Norton–Stanhope Border Crossing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Norton-Stanhope Border Crossing |
|
|---|---|
Canada Border Inspection Station at Stanhope, Quebec
|
|
| Location | |
| Country | United States; Canada |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 45°00′38″N 71°47′37″W / 45.010668°N 71.793487°W |
| Details | |
| Opened | 1897 |
| US Phone | (802) 822-5233 |
| Canadian Phone | (819) 849-2922 |
| Hours | Open 24 Hours US / Canada |
|
U.S. Inspection Station-Norton, Vermont
|
|
| MPS | U.S. Border Inspection Stations MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000603 |
| Added to NRHP | September 10, 2014 |
The Norton–Stanhope Border Crossing is a special place where the United States and Canada meet. It connects the small town of Norton, Vermont with Stanhope, Quebec. This crossing is located where Quebec Route 147 and Vermont Route 147 roads connect. It's the only way to cross the border between these two communities.
The US border station was built in 1933. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014 because it's an important historical building. Both the US and Canadian border stations are open all day, every day.
Contents
Where the Crossing Is Located
The Norton–Stanhope Border Crossing is in a quiet, countryside area. It's in northeastern Vermont and southern Estrie, a region in Quebec. The small village of Norton in Vermont is right next to the border. On the Canadian side, the area is mostly farms and the border stations.
Route 147, the road that crosses the border, runs from northwest to southeast. It goes alongside the Coaticook River. A train track also crosses the border nearby, between the road and the river. This train line goes towards Sherbrooke, Quebec.
The Canadian Border Station
The Canadian border station is a short distance north of the actual border. It's on the east side of the road. Across the street, there's a small duty-free shop. This is where travelers can buy things without paying certain taxes.
Canada built the current border station in 1954. Before that, the Canadian station was a two-story building with a special roof shape called a gambrel. In 1991, the current building was recognized as an important federal heritage building.
The United States Border Station
The United States station is on the northwest side of Route 147. It sits on a piece of land shaped like a triangle, bordered by the road, the train tracks, and the actual border. The main building is made of brick and has a classic style called Colonial Revival. It has one-story garage sections on both sides.
A covered driveway, called a port-cochere, goes over two lanes. This protects cars from the weather while border officers check them. The front of the building has five sections and looks balanced. There are two windows on each side of the main entrance. The entrance itself is a bit unique, with a side window on the left and a window above the door.
Behind the main building, there's a concrete building from the World War II era. This building is used for checking trucks.
The US station was built in 1933. This was part of a big effort to make the country's borders safer. More people were traveling by car back then. Also, there was a lot of illegal movement of goods because alcohol was not allowed in the US at that time. This led to more smuggling and illegal immigration.
The garage sections were changed into offices early on. The covered driveway was also replaced later. It was built to handle taller vehicles than the original one. This station is one of ten old border stations in Vermont that are still standing today.
A Former Border Crossing Point
Long ago, these towns were connected by two roads. One road, called Rue Principale in Quebec, became Nelson Road in the United States. This road goes just south of the current US station. In 2015, this crossing was blocked off with posts.
There used to be a general store right on the border on Rue Principale. This store even sold alcohol during the time when it was illegal in the United States. It had two cash registers, one for customers from each country. The building was taken down in 2021.
