from noon-3 p.m., as well as by appointment. The house also hosts talks about Stowe’s life, and staff may do historical walks around Brunswick once the weather is warmer.

The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Brunswick. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

The Portland Public Library has created a reading list for Women’s History Month, with a focus on contributions women have made to the nation. A few of the titles include: “Sharp: The Women Who Made an Art of Having an Opinion” by Michelle Dean; “The Woman’s Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote” by Elaine F. Weiss; “Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History” by Blair Imani; “A Girl Stands at the Door: The Generation of Young Women who Desegregated America’s Schools” by Rachel Devlin; and “The Women of Hip-hop” by Sheila Griffin Llanas. The list has a total of 29 titles and can be found on the library’s website.

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Maine

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Published

3 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Are you up for a Maine food challenge, or are your eyes bigger than your stomach?

A Waterville staple, Buen Apetito has a monster burrito just waiting for someone to eat it down to the very last bite.

This thing is a beast, literally called La Bestia, and it’s definitely a mighty task for a fearless foodie.

Take on the Buen Apetito La Bestia Food Challenge in Waterville, Maine

According to Buen Apetito, if you can finish a super-sized burrito in 30 minutes or less, you’ll get the $60 meal for free, a La Bestia champion shirt, and a picture on the wall of fame. That’s not to mention the bragging rights of dominating a task few will be able to conquer.

Wondering what’s in the burrito?

The Mexican restaurant shared in a Facebook comment on a post that the burrito is filled with “grilled chicken, chorizo, and tender shredded beef or pork. Built on a layer of seasoned rice, refried beans, and French fries, it’s melted together with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and a drizzle of creamy cheese sauce, sautéed peppers and onions, green salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, creamy guacamole, and a bed of shredded lettuce all wrapped in three extra-large tortillas fused into one epic wrap.”

Let’s just say that this thing is packed full.

The first La Bestia contender took up his fork and knife in December 2025, but despite coming close, he couldn’t come out with the win.

As of March 2026, the challenge has remained undefeated. But you never know, someone is bound to come out victorious.

Just note that you can only try your hand at this food challenge on Wednesday and Thursday.

Buen Apetito Has Been a Longstanding Waterville, Maine, Restaurant

First opened in 1999, Buen Apeitito has been around for nearly 30 years.

Centralmaine.com reported that the Mexican restaurant was originally located at the Railroad Square complex off Chaplin Street before moving to 99 West River Road in 2023.

A little over a year later, in 2024, Buen Apetito shared on Facebook that it was passing on the torch to new owners, including Dalia, “the heart and soul of [the] kitchen for twenty years,” her daughter, Norma, and Norma’s husband, Shawn.

READ MORE: Famous Maine Restaurant Buen Apetito Adds Powerhouse New Owner to Crew

And it seems like not only are things still going strong, but new additions like La Bestia food challenge are only enhancing the spirit of big flavor and delicious Mexican food at the Waterville staple.

So, you think you’re up for the task of taking down a beast of a burrito at Buen Apetito? Good luck.

You Know You’re From Maine If You’ve Tried All 19 of These Foods

Here’s a number of foods associated with Maine. How many of them have you had?

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

The New York Time’s Best Restaurant Lists Feature These 7 Maine Spots

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

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Maine

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

Published

15 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.

Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.

“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.

For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.

Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”

If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.

You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.

You can also call 941-2800.

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Maine

Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.

Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”

“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.

Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.

However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.

Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.

READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate

Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.

Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.

“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.

Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.

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