Paleontology in Maine

[1] Maine came into existence during the Ordovician as other ancient land masses accreted onto North America.

There is a gap in the local rock record spanning the remainder of the Paleozoic, the Mesozoic, and the Tertiary period of the Cenozoic era.

[2] Ordovician graptolites left fossils behind at a location 100 miles north of Lake Memphremagog but the quality of these remains is usually so low that specimens worthy of collection are uncommon according to author Marian Murray.

[3] Remains left behind by Silurian marine life were preserved in the areas of Maine that border what is now New Brunswick, Canada.

As the state returned to its original elevation relative to sea level it dried out and became terrestrial once again.