PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 10, 2020
Oct. 10, 1980: President Jimmy Carter signs the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act, ending 1976 lawsuits by the Maliseet, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes, in which they claimed about 12.5 million acres of Maine, or two-thirds of the state’s territory. Oct. 10, 2019: The 164-acre Howard Hill Historical Park, which includes two scenic overlooks providing views of the State House complex, is dedicated in Augusta. The Kennebec Land Trust, using a mix of private and public money bought the land and transferred the title to the city. The trust retains a conservation easement to the park. Gov. Paul LePage criticized the project repeatedly, as well as Maine land conservation programs generally, and he delayed the sale of bonds to finance the Land for Maine’s Future program.