Photographer:
Mike Welch, Gary Lodge No. 1101
April 15, 2009; camera: Kodak DX 7590
Only one of its kind known to exist.
Marker located 100 feet off FM 31 on Texas - Louisiana border
The Marker reads:
"INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY MARKER
In the early 1700's, France and Spain began disputing their New World
International
Boundary that included this area. Each nation claimed what is now
Texas.
When the U.S. Purchased the Louisiana
Territory from France in 1803, the boundary was
still in dispute. Leaders agreed to a neutral area between the Arroyo
Hondo and the Sabine
River, and in the 1819 Adams-Onis Treaty formally defined the border.
When Texas
became a Republic in 1836, it appointed a joint commission with the
U.S. to
survey and mark the established boundary from the Gulf of Mexico up
the Sabine River
and on to the Red River. John Forsyth represented the U.S, and Memucan
Hunt
represented Texas in the work, which proved to be long and difficult."
"The survey crew began the demarcation process on May 20, 1840
at the Gulf,
placing a 36-foot pole in the middle of a large earthen mound. Proceeding
North,
they placed eight-foot posts denoting the number of miles from the
32nd parallel.
Upon reaching the parallel, they placed a granite marker on the West
bank of the
Sabine River. From that point, they traveled due North to the Red
River,
completing their work in late June 1841."
"As a result of erosion, the first granite marker on the Sabine
fell into the river
long ago, but a second granite marker on the Northward path of the
surveyors
had been placed here to mark the North-South Meridian. This is the
only known
marker remaining, and it is believed to be the only original International
Boundary
Marker within the contiguous U.S. today. The border between Texas
and Louisiana
follows the Sabine River to the 32nd Parallel, at which point it connects
to the
boundary established by Hunt and Forsyth. The Texas Historical Foundation
purchased this site to provide public access to the early boundary
marker."
"Sponsored
by the Sons of the Republic of Texas in appreciation of the historians
from Panola County, Texas and DeSoto Parish, Louisiana for their
diligent work in obtaining and preserving this historic site."
