The World's Largest Rotating Globe Is Right Here In Maine And You'll Want To Visit
By Michelle|Published September 30, 2017
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Michelle
Author
Michelle's life is a colorful map of exploration and adventure. From the iconic streets of New York to the sunny shores of Florida, the jagged coast of Maine to the rugged terrain of Montana, she's been fortunate to call some of America's most beautiful states home. Beyond the U.S., Michelle's wanderlust has taken her on a motorcycle journey through India, led her to teach English in Hanoi, and saw her studying Spanish in Guatemala. Michelle graduated with a communications degree from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and in addition to a career in advertising has worked with OnlyInYourState since 2016, where her love for travel and storytelling converges. Alongside writing and exploring, Michelle finds joy in photography, staying active, and time with her family.
For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com.
Maine isn’t Texas. We’re not exactly known for trying to do things bigger than everyone else. But there is one thing Maine does bigger than everyone in the world: the world! Meet Eartha, an enormous replica of the Earth that’s certified as the biggest rotating and revolving globe on the planet.
In Yarmouth you'll find the headquarters of the DeLorme Corporation, which was founded in 1976 by David DeLorme, who was frustrated by outdated maps of Maine and thought he could do better.
In 1997, after 20 years of worldwide success and expansion, DeLorme moved into a gleaming new headquarters. The centerpiece of the new facility? Eartha, the largest rotating globe in the world.
DeLorme has no desire to hide this colossal sphere away from the public. It's housed in a glass-walled atrium so drivers on nearby US 1 can easily see it.
Photos can only do Eartha so much justice. It measures more than 41 feet in diameter, but don't take DeLorme's word for it -- the gargantuan size has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Visitors can get up close and personal with Eartha. You'll have the opportunity to observe impressive features such as the globe's Omni-Span truss structure, which supports it with more than 6,000 pieces of aluminum tubing.
Eartha isn't just trying to wow you with its size. DeLorme is highly respected for its meticulousness and accuracy, and their standards were just as high when they built Eartha. The globe was constructed to a perfect 1:1,000,000 scale, where one inch represents 16 miles. It rotates and revolves to simulate one full day every 18 minutes.