# time zone boundaries in towns **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2002, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952 "2002-05-02T22:26:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2002, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/1 "2002-05-02T22:26:48Z")
Are there any towns, cities, villages, etc. where the time zone boundary goes through the town, so that, for example, the west side of town is one hour off from the east side? Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/2 "2002-05-03T02:16:12Z")
Well, in Canada there’s Lloydminster, which is smack dab on the boundary between Alberta and Saskatchewan. Although it’s one community, technically it’s two municipalities: the town of Lloydminster, Alberta and the city of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. Since Saskatchewan is on a different time zone from Alberta half the year, there was the potential for the situation you mention to occur. Instead, the legislature of Saskatchewan provides in the local _Time Act_ that municipalities close to the Alberta boundary can opt for Mountain time, which Lloydminster, Saskatchewan has done. ---
**Author:** ![snac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@snac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snac)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/3 "2002-05-03T02:44:32Z")
In the US, I strongly suspect the answer is no. Most time zone boundaries are between states, and almost all the rest lie between counties. Municipalities don’t straddle state lines, and seldom cross county lines–and part of the reason for using county lines to begin with is to keep population centers together, as in Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Off the top of my head I know of just one place in the US where the line lies within a county–though I bet there are others. That’s three little towns in eastern Alabama which are on eastern time because of the industrial plants next door in Georgia. I suspect, too, that only large governmental units can opt to opt out, if you catch my drift. Individual town wards probably can’t, being too small, and neighborhoods don’t legally exist. So I’d bet it’s the whole town or nothing. Outside the US, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/4 "2002-05-03T03:19:29Z")
Phenix City, AL (Central Time) is right across the river from the other part of the metropolitan area, Columbus, GA (Eastern Time). ---
**Author:** ![AmbushBug](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ambushbug/32/4600_2.png) [@AmbushBug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmbushBug)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/5 "2002-05-03T05:54:55Z")
I was at a business conference in Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia, on the eastern coast [a bit south of Brisbane] - this February - my hotel a half block south of the conference facility was in New South Wales, an hour off Queensland time. If I remember correctly, some of the establishments in the area had small signs on their doors clarifying that the business operated on Queensland time. I don’t think that the state border divided a town, per se - but there wasn’t much of a bright-line border other than a large concrete triangle in the road median. (I hope I get to go to next year’s conference, it was a blast!) -AmbushBug ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/6 "2002-05-03T06:52:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AmbushBug \* > I was at a business conference in Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia, on the eastern coast [a bit south of Brisbane] - this February - my hotel a half block south of the conference facility was in New South Wales, an hour off Queensland time. If I remember correctly, some of the establishments in the area had small signs on their doors clarifying that the business operated on Queensland time. Actually, Queensland and NSW are both in the Eastern Australian Timezone. I don’t live in Australia, but my guess would be that NSW was on Daylight Savings Time while Queensland wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/7 "2002-05-03T07:48:41Z")
There are several large counties that are split in Nebraska and South Dakota. In fact Pierre, the capital comes lies just to one side of the time zone. Certainly it seems quite possible to live a few minutes from that town yet live in another time zone. I can’t for the life of understand why states would allow themselves to be split by time zones (except Alaska), it seems like it would be such a hassle. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/8 "2002-05-03T11:59:15Z")
What’s really neat is standing near a time zone near sunset. Right at sunset time in the eastern-most zone, the sky goes dark, while the western sky is still bright. Then one hour later, the western side goes dark. This freaks many people out, so that’s why most cities are established away from time zone lines. (Geez, yes! I’m joking!) ---
**Author:** ![AmbushBug](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ambushbug/32/4600_2.png) [@AmbushBug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmbushBug)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/9 "2002-05-04T22:17:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dtilque \* > \*\* > Actually, Queensland and NSW are both in the Eastern Australian Timezone. I don’t live in Australia, but my guess would be that NSW was on Daylight Savings Time while Queensland wasn’t. \*\* Ah, yes, that was it. I was there on Feb. 2nd and [this page](http://times.clari.net.au/Australia.html) has links noting daylight savings ending in NSW at the end of March, and no such notation for QLD. And, popping back to the spirit of the OP, there’s [this fascinating page](http://www.mccsc.edu/time.html) which talks primarily about Indiana time. But, no accounts of towns split in twain by time zone issues. -AmbushBug ---
**Author:** ![leechbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/10 "2002-05-04T22:46:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AmbushBug \* > \*\* I don’t think that the state border divided a town, per se - but there wasn’t much of a bright-line border other than a large concrete triangle in the road median. > -AmbushBug \*\* From what I remeber when visiting Coolangatta the main road is actually the dividing line between QLD and NSW. So if its Summer and you are driving on the north side of the road you are in QLD and your clock is one hour behind those driving on the south side of the road who are in NSW 🙂 The wacky daylght savings issue was one of the things I loved most about living on the Gold Coast (QLD, Aust). In summer if your two fav. programs were on in the same timeslot you could watch one on NSW TV as it’s an hour ahead with the daylight savings then turn to a QLD station to watch the other an hour later 🙂 When they moved Buffy to a 10.30pm timeslot it didn’t matter because I could watch it at 9.30pm on NSW TV. Now I’m in cold, rainy Victoria with no wacky time differences and I have to stay up to 10.30pm for my weekly Buffydose. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/11 "2002-05-05T02:09:04Z")
I only know of one, Texline, TX, the vast majority of the town is officially on Central Time and to be precise only two buildings of the town are in Mountain Time (the town only has about 400 people) and to be even more precise those buildings are not exactly in the state of Texas even though they are clearly a part of the town and everybody in town considers them to be part of the town. Finally it should be mentioned that those two buildings (a house and a mom and pop store) both keep central time on their clocks. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/12 "2002-05-05T02:28:13Z")
According to the [Union County, IN site](http://www.unioncountyin.com/nc.htm): > [@](#): > > **West College Corner** : > > Collge Corner is so named because it is situated on the corner of the land tract of Miami University which was founded in 1811. At that time a log hemp mill was built on what would become the town site. > > The town was platted by tavern keeper Gideon T. Howe in 1837. College Corner lies on U.S. 27 in easter Union County and is geographically split by the Indiana-Ohio line. Ohio counties (Preble and Butler) also divide the town. > > The present school building is built exactly on the state line with each half of the gymnasium being on each state. Teachers in the College Corner portion of the Union County School System must be certified by both states. > > The approximate population of College Corner is 1200, with about two thirds in Indiana and the rest in Ohio. When the county goes on daylight savings time, the town has two time zones. > > The quality of life in a small town comes from the spirit of the people which overcomes all of the geographical divisions. ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/13 "2002-05-05T04:06:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\*What’s really neat is standing near a time zone near sunset. Right at sunset time in the eastern-most zone, the sky goes dark, while the western sky is still bright. Then one hour later, the western side goes dark. > > This freaks many people out, so that’s why most cities are established away from time zone lines. > > (Geez, yes! I’m joking!) \*\* I know you’re joking, but sadly I have had friends in all seriousness believe that. They called it “sun crash” – an unusually sudden sunset occuring on the edge of a time zone. I pointed out that time zone lines tend to run through sparsely populated areas. City lights obscure sunset, making the evening seem brighter longer. In the country, where the sun is the only source of light, once it’s gone it gets dark in a hurry. – Beruang ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/14 "2002-05-05T04:51:36Z")
Somewhat off the topic, but a great trivia question: Explain how a clock in an Atlantic coast state of the US can (correctly) read the same time as a clock in a Pacific coast state. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Big\_Kahuna\_Burger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Kahuna_Burger)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/15 "2002-05-05T05:03:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hari Seldon \* > \*\*Somewhat off the topic, but a great trivia question: Explain how a clock in an Atlantic coast state of the US can (correctly) read the same time as a clock in a Pacific coast state. \*\* On the day we set our clocks back in October Pensacola, FL will have set its back to 2 AM in the central time zone just as most of Malheur, Oregon will have gotten to 2 AM as part of the Mountain Time Zone ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/16 "2002-05-05T14:20:59Z")
I think an easier response would be that one of the clocks had stopped so twice a day both clocks would read exactly the same. (sorry about the continuation of the hijack) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/17 "2002-05-05T18:25:31Z")
I know Pierre and Fort Pierre are in seperate time zones. The bigger problem in the USA seems to be the states that opt out of DST. You oft hear of TV stations in NW Indiana say at 10pm, 11pm Michigan.(South Bend TV serves North Central IN and Michigan as well as part of NW IN) I would have to disagree that towns and cities don’t cross county lines. In IL they do quite often. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-zone-boundaries-in-towns/106952/18 "2002-05-05T22:38:29Z")
Most of Atlanta, GA is in Fulton County, but part of it is in DeKalb.