Dear Editor:

Retaining our sense of place and identity has immense value. This is a major reason people come here; they want a community that looks, feels, smells and acts like Maine. Nobody wants to visit a place that could be any given area in the United States.

The sense of identity is of symbolic importance and allows all visitors, and all of us, a sense of security. Losing identity is like losing a loved one. A place can grow without destroying the things that people come here for, to begin with.

The heart and soul of a community is in its neighborhoods and history. The  unique character of a place it what saves it, and sustainability comes with that. Let’s keep our sense of place and continue to provide visitors the “Maine” they come here to see.

Les Crowell

Boothbay Harbor