Is Maine’s Baxter State Park, Not Actually a State Park?
Maine has many beautiful spots, State Park or not.
Having grown up my whole life in Maine, it's never been a mystery to me, how absolutely gorgeous this place is. Even with all the traveling I've done, I've never been anywhere that made me want to pack up all my crap and move there. I've seen some amazing places, but I can never wait to get back to Maine.
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But I saw a post online today, where one person made an off-handed comment about Baxter State Park that almost knocked me out of my chair. This one person in the comments, made reference to Baxter not actually being a State Park. I wondered how this could even be possible, so I went digging around.
So what's the deal?
So when Maine Governor Percival Baxter made his initial land purchase, his intention was that this land be "forever wild". Because of this, and all the land that's been purchased, or donated ever since, is actually overseen by a 3-person committee of sorts, made up of the Commissioner of Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Director of the Maine State Forest Service and the Attorney General.
Baxter also created a trust to be used to maintain the Park, without having to use taxpayer funds to do it. This all means that Baxter State Park, operates outside of Maine's "normal" State Park channels. In other words, he wanted this land to stay wild and free, and not be a burden to Maine's taxpayers.
So is it a State Park or not?
Well, yes. It's literally in the name. It's listed on every map, it's everywhere online... It's Baxter State Park. But because of it's different use and maintenance, and it's much different financial structure, it's also not like any of our other State Parks. So are we splitting hairs? Kind of.
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But the fact of the matter is, like almost too many things in Maine, there's this grey area. Many of our laws have this same conundrum. There are plenty of things here that are somehow legal and illegal at the same time. But hey... that's for all the legal eagles to figure out. I'm just looking for some spiffy views, and some lively time in nature.
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