About ACA of Maine
The Armenian Cultural Association of Maine (ACAME) was founded in 2003 by a group of Mainers who wished to preserve the history and culture of a unique branch of the Armenian diaspora.
Maine’s Armenian community is one of the oldest in America. The first immigrants arrived here in the late 19th century to escape growing persecution in Turkey. Hundreds more would arrive by the time of the Armenian Genocide in 1915. Successive waves of new immigrants and their descendants now make Maine their home.
ACAME’s first accomplishment was erecting a monument to the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide and Maine’s first Armenian immigrants. The granite monument and accompanying benches are located at the corner of Cumberland Avenue and Franklin Arterial in Portland, on the edge of the neighborhood now known as Bayside. It was once the home of Maine’s original Armenian settlement, and it remains the most culturally diverse neighborhood in the state.
For more on the history of Armenians in Maine, see our History page.
Join Us
Membership in the Armenian Cultural Association of Maine is open to all.
ACAME would not exist without the tireless efforts of our community.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact:
Raffi Der Simonian at (207) 756–0916
or acame@armeniansofmaine.com