Bust of Governor Percival P. Baxter
Percival P. Baxter (1876-1969) is also represented on the 3rd floor, where his portrait (with his dog Garry Owen) hangs near the Senate Chamber. Baxter was president of the senate when, at the age of 44, he became Maine’s youngest governor, following the death of the sitting governor, Frederic Hale Parkhurst.
Joe Phelan photo
In addition to his public service, Percival Baxter, an early conservationist, is well-known for his donation of over 200,000 acres to the state. Those lands, managed with a large financial gift from Baxter, are now known as Baxter State Park. The park includes Mt. Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.