(no subject)

[learnedax]

So komos pointed out to me a few days ago that if you look at the southern border of Massachusetts there's a random little square that juts out into what would clearly otherwise be Connecticut. It's got barely anything in it (the "populated place" of Gillett Corner, which is, I guess, not quite a town), and encompasses most of Lake Congamund, though random bits are part of CT (like, say, the land ends of several docks that then cross the border into MA).

So I wrote to the representative for the district this odd border chunk is in, politely inquiring if there were some good historic reason for it, and perhaps a name associated with it. Today she replied

Mr. [learnedax],

That particular jog is because of the congomond lakes structure.

...

Really? I'm overwhelmed with the high level of discourse our lawmakers maintain.

Independently komos turned up the information that it's called The Southwick Jog and exists because of a colorful history of partisan border surveyors and complex legal battles, with towns trying desperately to flee Massachusetts's high taxes and Connecticut ultimately compromising by giving back a 2.5 mi² block to Massachusetts, but clinging to the eastern shore of the lake contained therein, finally settling the matter 162 years after the initial border dispute.

... which is just the sort of thing I was hoping the good representative would explain.

Comments

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

Seems a waste to bother someone else when you could have bothered us.

;)

[learnedax.livejournal.com]

On rare occasion, asking an authority rather than the lazyweb is the preferred option...

Unless there's some reason my friends in particular should have been more knowledgeable about MA border disputes.

[gyzki.livejournal.com]

You do have friends who would have known this one, anyway. But I also think the local rep should have known too, so who am I to say what's reasonable to expect?

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

I don't see a local rep as an expert, but then perhaos I have been too involved in politics. ;)

I actually know a lot about it. Partly because of the Southwick Wild Animal Farm and partly because Rebecca Lobo, one of the top women's basketball stars came out of Southwick High School and went to UConn. If not for the jog, she would have played high schools basketball in Connecticut.