Straight-lined international and interior borders

[Chronos]

@TokyoBayer

That’s a myth. The divide was following the Bitterroot Range and was established by act of Congress.

That’s why I said “supposedly”. But I don’t think that even Congress has the power to establish where the Continental Divide is

[Ancient_Nerd]

@Chronos

That’s why I said “supposedly”. But I don’t think that even Congress has the power to establish where the Continental Divide is

Reality does not always stop politicians when it tries to get in the way.

[KCB615]

@dtilque

Just occured to me: The border between Massachusetts and New Hampshire is in part set as a displacement from a river. In this case it was 3 miles and I can’t remember the name of the river off-hand. But like the Senegal-Gambia case, there is probably some circular sections where the river makes a turn.

The Merrimack River. There are definitely curves to the border, too.

The border becomes a straight(ish) line heading west(ish) from the point three miles south of the southern most point of the Merrimack. The odd squiggle between New Hampshire and Massachusetts is the 3-mile offset.

The same thing happens with the Charles River on the south border of Massachusetts (Rhode Island and Connecticut), only there isn’t a squiggly part. The border is a line of latitude offset from what was understood to be the southern most point of the Charles River. The Charles is more famous for being the river that empties into Boston Harbor, but it starts well inland and meanders as a narrow stream through eastern Massachusetts.

[TokyoBayer]

The comment makes no sense because the boundary was the Bitterroot Range and not the Continental Divide.

[Chronos]

It is true that the divide was, at least partially, following the Bitteroot Range. It’s true that the border also follows the range. But it’s not true that the Divide was established by act of Congress.

[TokyoBayer]

@Ancient_Nerd

Reality does not always stop politicians when it tries to get in the way.

They didn’t attempt to. This was a myth repeated here by someone who failed to do a simple fact check.

[TokyoBayer]

@Chronos

But it’s not true that the Divide was established by act of Congress.

And no one said they did.

[Chronos]

@TokyoBayer

And no one said they did.

I mean, yeah, I get that that’s not what you meant, but what you said was

@TokyoBayer

The divide was following the Bitterroot Range and was established by act of Congress.

[Toxgoddess]

[quote=“Crafter_Man, post:83, topic:1012484”]

[Some states came very close to war over border disputes]( Toledo War - Wikipedia ).

Michigan got the last laughs, with getting the UP and all

[/quote]

As a native Detroiter, I have on more than one occasion amused myself by asking non-Michiganders * if they have heard of the Toledo War. And if they look confused, I add “Wisconsin lost.” **

Ohioans know what I am talking about. Nobody else usually does.

* It was “Michiganders” when I was a kid so it is always Michiganders, dammit.

** Ohio got the Toledo strip, and Michigan annexed the UP from Wisconsin. WI was just a hapless bystander.

Foe this reason, if you look closely, the southern MI border is not straight. It makes a dogleg north around the aforementioned Toledo strip.

[dtilque]

@Toxgoddess

As a native Detroiter, I have on more than one occasion amused myself by asking non-Michiganders * if they have heard of the Toledo War. And if they look confused, I add “Wisconsin lost.” **

If you want to be snarky about the UP, you could say Wisconsin won.

[Toxgoddess]

Ha! True. They do call us trolls, after all (we live below the bridge) so a little snark is not uncalled for.