LIBRARY IN TWO COUNTRIES

The border between the United States and Canada is the longest undefended border in the world. Canada and the US have long since shared a peaceful and friendly relationship.

Over the years, the two countries have had their differences over a number of things and were even at war at one time. But all is forgiven and for the most part the relationship is amicable. From the east to the west coasts, the two countries share such monuments as the Peace Arch, the Peace Bridge and the International Peace Garden.

A little-known library on the Vermont/Quebec border emphasizes the peaceful co-existence of the two countries. It is the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. The library has two street addresses. The Canadian address is: 1 Church Street, Rock Island, Quebec. The United States address is: 7 Caswell Avenue, Derby Line, Vermont. The library also has two official languages - English and French. The front door is in Vermont and the back is in Canada.

The library and opera house is a quaint, charming and unique place to visit. The upper story houses the opera house. The stage is in Canada with most of the seats being in the United States. The lower floor is a community library with the lobby in Vermont and countless shelves of books in Canada. The reading room is in both countries.

You may think that some confusion over property lines or country borders caused the library to be built in both countries. This is not the case. About 100 years ago, Martha Haskell and her son Horace, built the library in honor of their husband and father, Carlos. He had been a prominent American merchant. She was a Canadian.

Martha had friends and acquaintances on both sides of the border and not wanting to offend anyone decided to build a cultural center that was in both countries instead of building two different structures. She thought the idea over and decided that an opera house would help to support the library.

Martha then hired a well-known Quebec architect who happened to have a partner in Boston. The two men designed the opera house/library and hired a Quebec firm to construct it. The materials were largely acquired locally. The building was completed in 1904, and cost at least $50,000, which was an enormous amount at that time.

The construction of the building on the border was a gesture of heartfelt friendship. The idea was conceived solely by Martha and not by a board or committee of which certain members would probably have objected to such an eccentric structure. This would definitely have been a drawback for both the US and Canada. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House may be the only structure of its kind in the entire world.

When you step into the four hundred-seat opera house, you have the feeling of having stepped into the past. The turn of the century details takes your breath away. Plaster cherubs ring the balcony. The pink and white ceiling where an original chandelier hangs, is made of pressed tin. The curtain that rolls up manually by cord and pulley was handpainted. It is believed to be the only existing works of Erin La Mass, a renowned Boston artist. The building as well as the props is in top condition. This could partly be due to the fact that the opera house is closed during the winter and unheated.

Martha Haskell had hoped the opera's profits would fund the library. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. The opera house is open from late April to early October.

The library is a fantastic sight. It is a working community resource. The shelves hold an estimated 20,000 books of which twenty percent are French. The checkout desk is always busy. The library serves approximately 3,000 regular patrons. Half of these are from Vermont; thirty percent are English speaking Canadians and twenty percent are French Quebecois. The library is open year round, five days per week.

The reading room is one of the most pleasant I've ever been in. The atmosphere is warm and friendly. It has a fireplace and is trimmed with birch woodwork. The windows are stained glass, etched with the names of the Haskell family.

As I stood taking in this unique and cozy room, I noticed a thin, black, diagonal line on the hardwood floor. I was informed that this line depicts the 49th parallel - the invisible boundary that separates Canada and the United States. The Webster-Ashburton Treaty between the United States and Canada established this section of the border in 1846.

Ottawa and Washington have declared the library/opera house a "no man's land." Patrons do not have to report to customs after using it.

Martha Haskell donated the building to the community but before doing so made the stipulation that no taxes would be paid to either country - a wise move on her part.

A handful of houses and one private business straddles the border but the library is the only public building to do so. The Haskell has an oil tank on either side of the basement. This enables it to buy heating fuel from the cheapest supplier based on currency rates. It does the same thing with electricity.

Today, a structure could not be built on the border. The International Boundary Commission banned construction on the border in 1925.

If you are ever in Rock Island, Quebec, or Derby Line, Vermont, be sure to take time to stop in and visit the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. It is a most intriguing and unique structure. The library is a great place to explore to your heart's content. From May to October, tours are offered from Tuesday to Saturday. A donation of your choice is suggested.

Author's Note:

In the 1990's, the Haskell Free Library & Opera House underwent $800,000 worth of renovations. To see a photo of the library and to learn more about the renovations, please see the link below.

http://www.easterntownships.com/haskell/...

TOPIC OF THE WEEK:

This week I have chosen a great article that relates to the Canadian/US border. Be sure to read Floral Gardens Commemorate Peace written by Suite Editor Verna LaBounty of North Dakota: People and Places. The tour of this unusual garden is fantastic.

I also wrote an article on The International Peace Garden. Hope you enjoy it.