Machias, Maine
    
             
   

Machias in mid-March. The Machias river roars along. Immediately downstream of the bridge on the right are some thunderous falls that locals take for granted. Native Americans called them "Bad Little Falls." Their word for this was represented in English as "Machias." The population of Machias is about 3000. It is the county seat for Washington County.

     
             
    About 2 miles downstream from the falls the river is obviously tidal. Most of the tides are large. (The Bay of Fundy is just north of the US-Canada border.) In many places the mud flats at low tide are up to 50 yards wide, which makes for great clamming. This photo was taken from the Machias Motor Inn .      
             
    Low tides mean high piers ...      
             
    and boats in odd places.      
             
    There are places with the classic rocky Maine coast. Shown here is the eastern-most point of the US at Quoddy Head State Park. Washington County is called the Sunrise County because it gets the first sunlight in the country.      
             
    Quoddy Head Park      
             
    West Quoddy Head Light      
             
    Quoddy Head Park has a 5-mile hiking trail along a coastline that brings to mind pirate coves.      
             
    Quoddy Head Park      
             
   

Cobscook State Park and much of the land looks like a slightly flattened Pennsylvania. As in Pennsylvania, deer and wild turkey are common.

      
             
    At the northern tip of the coast are two quaint New England seatowns, Lubec and Eastport. The area of Maine along the coast from Acadia National Park (near Ellsworth) up to the Canadian border is referred to as "Downeast." This term originated from sailors who observed that winds were usually from the south and east.      
             
    Wild blueberry plants in winter. Washington County grows 85% of the world's low-bush blueberries.      
             
    Blueberries and ice at a tidal inlet.      
             
    A frozen lake. There are many large lakes around with good fishing in the summer.      
             
   

Machias in the Fall. In the foreground is the University of Maine Machias campus. There are seven campuses in the University of Maine System. Notable private universities include Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby.