Column: Ingrained in state culture, beloved atlases are a must for Mainers

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 12, 2026

Every Mainer receives two things at birth: a name, and a Delorme’s Maine Atlas. The atlas is so ingrained in Maine culture that a car feels empty without one. Sure, nowadays there are GPS devices and apps that modernize direction-finding, but there’s still a comfort in leafing through the pages of an old-fashioned atlas. Torn pages and coffee stains testify that its owner has actually gone somewhere. ~ Bob Duchesne