Grand Portage–Pigeon River Border Crossing

Grand Portage–Pigeon River Border Crossing
International Boundary at the Pigeon River Bridge
Location
Country United States; Canada
Location

US Port: 9403 East Highway 61, Grand Portage, MN 55605

Canadian Port: 7690 Highway 61 Neebing ON P7L 0A2
Coordinates 48°00′05″N 89°35′07″W / 48.001435°N 89.585154°W / 48.001435; -89.585154
Details
Opened 1964
US Phone (218) 475-2244
Canadian Phone (807) 964-2093
Hours Open 24 hours
Website
https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/grand-portage

The Grand Portage-Pigeon River Border Crossing connects the cities of Grand Portage, Minnesota and Neebing, Ontario. It is the main route between the larger cities of Duluth, MN and Thunder Bay, ON.

History

The Port of Entry was established in 1964 when the International Bridge spanning the Pigeon River was completed. Prior to 1964, the crossing was located several miles to the west at the Outlaw Bridge. Ryden's Border Store, which had been located at the old crossing since 1947, moved to Grand Portage when the new bridge was completed.

At the old crossing, small towns grew around the border crossing. The Minnesota town was known as Sextus City, and the Ontario town was called Pigeon River. Hotels, gas stations and other businesses developed around the crossing.[1] Today the remnants make up ghost towns on both sides of the border

Plans to move the crossing to a new bridge with a more direct route between Duluth and Port Arthur (Now Thunder Bay) began as early as 1935, but efforts of the Minnesota government to acquire the necessary land for the roadway from the US government, which held it on behalf of the Chippewa tribe, proved challenging and ended up at the US Supreme Court in 1939. Congress finally approved the condemnation request in 1943, but it was another 20 years before the bridge was prioritized, funded and completed. It would take another four years to complete the roadway leading to it.[2]

Both the US and Canada border stations are open 24 hours per day.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Larson, Donn (October 1, 2016). "The Outlaw Bridge". Lake Superior Magazine. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  2. ↑ Munsch, Andrew. "Old Border Road (Old Hwy 61)". Deadpioneer's Historic Minnesota Highways. DeadPioneer.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
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