West Berkshire–Frelighsburg Border Crossing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Berkshire-Frelighsburg Border Crossing |
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US Border Inspection Station at West Berkshire, VT
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| Location | |
| Country | United States; Canada |
| Location |
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| Coordinates | 45°00′59″N 72°49′32″W / 45.016333°N 72.825623°W |
| Details | |
| Opened | 1935 |
| US Phone | (802) 933-4337 |
| Canadian Phone | (450) 298-5050 |
| Hours | Open 24 Hours Canadian station is only open weekday business hours for commercial traffic |
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U.S. Inspection Station-West Berkshire, Vermont
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| MPS | U.S. Border Inspection Stations MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000606 |
| Added to NRHP | September 10, 2014 |
The West Berkshire–Frelighsburg Border Crossing is a special place where the United States and Canada meet. It connects the town of Frelighsburg, Quebec in Canada with the western part of Berkshire, Vermont in the U.S. This crossing is used by people traveling between the two countries.
On the American side, you reach it using Vermont Route 108. On the Canadian side, it's reached by Quebec Route 237. The U.S. border station here was built in 1935. It was part of a big project called the Works Progress Administration. This project helped create jobs during a tough time called the Great Depression. The station is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
Where is the Border Crossing Located?
The West Berkshire–Frelighsburg Border Crossing is in a quiet, countryside area. It's in central northern Vermont and southern Quebec. Quebec Route 237 travels south from Frelighsburg. It runs next to the Pike River.
This road meets Vermont Route 108 right at the border. The area around the crossing has many farms and forests. The Canadian border station is just north of the border. Its buildings are between the two lanes of the road. The United States station is about 200 feet (61 meters) south of the border. It sits on the west side of the road. The Pike River runs along its western edge.
The Canadian Border Station
The current Canadian border station was built in 1971. A long time ago, in the early 1900s, many roads crossed into Canada near Frelighsburg. The Canadian Customs office used to be in the town itself. It was even in the same building as an insurance company! That old building is still standing today.
The United States Border Station Buildings
The United States station is a rectangular building made of brick. It has one and a half stories and a wooden roof. On each side of the main building, there are four garage bays. Some of these garages have been changed and are now used for other things.
A metal canopy, called a porte-cochere, covers one lane of the road. This provides shelter for cars when they arrive and are being checked. The front of the main building has three sections. There are large bay windows on either side of the main entrance. The entrance leads to two similar areas inside. One is for customs checks, and the other is for immigration.
Two of the garage areas on the south side have been closed in. They now have restrooms. The attic area has some rooms for temporary use, an office, and storage space. A short distance northwest of the station, there's an old house. It's one of two houses that were built for the officers who worked at the station. The other house was taken down.
This station was one of thirteen border stations built in Vermont in the 1930s. They were built with money from the Public Works Administration. Ten of these stations are still standing today. This station is the only one that still has one of its original houses. This station was finished in 1934. It was built because more cars were traveling across the border. There was also a greater need to manage who and what was crossing the border, especially after the time of Prohibition in the 1920s. The building's style, called Colonial Revival, was chosen to represent American values.
Images for kids
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US border station and residences at West Berkshire, VT as seen in 1936
