It is the easternmost municipality in the contiguous U.S. (see extreme points of the United States) and is the country's closest continental location to Africa.

Originally part of Eastport, it was set off and incorporated on June 21, 1811, and named for Lübeck, Germany.

[4] Following the War of 1812, Lubec was the site of considerable smuggling trade in gypsum, although principal industries remained agriculture and fisheries.

[5] From 1897 to 1898, the town was the site of a swindle in the sale of stock in the Electrolytic Marine Salts Company, the brainchild of Reverend Prescott Jernegan and Charles Fisher of Martha's Vineyard.

[6] Jernegan claimed to have developed a method of using "accumulators" to get gold from sea water, and bought an old grist mill to turn it into a factory.

The scheme attracted an abundance of investors, who were all too eager to funnel money into the company after being promised astronomical returns.

[9] West Quoddy Head in Lubec is the easternmost point in the contiguous United States, located at 44°48′54″N 66°57′1″W / 44.81500°N 66.95028°W / 44.81500; -66.95028 longitude.

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge connects the town to Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada.

[10] The race begins at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, which is the easternmost point in the United States.

Runners cross the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge connecting Maine to New Brunswick and run until they reach Head Harbour Lighthouse (East Quoddy Lighthouse), at which time the runners turn around and return to Lubec.

Generally speaking, it is relatively cold for its coastline position at 44 degrees latitude, but milder in winter than nearby Machias due to moderate warming by the adjacent waters of the Atlantic.