U.S. blocks Canadian access to iconic Stanstead border-straddling library, local officials say

The U.S. government is closing the main Canadian access to the Stanstead, Que., library, an iconic building that straddles both borders, according to town and library officials.

The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, built in 1904, has been declared a heritage site on both sides of the border and has long been considered a symbol of harmony between Canada and the U.S.

The border line literally runs across the floor of the building, but the entrance is on the American side in Derby Line, Vt.

Until now, the library was considered a neutral location, allowing visitors to visit without having to go through all the procedures of a normal border, with patrol officers ensuring that everyone goes back to where they came from.

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"This is history in the making; it had been open for over 100 years," she said in an interview with Radio-Canada.

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/us-border-canada-quebec-stanstead-library-1.7489528