6 minute read
Maine Perspectives
Above: Charlie Hewitt, Hopeful, 2019. Photograph by K. Ebner Creative.
As longtime members know, Historic New England began in 1910 as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities—ours is the oldest and largest regional historic preservation organization in the United States. Over the past century, we’ve expanded our work beyond our beloved house museums and brick-and-mortar preservation concerns. We hold the largest collection of New England artifacts in the world, and our archival collections are a vital resource for understanding life in New England from the seventeenth century to the present day. In Haverhill, Massachusetts, we're exploring new directions in community-based, sustainable development in legacy cities. Climate action and carbon neutrality are now central to our mission.
In short, preservation is evolving, and so are we. In 2022, in recognition of preservation’s new era, we held the inaugural Historic New England Summit to bring together diverse voices from preservation and related fields. This annual event is now a highlight on our calendar, offering two days of engaging conversations about how modern challenges and opportunities are shaping our work in historic preservation, architecture, urban planning, conservation, arts and culture, museum studies, collections management, public history, and education.
This year’s Summit features keynote speakers from around the country, panel discussions, provocations, and opportunities to connect with others with similar interests. We invite you to join us on November 14 and 15 at the historic Westin Portland Harborview hotel in Portland, Maine, or tune in via Livestream from the comfort of your home or office. And read on to learn from three Maine-based Historic New England staff members why the Pine Tree State is an ideal location to hold conversations about creating livable places.
Victoria Stanton, Institutional Giving Officer, Lewiston, Maine
If you want to save the world, you might consider starting in Maine.
Maine’s small cities like Portland and, farther north on the I-95 corridor, Lewiston and Bangor, are auspicious places to test a variety of social and economic initiatives, models that can eventually be scaled for large populations.
These communities have all the challenges and opportunities of larger cities, with a deeply interconnected and robust network of service providers, nonprofits, and advocacy groups on the ground.
Already many funders are turning their attention to Maine’s coastal communities as bellwethers of climate change. Our cities continue to rally and respond to the arrival of immigrants and refugees from various African and Middle Eastern countries, which impacts the demographic and cultural landscape. Like many places in New England, a lack of affordable housing has intensified homelessness and strained the constellation of support services. The rise of fentanyl is destroying the lives of many urban and rural Mainers alike.
At the same time, Maine is forward-looking and engaged. We have been quietly on the leading edge of emerging policy issues, from climate and conservation to marriage equality and ranked-choice voting. Our leaders in Augusta and Washington, D.C., are accessible and present in the community. (Don’t be surprised when you bump into your local legislator at the neighborhood barbecue.) Maine-based foundations are elevating entire communities through philanthropic investment.
It is fitting that Maine’s state motto, Dirigo, translates from the Latin to “I lead.” For the philanthropic sector, Maine is a place to do just that.
Joie Grandbois, Sustainability Coordinator, Biddeford, Maine
The phrase “As Maine goes, so goes the nation” once referred to Maine’s state elections predicting the outcome of presidential contests, but today it is more applicable to sustainability and climate action planning. Maine has faced several climate-related challenges in the past few years with increased storm and flooding damage. One of Maine's most well-known industries, fishing, also faces difficulties due to the warming of the Gulf of Maine and its impact on the lobster fishery.
Maine didn’t adopt its climate action plan, Maine Won’t Wait, until 2019, but the state has already made great progress in achieving its climate goals. The latest progress report shows a 25 percent reduction in emissions and Maine met its goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps two years ahead of schedule. The state still has a way to go to meet some of its more ambitious 2030 goals, such as conserving 30 percent of Maine land and adding an additional 219,000 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (the 2024 update showed an increase of just over 12,000).
At the local level, 174 communities across the state participate in the Community Resilience Partnership program and have embarked on their own climate resilience planning. The City of Portland and neighboring South Portland, for example, jointly developed their One Climate Future plan to reduce their communities’ contributions to climate change and strengthen their ability to respond to climate hazards. With such progressive planning in place, Maine is well on its way to a more sustainable future.
Kelly Wasson, Director of Human Resources, Gardiner, Maine
One of the things I appreciate most as both an HR professional and lifelong Mainer is seeing firsthand the quality of life gained from living in a place that combines the ability to pursue your professional goals while nurturing your community and savoring all that the culture around you has to offer. It’s a balance that is tough to match, and one that comes at an increasing cost.
Maine has a shortage of workers, a challenge that can’t be remedied without affordable housing options. While Portland and surrounding communities have long led the charge in recognizing the critical role diversity plays in our economic and social futures, limited workforce housing options bring an added threat to Maine’s vulnerable heritage industries. As various initiatives work to address these issues, more Mainers are looking beyond their geographic confines toward remote work opportunities, offering better pay and more upward mobility to workers living in rural communities. The changing landscape of how we work has brought relocated Mainers home and equipped us with a better ability to welcome new Mainers through access to an expanding array of remote and hybrid employment opportunities.
Through technology and ingenuity, the move to Maine is within better reach. And as a “kid from Maine”—a New England state not traditionally known for having a competitive edge in the talent marketplace— that is something transformative.
