Their presumable forebear were,  with the first settlers to Maine-Port arrived english cats, and  russian or skadinavian longhair-cats.
The first maine coon was the black-white Captain Jenks of the Horse Marines, mantioned on the expositions of the year 1861.
In the years 1900 the interest was decreased but against all the maine coon survived this period, because the owners discoverd his excellent  aibility for hunting.
In the 50. years the interest was renewed, and in the year 2000 the maine coon was the second most popular longhair variety of the CFA.

The body construction of the maine coon:

• The head is longer than wide, the chops is square,
• The eyes are round,  and slightly slantwise cutted,
• The ear is big, stands upwards,  ont he headtop high stitched,
• The body is big, strong and muscular,
• The coat is long and bright,
• The fur of the tail is long and  falling over..

The coat of this strong and quiet cat is the most beautiful in the winter.
For the greeting of the owner or other cats the maine coon use a very tipical joyful chirping  trill. By this voice is this type very easily to distinguish from the other varietys.
The maine coon enjoy the society of peoples, but is independent from it.

(Dr. Bruce Fogle: The handbook of cat’s owners)