1. On January 2, 1847, the first issue of the Portland Transcript, a weekly newspaper, was published in Portland, Maine. The paper covered news, literature, and politics and was known for its high-quality writing.

2. On January 2, 1920, Maine became the first state to officially adopt Prohibition, which banned the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol. The law remained in effect until 1933.

3. On January 2, 1978, a major blizzard hit Maine, dumping up to 4 feet of snow in some areas and causing widespread power outages. The storm, which also affected other parts of the Northeast, resulted in 27 deaths and millions of dollars in damage.

4. On January 2, 1995, the Maine Mariners, a professional hockey team, played their final home game before relocating to Providence, Rhode Island. The team had played in Portland since 1977 and won the American Hockey League championship in 1978, 1984, and 1988.

5. On January 2, 2017, Maine Governor Paul LePage made headlines when he left an explicit voicemail message for a state lawmaker who had criticized him. The incident was part of a ongoing feud between LePage and members of the state legislature.