Photograph #1, credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, B.C.
This is great photograph from the Reach Gallery Museum showing the old Boundary Marker which signified the International Boundary between the United States and Canada, at Sumas.
Photo #2...taken by Deborah Morgan, 28 March, 2014
Photo #2 shows a wonderful antique, porcelain plate (from my personal collection) commemorating the first Sumas International boundary marker. The image on the plate depicts the same boundary marker that is in photograph #1. This plate is dated by appearance and style to be circa 1910 to 1915. The only mark on the back reads "Made in Germany" .
The following information is found on the International Boundary Commission website http://www.internationalboundarycommission.org/products.html
"The International Boundary Commission was established 4 June, 1908 by a treaty signed between the United States and Great Britain. (Great Britain acted on behalf of Canada). The two countries, at that time, appointed geographers/surveyors to act as Commissioners. Their purpose was to accurately define and mark the border between Canada and the United States. The Commissioners were expected to refer any disputes regarding the boundary to the American and Canadian governments.
In 1925, another treaty ratified the agreement between Canada and the United States empowering the Commissioner's to maintain the boundary. They were charged with keeping the boundary clear of vegetation in a 20' wide swath and building identification markers. This is still the longest shared border between two countries. It runs from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Pacific up to the Artic. (According to Wikipedia, the terrestrial boundary is 5,525 miles long which includes 1,538 miles of border along the Alaska/Yukon frontier). Canada's official motto seems quite appropriate..."A Mari usque Ad Mari!" ("From Sea to Sea!")
Photo #2 shows a wonderful antique, porcelain plate (from my personal collection) commemorating the first Sumas International boundary marker. The image on the plate depicts the same boundary marker that is in photograph #1. This plate is dated by appearance and style to be circa 1910 to 1915. The only mark on the back reads "Made in Germany" .
Photograph #3 taken by Deborah Morgan, 28 March, 2014
This is a close-up of the image on the plate shown in Photo #2.
Thank you for visiting my blog. The next post will concern the stone marker currently in place @ Sumas/Huntington.
The 20 foot swath clear of vegetation always amazes me as I drive up Silver Lake road past where the old border house was. I didn't know about these old markers. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete