The tiny town of Eastport, Maine – it's just four square miles – comprises several islands, the largest of which is Moose Island. Its primary claim to fame is that it's the easternmost city in the United States and residents claim they are the first in the United States to see the rising sun every morning. Eastport also has some of the largest tides in the world; located near Canada's Bay of Fundy, tides in the area reach a peak of almost 28 feet. Such tidal fluctuations give rise to the "Old Sow," the northern hemisphere's largest whirlpool. Invisible most of the time, the whirlpool kicks into high gear during the two hour period directly between low and high tide (or vice versa).
U.S. history buffs will appreciate Eastport's historic importance during the War of 1812, as England and the United States fought for coastal land along the North Atlantic. British troops occupied the town for four years before it was finally given back (permanently) to the United States. The small Barracks Museum, where officers were housed during the War of 1812, tells the story of these years.