(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

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

You should send it along! She'd probably be pretty interested...

[komos.livejournal.com]

Well, she is a PTA pol...

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

If you like that, research the history of Delaware and her land disputes with New Jersey.

And then the land disputes between New Jersey and NY and the island upon which the Statue of Liberty sits.

Fascinating. Funny.

Then the guy suing NY for the right to use the shoreline near Montauk

[rickthefightguy.livejournal.com]

You called a lawmaker with this? Why not go to the local historical society or a local library? After all, that's what they do...with the money the local lawmakers provide to them.

[learnedax.livejournal.com]

My favorite dispute is the Penn-Calvert confusion that lead to the Mason-Dixon line, and The Wedge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wedge_%28border%29) that stuck around uncertainly for ages between three states.

The Penn Boys claiming the land "from 12 miles north of Newcastle towne" away from the hands of Baron Baltimore has a great charm, I think.

[learnedax.livejournal.com]

I thought it seemed a simple and probably common question for someone who represents that area, and surely should be deeply familiar with it. Other sources might (clearly would) have been more useful, but there'd be rather more tracking down involved.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

True, the Wedge is fun.

The "this century" litigation between NJ and Delaware around Newcastle is particularly interesting, since it did affect commerce and building of factories in NJ.

And the second Supreme Court ruling which essentially said "Told you once - won't tell you again without some smack-down first" is amusing.

[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.