On May 31, 1820, the newly formed government of Maine officially opened its very first legislative session as lawmakers paraded proudly through the streets of Portland. Flanked by a military escort of riflemen, the procession moved to the grand, uplifting strains of Beethoven performed by local musicians. The inclusion of the German master’s work, a novelty for early American civic ceremonies, transformed a routine political transition into a shared artistic celebration. As the lawmakers stepped forward on this momentous spring day to take their oaths to the new state constitution, the music provided a powerful emotional anthem for a community finally standing proud and independent.
Image of Maine’s first Governor, William King via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
