We rarely think of borders as destinations. They’re liminal spaces, invisible boundaries between nations and states. However, there are certain spots in the United States where lovers of geopolitical anomalies can congregate and revel in the absurdities of our interior borders. That said, we’ve selected some of the most memorable U.S. borders for you to visit.
Four Corners Monument: Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico
You may have already heard about this border mega-crossing, as it offers the unique opportunity to be in four different states at once. However, while there are no other “quadripoints” like the Four Corners Monument in the United States, there exists some controversy among geographers over whether the physical monument lies on the actual intersection of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Regardless, the Four Corners Monument is accepted by all four corners of the social media universe as the true border, so consider making the trip and earning the bragging rights of having been in four places at once.
Camak Stone: Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama
In the early 19th century, a man named James Camak placed a stone marker on the spot believed to delineate the borders of Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Since then, Camak’s calculations have been proven incorrect (he had faulty equipment), but Tennessee has continued to informally recognize his “Camak Stone” as their physical border. The result is 68 miles of disputed, nebulous territory – a no-man’s-land in the middle of the forest. If you visit, make sure to search for the original 19th-century Camak stone, which has since been replaced after mysteriously going missing.
3 Points - Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma
The Four Corners Monument gets all the attention, but don’t skip the 3 Points marker during your quest to visit cool U.S. borders. This southeasternmost point of Colorado is the only one of its borders besides Four Corners that touches two other states (Kansas and Oklahoma). Once you’re done standing on the marker in the middle of the road (and dodging traffic), you can snap pics of nearby pronghorns and prairie dogs or head to Elkhart, KS for some homestyle cuisine at Big C’s.
The Lost Peninsula: Toledo, Ohio
Would you ever start a war over Toledo, OH? Because in 1835, people did just that. Due to faulty geographical surveys (a recurrent theme in history), both Ohio and Michigan once claimed ownership of Toledo, thus leading to the Toledo War, as well as the separation of a small Michigan-owned peninsula from the rest of the state. You can now visit this “Lost Peninsula” that’s marked by a stone border post just outside of Webber’s Waterfront Restaurant. Once you’re done, head to the original Tony Packo’s in Toledo to see a well-preserved hot dog bun signed by Former President Jimmy Carter.
Northfield Drive-In Theater: New Hampshire and Massachusetts
Northfield Drive-In is the physical manifestation of mid-20th century anti-labor sentiment. More specifically, it was built in August 1948 on the border of New Hampshire and Massachusetts so that its owner, Carl Neilman, would not have to hire two union projectionists according to Massachusetts state law. He skirted this by building the screen in Massachusetts and the projection booth in New Hampshire. Today, the Northfield Drive-In remains in its original spot – and you can still catch a movie there for a retro-cool night out.
The Delaware Wedge - Pennsylvania and Delaware
You can add the Delaware Wedge to the list of strange borders created by botched math. This oblong tract of land was formed when early American surveyors attempted to connect the Mason-Dixon Line to the Twelve Mile Circle (a.k.a. the rounded border between Pennsylvania and Delaware). However, they miscalculated, and ended up with a “wedge” tucked between PA and DE that neither – and both – claim as their own. Today, you can visit a marker for the Wedge on New London Road, just miles from Newark, DE.
