Interactive Mapping ?

So what, you may ask, is interactive mapping???

It's actually a nifty new service offered by Google, which we have just added to our website. To see how it works, just go to www.WaterfrontPropertiesOfMaine.com, click on one of the waterfront property categories (coastal, islands, lakes, rivers. etc.) and voila! -- there is the "Interactive Map Locator" for that category.

This feature allows us, when adding a new listing, to automatically position a marker for the property on the map of the state of Maine.

It allows you to see where properties are located in the state and, when you click on any marker, a window pops up giving you a "thumbnail" photo and brief description of the property. Then, if it looks interesting to you, you can click on this window, which will take you to the full listing with several photos of the property, a location map, a topo map, local town information, body of water information -- and in some cases -- a "virtual tour" of the property.

As I recall, it was IBM that coined the term "Information Age" in the early 1970's, and it seems that since then we have been getting more information, on more things, and more rapidly, every year...alot of it over the internet

Which, if you don't let it submerge you, is OK.

I believe this is what visitors to our website want -- as complete and accurate information about waterfront real estate as they can get before they take the time to go visit it -- which is why we keep working to improve our website.

We are pretty happy with this new mapping feature, because this is one is one of the most frequent questions we get: where, exactly, in Maine is the property located ?

Now, you can know...

LAKE & POND PROPERTIES

Interactive Locator Map
(please wait for the interactive map to load)

Cool Stuff: Go to a Country Fair

Maine boasts of 24 agricultural fairs (or harvest festivals) -- the best educational entertainment you can find for the entire family The season starts in July and ends in early October. For the entire list, go to www.MELiving.com/fairs.




One of the oldest -- and we think best -- is the Union Fair and State of Maine Wild Blueberry Festival, held this year from August 17th to August 23rd.

Union's first fair was held in October, 1869, and has b een held annually ever since, except for the war years of 1943 1nd 1944. In the early years, exhibitors and visitors arrived by foot, horses, wagons and carriages. Exhibits were for field crops, carriages, agricultural implements, fruits, dairy products, embroidery, quilts, rugs and other homemade crafts. Competitions in plowing by horses and oxen were held.

By 1915, long lines of automobiles waiting to get into the fair gave evidence that cars were here to stay.



Today, the fair still has many agricultural events like livestock exhibits and competitions for cattle, horses, sheep, swine and poultry -- plus farm machinery exhibits and household crafts, baking and 4 H competitions -- but now the fair includes a carnival midway with rides and games, and daily harness racing, entertainment and music.


In addition, some events not to be missed are:

* Rooster Crowing & Hen Cackling Contest
* Oxen Pulling Competition
* Pig Scrambles (a blast for the kids)
* Lawn Mower Races
* Kid's Wild Blueberry Pie Eating Contest
* Demolition Derby
* Bubblegum Blowing Contest
* Close Encounters of the Exotic Kind
* Fireworks Show

For more information, go to www.unionfair.org