Border Monument 0 in Point Roberts

Monument Park in Point Roberts holds an obelisk that marks the beginning of the 5,525-mile U.S./Canada border along the 49th parallel.

Most visitors and local residents to the U.S. exclave believe that the obelisk, erected in 1861, is the first location of the border between the two countries.

It’s easy to believe this since it is listed as Monument 1 for official records with the International Border Commission. There are also no other border markers quite the same as the obelisk with its pedestal marking the longitude and latitude and the engravings of the survey team and commissioners who helped establish the border.

What most people do not know is there had been another obelisk on the border that came before Monument 1. Although much smaller than Monument 1, the first real marker to separate Canada and the U.S. on land was Monument 0. The smaller Monument 0 obelisk sat at the high-water mark just at the base of the cliff in Monument Park. The existence of Monument 0 was recorded in the 1937 International Border survey and was described as such:

“The special concrete monument with bronze post is shown in figure 5, page 116. There is but one monument of this kind. Monument 0 (zero) at the high-water mark on the west shore of Point Roberts.

“The monument is of reinforced monolithic concrete, constructed to withstand wave action and the battering of driftwood brought in by the tide. It is in the form of a concrete pier 3 feet square and 7 feet, 11 inches in height, set 4 feet, 3 inches in the ground on hard glacial clay.

“In the center of the top of the pier is a 2-inch manganese-bronze post projecting 7 inches above the concrete. On the east face of this post is cast in raised letters the inscription ‘INT. BDRY.’ on the north face ‘CANADA,’ on the south face ‘U. S.,’ and on the west face is inscribed ‘0’ (zero), the designating number of the monument.”

The original marker was removed in 1968 when the border commission added additional survey markers and made repairs along the 49th parallel. In its place is now a concrete slab with a metal disc marking the spot for Monument 0.

Anyone who looks hard enough on the beach can find the location of Monument 0 just right of the storm drain that comes down from the Canadian side of the border.

The Whatcom County Parks and Recreation oversees Monument Park at 25 Marine Drive. The 6.9-acre park has 0.3 miles of trail that include views of the Strait of Georgia. The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk.

For more information on park operations, contact parks and recreation at 360/778-5850 or parks@co.whatcom.wa.us.