How long have people been using the term Down East to describe that area of Maine?

OH MY GOD! There is a place that DOWN EAST is used to describe spacifically.... umm, i cant think of the name, it is only reached by boat. it was the best place for fishermen to find and catch the lobsters... since that has been a fad for us main-ah's for quite a while. i would say that you need to find out that place i cant remember and research the length of time that it has been open