07-Apr-2003 -- Bob and Janis Stone visited 49N and 101W confluence on April 7th, 2003, on their first retirement trip south from Regina, Saskatchewan. Travelling in our motorhome, our departure was slightly delayed by a spring 'dump' of snow.

After leaving the Trans Canada Highway we traveled south of Virden, Manitoba on Highway #83. This confluence is nearly a kilometer east from Highway #83 at the Canada - U.S.A. border. With some apprehesion because of the increased secuity due to the Iraq war, we explained our mission to respective Customs Officers on both sides of the 49th. With appropriate approvals we parked our RV at the US Customs and as the sun was sinking quickly we set off hiking east along no-man's-land.

The ground was frozen but there was some snow, water and considerable mud on the route. There was also evidence of cows having been in the vicinity, but as the electrified fence was not in good repair we were not able to determine if the cows were Canadian or American. It appeared that they did not take heed of the significance of the International border.

It was clear from the terrain that we were on the 49th parallel. There was about a 30 metre path of uncultivated ground running as far as one could see looking east and running westward directly back to the customs buildings and the usual concrete border marker. In one place, two trees seemed to guard the border. According to the GPS the confluence appears to be a dozen or so meters north of the assumed border. We found the confluence to be in a slight depression on the edge of a cultivated Canadian field.

The pictures show 2 shrubs west of the site, a bluff of trees south and cultivated fields north and east of the confluence.

Since visiting this site, we have travelled south through North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

The borderline with the U.S. is running about 49 m south of the Confluence.