The Desert of Maine

[xchrom]

http://mentalfloss.com/article/52262/desert-maine



Ahhh . . . Maine! Land of lakes and lighthouses, lobster and blueberries, pine trees and sand dunes.

Wait, sand dunes?

A miniature desert blankets 40 acres of land just a stone’s throw west of Freeport, Maine. An uncanny contrast with the state’s sweeping trees, the dunes (dubbed the “Desert of Maine”) are a geological curiosity—and Mother Nature’s way of reminding us that if you don’t take care of her, she’ll come after you.

About 10,000 years ago, glaciers lurched through what is today southern Maine, grinding soil and rock into glacial silt. As the millennia flew by, topsoil accumulated and caked over the mica-heavy silt, priming the area into first-class farmland. That’s what lured William Tuttle there: In 1797, he bought 300 acres to start up his family farm. Like most Maine-ahs back then, he was clueless about what lurked beneath.



Read the full text here: http://mentalfloss.com/article/52262/desert-maine#ixzz2cPotd2uj
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[MADem]

1. That'll be a gorgeous beach one day if the water keeps a rising.... nt

[jakeXT]

2. Looks like the trees are reclaiming it

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[Javaman]

3. Oregon has a similar thing...

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. I went there as a boy

It’s not a very big desert, but it's slowly growing:
http://www.desertofmaine.com/