The Desert of Maine, located in Freeport, is an oddity worth investigating, as once fertile farmland was turned into 300 acres of sandy desert over the course of under a hundred years. In one section, 90 feet of a pine tree is buried by sand though it is still living and still towers 40 or more feet high. A spring house built in 1938 and its spring which had supplied water were completely buried under a 10 foot sand dune by 1962. The tour takes you in a tram out into the desert for the 1 hour guided tour.
When the guide, Pat, dug into the sand with a core sampler, you could see that the sand was wet just below the surface -- very un-desert-like. The area is far from arid, getting much snow in the winter and as much as 17 inches of rain in 2 months during the spring.
Years back, a question on the Jeopardy television show asked about the most northern desert. The contestant answered, Desert of Maine, and was told no. Later the producers checked, discovered he was correct, brought him back, and awarded him the money. The question was then used again years later and that contestant got it right!
In addition to a tour of the desert for only $8.75 (in 2009), you also see the 200+ year old barn filled with antique farming implements from when this was a productive farm, and also many old photos. A campground and an enclosed butterfly garden are also available...
This unusual attraction is only 2 miles of I-295, just north of Portland, Maine, so check it out if you are in this area!
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