Massachusetts - Northeast Corner of Connecticut - U.S. Historic Survey Stones and Monuments on Waymarking.com

Connecticut is roughly a rectangular state with a stubby handle. This waymark marks the location of the northeast corner of Connecticut, and it is easily accessible via public land - it's even marked out for you.

To get to the marker, travel on High Street in Douglas, either west from Main Street, or southeast from Lower Gore Road in Webster. High Street will nick the corner of Connecticut, going for about a half mile within that state. There is no state marker visible from the road along the northern border of Connecticut - the pavement changes though, after passing a few houses and an open field on the right (when traveling southeast). The marker on the eastern CT border is visible, however on the left (when traveling east). If you reach the intersection with Main Street, you have gone too far and turn around. Parking is tricky, since the road is narrow, it curves, and it negotiates small elevation changes. There is a turnout wide enough for a car about 300 feet east of the CT eastern border marker. Please use caution when walking along the road. The safest way is to walk facing traffic and stop when a car is passing.

The stone marker that is the starting point (NOT the waymark) will have "D" (upright, standing for Douglas) "Mass" (in book spine orientation) engraved on the eastern side (right side when facing it from the road), and "T" (upright, standing for Thompson) "Conn" (in book spine orientation) engraved on the western side (left side when facing it from the road). Once you have confirmed that this is the marker you have confirmed your starting point. Look for blue dots painted on trees in the woods. You should see a line of them going in a northerly direction. This is the way you should go. Note that there is no defined pathway. The way is rocky and covered in leaves, so footing is an issue here. Go in about 1/10 mile (500 ft) along these blue dots until you find a stone marker similar to the one you started with. There will be several blue markers, some in a vertical line of three, around the monument. This is the marker!

The marker has "T Conn" on one side, "D Mass" on two sides, and "1906" on the fourth side.

The two borders were set during colonial times. The book, "How the States Got Their Shapes," provides historical information, highly summarized here. The eastern border is an extension of the border set between Connecticut and Rhode Island in the 1663 charter for Rhode Island from King Charles II (but not fully ratified by Connecticut until 1840). The northern border was based on a parallel line drawn after the Revolutionary War that was 3 miles south of the most southerly course of the Neponset River (which is many miles east of Connecticut).

Do pay attention to where you are (I hope you either have a waymark either where you parked your car or where the starting point was). The road is not far away to the south, so if you get turned around, go south (you did bring your GPSr, didn't you??). The Connecticut side is unmarked, but respect the property. The Massachusetts side is part of the Douglas State Forest and is public land, though I don't want you to get lost!

And one final note: This is my 1000th posted (submitted and published) waymark!

Source:
Stein, Mark. How the States Got Their Shapes. New York: Harper-Collins, 2008.

Monumentation Type: Stone post Monument Category: State boundary marker Accessible to general public: yes Historical significance: This marker is on borders first agreed on after the American Revolutionary War and 1663. County: Massachusetts - Worcester County; Connecticut - Windham County USGS Quad: Webster CT-MA-RI Approximate date of monument: 01/01/1906 Monumentation Type (if other): Not listed Monument Category (if other): Not listed Explain Non-Public access: Not listed Monument Website: Not listed NGS PID: Not listed Other Coordinates: Not Listed Other Coordinates details: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
1. A closeup photo of the monument is required.
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2. A 'distant' photo including the monument in the view is highly recommended. Include the compass direction you faced when you took the picture.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/15/2011 halfaday visited it