Vermont: Another border anomaly. Sort of?
There are various small locations in the United States that are physically disconnected from the rest of the country. Two of those spots require people to clear immigration and customs to enter Canada, then do it all over again to get to the small parcel, unless you want to take a boat. I’ve featured those locations previously: Point Roberts, Washington and Minnesota’s Northwest Angle.
But there’s a spot in Vermont that’s also physically disconnected from the United States. Sort of.
View Larger Map
Check out this peninsula at the northern end of Lake Champlain with all the different towns named with some variation of Alburg. Indeed, while the peninsula has a long border with Canada it is surrounded by water on the other three side and does not have a physical land connection to any other part of the United States. Technically it represents the same situation as Point Roberts and the Northwest Angle. Well, except for the three bridges that provide direct access. So, for this one, there’s absolutely no reason to travel into Canada and circle back. Yes, it’s physically disconnected, but should it hold the same esteemed position as the other two instances if you don’t have to clear customs and immigration twice to get to it? You just drive to it. You probably wouldn’t even know its significance unless someone pointed it out.
I visited this anomaly a few years ago. Actually I did cross an international border but only because I was driving down from Montréal (I would have had to cross that border regardless). It’s beautiful country up here. This photo wasn’t actually taken on the peninsula, but immediately to the east, from the state park on North Hero Island. This view looks across Lake Champlain towards the peninsula. It is literally as peaceful as it looks.
4 Responses to “Vermont: Another border anomaly. Sort of?”
Comments are closed.
[...] of the U.S. separated from the rest of the country such as Point Roberts, the Northwest Angle and Alburg, Vermont. Here I give equal time to the Canadians by outlining a couple of instances where citizens of that [...]
There is another border anomaly in Alburgh, Vermont. Province Point.
View Larger Map
Take a look at derby line vt, and Stanstead Quebec
the border runs through peoples backyards and streets
people on one side of the street live in quebec on the other side of the street live in vermont
so when vermont people back there cars up on the roads, they enter canada.
Even a library is half in the u.s and half in canada
You enter the library on the u.s side where the door is, and take out books on the canadian side
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardmcguire/3824985920/
The US 2 corridor not only allows direct access to the Alburgh Tongue, but it’s part of the main overland route between the Burlington area and Plattsburgh, NY.