49th Parallel facts
While investigating facts about 49th Parallel, I found out little known, but curios details like:
When the 49th parallel was drawn, it cut off a tiny lobe of Washington State, which was left hanging out into the Pacific by itself. Officials noticed that it would make more sense to make it Canada but somehow that never happened. Now it is considered one of the safest and most secure places
The US-Canadian border is a deforested boundary line known as "The Slash". Constructed before GPS, the border actually zig-zags from the actual 49th parallel by as much as 295 ft on either side.
In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 9 of the best facts about 49th Parallel I managed to collect.
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The 49th parallel, Western Canada - US border, was referred as the "Medicine Line" by aboriginals because of its seemingly magical ability to prevent US soldiers and pioneers from crossing it.
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About Point Roberts, a US enclave connected to Canada but not US land, which was created when the UK and US drew a line along the 49th parallel without knowledge of its impact. Thanks to a full contingent of border security for it's ~1,300 residents, it's the "safest gated community in the US".
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Non-primary students of the border isolated city of Point Roberts, Washington, must travel 40 minutes daily through B. Colombia to get into Washington so they may attend school in their own state, thanks to the 49th Parallel which left the city unnoticed during border negotiations.
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About the Northwest Angle, the only part of the continuous United States north of the 49th parallel.
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Point Roberts, Washington (USA) is only accessible by land via Canada due to oversight on how far the 49th parallel went westward.
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Because the boarder between the U.S and Canada was supposed to be set on the 49th parallel, there is a section of U.S. land cut off from the mainland. This section of land called Point Roberts has no secondary school so students have to cross the boarder 4 times a day to go to school.
