“Lost in Translation: The Surprising Tale of Minnesota’s Borderland That Almost Became Canadian Soil!”

Ever looked at a map of North America and wondered why the Canada–United States border is a long, straight line for miles—until it suddenly goes all wiggly like a drunk snake somewhere in Minnesota? I mean, what’s the deal with that? The twists and turns have a story of their own, involving some serious back-and-forth between U.S. and British negotiators right after the American Revolution. You see, back then, Canada wasn’t even a twinkly light on the independence radar yet! Instead, borders were drawn with fancy treaties and a fair share of guesswork. Who would have thought that what seems like a simple geographical line would become a tale of treaties, botched maps, and even the whims of fishermen? Buckle up, because we’re about to dive into the quirkiest corner of Minnesota and its fascinating—if somewhat complicated—relationship with its neighbors to the north. LEARN MORE.

If you look at a map of North America, you’ll notice the Canada–United States border is strikingly straight from the Pacific Ocean to about a third of the way across Minnesota, where it hiccups and then squiggles the rest of the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The border first started to get worked out between the U.S. and Great Britain (Canada wasn’t an independent country until after most of the border was laid down) not long after the American Revolution, and was updated and amended in a series of treaties over the next few decades.

Some parts were easy to work out: that straight line just runs along the 49th parallel. In other parts, the American and British negotiators got a little fancy. Around Minnesota, they established the border as extending from the northwesternmost point of the Lake of the Woods due west to the head of the Mississippi River.