A-LIST-October 2012
By Joe Hebert

01 Longfellow Statue
Portland
The Henry Wadsworth Longfellow statue in Portland’s West End neighborhood was unveiled on September 29, 1888. While historically significant, the statue is also a fun landmark for city residents—during the holidays, wrapped presents decorate the statue, reminding some onlookers of a certain Saturday Night Live skit featuring Justin Timberlake.

02 Paul Bunyan Statue
Bangor
As the city that claims to be the birthplace of Paul Bunyan—as well as the birthplace of the lumber industry—it’s hardly surprising that Bangor is home to what’s supposedly the largest statue of Paul Bunyan in the world. Clocking in at 31 feet and nearly 4,000 pounds, it’s unlikely that someone might be hiding a larger statue elsewhere. Brought to life in It, Stephen King’s 1986 novel, the statue contains a time capsule that will be opened on February 12, 2084.

03 L.L.Bean Boot
Freeport
Nestled right in front of the company’s flagship store in Freeport, the 16-foot-tall statue depicts the company’s famous rubber-soled hunting boot. The statue also inspired the equally well-known Bootmobile, a drivable version of the famous boot. The Bootmobile has traveled around New England since its January 2012 debut in Times Square.

04 Maine Solar System Model
Aroostook County
The 40-mile-long Maine Solar System Model includes the sun, eight planets (in case you are unaware, Pluto was recently reclassified as a dwarf planet), seven moons, and four dwarf planets. Beginning at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, the scale model follows Route 1 through Mars Hill, Bridgewater, Monticello, and Littleton before ending at the Houlton Information Center. The scale used for the model is 1:93,000,000; one mile equals the distance between the earth and the sun.

05 The Freeport Big Indian
Freeport
This Route 1 landmark resides in Freeport, making him a close neighbor of L.L.Bean’s famous boot statue. Designed by Rod Shutt, the FBI has an equally interesting story. It arrived in Freeport after traveling by flatbed truck from Shutt’s home in Pennsylvania nearly 40 years ago. At approximately 50 feet, the Freeport Big Indian is an impressive local landmark.

06 Pink Floyd the Dinosaur
Belfast
Situated in front of Bennett’s Gems and Jewelry in Belfast, Pink Floyd was built by Skowhegan High School students to replace the original dinosaur when it fell to disrepair. The new model is made of metal and painted pink—because it’s a friendly dinosaur. The sculpture gained its fame after an appearance in Tim Sample’s Maine Curiosities. For 20 years, Pink Floyd has signaled to visitors that they are closing in on Acadia National Park.