Canusa Street

Last updated

Canusa Street
Rue canusa full length marked.png
Path of Canusa Street.
Border section marked in blue.
Length1.32 mi (2.12 km)
Location Beebe Plain, Vermont (United States)
Stanstead, Quebec (Canada)
West endQc247.svg R-247 / Rue Principale (Canada)
Beebe Plain Road (US)
East endQc247.svg R-247 / Rue Railroad
Canusa Street, known as rue Canusa in French, runs through the middle of Beebe Plain, forming the northern border for Vermont, and dividing the Vermont and Quebec sides of the village. In this photograph, the houses on the left are in the United States and those on the right are in Canada. Rue canusa.jpg
Canusa Street, known as rue Canusa in French, runs through the middle of Beebe Plain, forming the northern border for Vermont, and dividing the Vermont and Québec sides of the village. In this photograph, the houses on the left are in the United States and those on the right are in Canada.

Canusa Street (French : rue Canusa) is a road part of Quebec Route 247.

Contents

The road primarily runs east-west, connecting Rue Principale to the west and Rue Railroad to the east. A particular 0.38 mi (0.61 km) long stretch of Canusa Street runs along the 45th parallel north, which defines the Canada–United States border. On this stretch of road, the middle yellow line defines the international border and separates Beebe Plain, Vermont, in the United States, from the Beebe Plain area of Stanstead, Quebec, in Canada. This characteristic contributes to the road's name and unique living dynamics for its residents.

Origin of name

The name "Canusa" derives from the amalgamation of "Can" (abbreviation of Canada) and "USA" (initialism of the United States of America). [1]

History and description

Local legend claims that a group of rather drunken surveyors, when given the task of determining the United States–Canada border line in the region (nominally at 45.00°N), decided to place the border right through the middle of the village along what is now Canusa Street.[ citation needed ] On the current cadastral graphic matrix, however, the border line is drawn along the southern border to the street, suggesting that it is entirely located within Canada. In practice, the road itself is treated as the border, dividing Canadian residents to north from United States residents to the south.

At the west end of Canusa Street is a three-way intersection that's home to the Beebe Plain–Beebe Border Crossing. [2] Immediately facing the customs houses, located at the end of the street, is a solid granite line house. This building (built as a store in the 1820s) was for a time the world's only international post office. It had one postmaster, but two doors and two postal counters, each serving customers from a different country. Although it is located on the border, users still must go through typical border crossing procedures when coming from the Canadian side. [3]

Significance

The yellow line running down the middle of the road in the section along the 45th parallel is treated as the international border, separating United States on the south from Canada on the north. This unique geographic location means that houses and residents on the south side of the road are in the United States, while those on the north side are in Canada. [4] [5] Citizens of Stanstead take pride in its unique location, and participate in an annual gathering, celebrating the "friendliest border in the world". The celebrations include processions of vehicles and parades that run through the town of Stanstead. [6]

Around 1 mi (1.6 km) east of the eastern end of the road lies the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. This building, deliberately built on the Canada-USA border, has addresses in both countries: 93 Caswell Avenue, Derby Line, Vermont, and 1 rue Church (Church Street), Stanstead, Quebec. The main entrance is on the US side of the border, and is also the only side where visitors can enter and exit. Visitors coming from the Canadian side must go through an emergency exit, stick only to the "Canada side" of the library, and exit the same way. [7] Although the structure is not located on Canusa Street, it is often associated with it, given its similar nature. The library, like the road, serves a significant cultural purpose, and is recognized by both Canada and United States as a historical site. [8]

Border control

Throughout the 21st century, the Canada –United States Border has seen increasingly strict levels of control, with events such as the September 11 attacks, immigration policies under Donald Trump, and the COVID-19 Pandemic greatly influencing border policies. In addition, immigration policies that put focus on the strengthening of the United States' southern border invertedly draws criminal activity to United States' northern border with Canada, which makes historically less-patrolled areas such as Canusa Street and the Haskell Free Library and Opera House incentivizing locations for illegal activity, including illegal crossings and smugglings. [9] In the wake of these events and the overall strengthening of borders, crossing the border has become increasingly difficult with frequent patrol. A once-simple action of crossing between sides of the road on foot is no longer allowed and strictly enforced, and it is necessary to report any crossing of the border to the customs office. [4] The Derby Line Border Crossing, located east of Canusa Street, saw a significant decrease in pedestrian traffic throughout the 21st century, with 273 pedestrian crossings into the United States in 2010 compared to 16,474 in 2000 — a 98.3% decrease in 10 years. Pedestrian traffic continued to decrease throughout the next decade, reaching a low of only two entries into the United States in 2021 due to Canadian COVID-19 border restrictions. [10] Strict border crossing policies and complicated procedures complicate the lives of residents around the area, especially the 14 houses that are situated directly on the border section of Canusa Street. Multiple barriers and high levels of border control are continuously present along the road. Movement of residents is greatly restricted, as it is illegal to cross the road at free will and will result in an arrest. [9]

Canusa Street is set to feature in the upcoming American TV series of the same name. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby Line, Vermont</span> Village in Orleans County, Vermont, United States

Derby Line is an incorporated village in the town of Derby in Orleans County, Vermont, United States, slightly north of the 45th parallel, the nominal U.S.-Canada boundary. The population was 687 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanstead, Quebec</span> Border town in southern Quebec

Stanstead is a town in the Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality in the Estrie region of Quebec, located on the Canada–United States border across from Derby Line, Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haskell Free Library and Opera House</span> Historic site in Quebec and Vermont

The Haskell Free Library and Opera House is a Victorian building that straddles the Canada–United States border, in Rock Island, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont, respectively. The Opera House opened on June 7, 1904, having deliberately been built on the international border. It was declared a heritage building by both countries in the 1970s and 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada–United States border</span> International border in North America

The Canada–United States border is the longest international border in the world. The boundary is 8,891 km (5,525 mi) long. The land border has two sections: Canada's border with the contiguous United States to its south, and with the U.S. state of Alaska to its west. The bi-national International Boundary Commission deals with matters relating to marking and maintaining the boundary, and the International Joint Commission deals with issues concerning boundary waters. The agencies responsible for facilitating legal passage through the international boundary are the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beebe Plain, Vermont</span> US portion of the internationally-divided, unincorporated village of Beebe Plain

Beebe Plain is an unincorporated community in the town of Derby in Orleans County, Vermont, United States, which extends into the municipality of Stanstead, Quebec, Canada. The village is divided by the Canada–United States border between Canada and the United States; the Canadian portion of Beebe Plain had the status of an incorporated municipality in its own right until 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estcourt Station, Maine</span> Border settlement in northern Maine, USA

Estcourt Station is a village within the Big Twenty Township in the state of Maine. It is the northernmost point in the United States east of the Great Lakes. The ZIP Code for Estcourt Station is 04741. Although part of Maine, the village uses Quebec, Canada area code 418.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quebec Route 247</span> Highway in Quebec

Route 247 is a north/south highway on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the Estrie region of Quebec. Its northern terminus is in Magog at the junction of Route 112 and its southern terminus is in Stanstead, at the junction of Autoroute 55 less than 1 kilometre north of the Canada–United States border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermont Route 114</span> State highway in northeastern Vermont, US

Vermont Route 114 (VT 114) is a 53.094-mile-long (85.447 km) north–south state highway in northeastern Vermont in the United States. It runs northward from U.S. Route 5 (US 5) in Lyndon until nearing the Canada–United States border in the town of Norton; thereafter, the road continues east to the New Hampshire state line in Canaan. The vast majority of VT 114 is situated within Essex County; however, the route also passes through small, isolated portions of Caledonia and Orleans Counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beebe Plain</span> Divided unincorporated village on Canada-USA border

Beebe Plain is an unincorporated geographically-contiguous settlement, split politically between Canada and the United States. An unincorporated village partially in Stanstead and partially in Derby Line, it is divided by the Quebec-Vermont border. This settlement was begun by David and Calvin Beebe in 1798.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomifobia River</span> River in Quebec, Canada

The Tomifobia River is a flowing body of fresh water in Memphremagog Regional County Municipality, in the Eastern Townships, in the province of Quebec, in Canada. The river forms a part of an international border between Canada and the United States near the village of Beebe Plain, Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alburgh–Noyan Border Crossing</span> Canada–United States border crossing

The Alburgh–Noyan Border Crossing connects the villages of Noyan, Quebec with Alburgh, Vermont on the Canada–US border. It is reached by Vermont Route 225 on the American side and by Quebec Route 225 on the Canadian side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richford–Abercorn Border Crossing</span> Canada–United States border crossing

The Richford–Abercorn Border Crossing connects the town of Abercorn, Quebec with the town of Richford, Vermont on the Canada–US border. It is located at the meeting point of Quebec Route 139 and Vermont Route 139, roughly midway between the two village centers. A United States border station has existed here since at least 1926; the present 1935 station was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Both stations are open 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beebe Plain–Beebe Border Crossing</span> Canada–United States border crossing

The Beebe Plain–Beebe Border Crossing is a border crossing station on the Canada–United States border. It connects Rue Principale in Beebe Plain, Quebec with Beebe Road in Beebe Plain, a village in Derby, Vermont. Both the US and Canadian station buildings are historical properties listed by their respective governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby Line–Stanstead Border Crossing</span> Border crossing between Canada and the United States

The Derby Line–Stanstead Border Crossing is a border crossing station on the Canada–United States border, connecting the towns of Stanstead, Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont. It connects Main Street in Derby Line with Quebec Route 143 in Stanstead. It is one of two local crossings between the two towns, which historically had many more. This was a major crossing point until the construction of Interstate 91 (I-91) and the Derby Line–Rock Island Border Crossing in 1965. The historic 1930s United States station facilities were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Both stations are open 24 hours per day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby Line–Rock Island Border Crossing</span> Canada–United States border crossing

The Derby Line–Rock Island Border Crossing is a road crossing that connects the town of Stanstead, Quebec, with Derby Line, Vermont, on the Canada–United States border. It is where Interstate 91 intersects with Quebec Autoroute 55. While there historically have been many roads that have connected these two communities along the border, this particular crossing was established in 1965 with the completion of this section Interstate 91. Since 2009, barricades have been erected on Church Street, Lee Street and Ball Street to prevent people from crossing the border at locations where border inspection services are not present, forcing locals to cross at this crossing, or at the Derby Line–Stanstead Border Crossing to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norton–Stanhope Border Crossing</span> Crossing on the border of Canada and the United States

The Norton–Stanhope Border Crossing connects the towns of Stanhope, Quebec and Norton, Vermont on the Canada–US border. The crossing, at the meeting point of Quebec Route 147 and Vermont Route 147, is the only crossing between the two communities. The US border station, built in 1933, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Both stations are open 24 hours a day.

The Massawippi Valley Railway was a short line railway established in 1870 between Lennoxville, Quebec, and the Vermont border. Part of the Quebec Central Railway from 1926, the line was abandoned in 1990 and removed in 1992. Most of the former railway's right of way is now used for bicycle trails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beecher Falls–East Hereford Border Crossing</span> Canada–United States border crossing

The Beecher Falls–East Hereford Border Crossing connects the towns of East Hereford, Quebec, and the village of Beecher Falls, Vermont, on the Canada–United States border. It is reached by Vermont Route 253 on the American side and by Quebec Route 253 on the Canadian side. Both the Canadian and the U.S. stations are open 24 hours a day. Whilst the Canadian station is open for commercial traffic, this is only on a more limited basis. The U.S. station facilities, built in the 1930s, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Line house</span> Building deliberately built across a geopolitical boundary

A line house is a building deliberately located so that an international boundary passes through it. One such building on the boundary between the United States and Canada is the Haskell Free Library and Opera House in Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont. The border is marked on the floor in a reading room and an auditorium. A number of single-family residences and some industrial buildings straddle the boundary in those two towns.

Johns River is a tributary of the Lake Memphremagog, flowing in the municipality of Derby in northern Vermont, in United States and in the municipality of Stanstead (city), Quebec in the Memphremagog Regional County Municipality (RCM), in the administrative region of Estrie, south of Quebec, in Canada.

References

  1. ↑ Lawrence, Gary (22 May 2004). "À califourchon entre deux nations" (in French). Le Devoir. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "Chapter 2: The 45th Parallel". United Divide: A Linear Portrait of the USA/Canada Border. The Center for Land Use Interpretation. Winter 2015.
  3. ↑ "(Former) World's Only International Post Office". Forensic Genealogy. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  4. 1 2 Marsden, William (June 2016). "Quebec-Vermont towns straddling border chafe under heightened security | Toronto Star". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  5. ↑ The US-Canada border splits this road down the middle , retrieved 9 January 2023
  6. ↑ Wyels, Joyce Gregory (September 2004). "Astride a border" . Americas . 56 (5). Organization of American States.
  7. ↑ "Visiting Information". Haskell Opera. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  8. ↑ Haskell Free Library and Opera House National Historic Site of Canada . Canadian Register of Historic Places . Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  9. 1 2 "U.S.-Canada Border Community's Culture Changes As Security Tightens". WBUR. 2019-11-21.
  10. ↑ "Border Crossing Entry Data". U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  11. ↑ "Canusa Street". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved 6 April 2023.

45°0.3501′N72°8.3074′W / 45.0058350°N 72.1384567°W / 45.0058350; -72.1384567

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.