Only One U.S. President Went to College in Maine

Of the 45 presidents to have held the title of Commander in Chief, only one attended college in Maine.

While many notable figures have attended school in Maine and gone on to achieve political success, to this point, only one has risen to become President of the United States.

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Before becoming the 14th president of the United States, Franklin Pierce was born in a log cabin in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, into a politically active family.

His father was a Revolutionary War veteran and state legislator who helped shape his early exposure to public service and the military. As a young student, Pierce struggled with homesickness and discipline but eventually found his footing at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter.

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Pierce’s education next brought him to Maine, where he enrolled at Bowdoin College in 1820 and eventually rose from last in his class to graduate fifth.

During his time in Brunswick, he immersed himself in campus life by leading a student militia and later gained early work experience teaching at Hebron Academy in Hebron, where he earned his first salary.

After graduating in 1824, Pierce began his career in law and quickly rose through the ranks of New Hampshire politics.

He served in the state legislature, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate, which eventually led to his election as the 14th president of the United States in 1852.

As his presidency went on, Pierce became increasingly unpopular, largely due to growing tensions over slavery and his support of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

He ultimately lost the Democratic nomination in 1856, and was succeeded by fellow Democrat James Buchanan, who went on to win the presidency.

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And there you have it! The only U.S. president who attended college in Maine was Franklin Pierce, who went to Bowdoin College.

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