Nighthawk–Chopaka Border Crossing

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Nighthawk–Chopaka Border Crossing
Nighthawk WA Border Station.jpg
The former customs house at Nighthawk, Washington in 1997, replaced in 2012[1]
Location
CountryUnited States; Canada
Location
  • Similkameen Road / Nighthawk Road
  • US Port: Similkameen Road, Loomis, WA 98827
  • Canadian Port: 100 Nighthawk Road, Cawston BC V0X 1C3
Coordinates49°00′00″N 119°40′15″W / 49.000119°N 119.670875°W / 49.000119; -119.670875Coordinates: 49°00′00″N 119°40′15″W / 49.000119°N 119.670875°W / 49.000119; -119.670875
Details
Opened1907
Canadian phone1 (800) 461-9999
HoursOpen 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website
http://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/oroville-wa

The Nighthawk–Chopaka Border Crossing connects the town of Loomis, Washington with the Cawston, British Columbia on the US-Canada border. The original border towns, Nighthawk in the US and Chopaka in Canada, effectively died off when the search for local gold proved fruitless and the Great Northern Railroad (now BNSF) ceased operations in the middle of the 20th century. Canada has had a Customs office at this crossing since 1907; another crossing at Chopaka Road on the west side of the Similkameen River was equally popular until the US barricaded the road in 1964.[2]

The crossing is the least-used in Washington, with only a few cars a day. The area west of the station is the most remote part of the contiguous US on the border, through the Cascade Mountains. The next border crossing to the west is the Sumas-Huntingdon Border Crossing, which is 125 miles from Nighthawk-Chopaka. However, many hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail cross between North Cascades National Park and Manning Park without reporting at the nearest official Port of Entry as they are supposed to.[3]

History[]

Canadian border station at Chopaka in 1998

Canada first provided customs services at Chopaka in 1861, but didn't establish a permanent presence until 1907, when the Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway was constructed.[4] Prior to 1950, most of the cross-border traffic in this area occurred about 2 miles to the west, on the western side of the Similkameen River. Canada built its current border station on Nighthawk Road in 1950. For many years, the US operated its border inspection services out of a trailer that was situated directly against the Canada–US border, as Similkameen Road parallels the border before turning northward at the Canada border station. In 1952, the Nighthawk border station was closed for over a year due to lack of funds.[5] In 1962, the US built a small brick border station at this crossing.

The old customs house was demolished to give way to a modern port facility in 2012 for the cost of $6 million.[1] Nighthawk is a station of the Oroville Port of Entry.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Gary DeVon (May 31, 2012). "New high-tech U.S. Port of Entry facility opens at Nighthawk". Gazette-Tribune. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
  2. ^ Ann Briley (April 12, 2011). "Chopaka: The early days". BC Local News. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
  3. ^ "Chapter 6: Washington State". United Divide: A Linear Portrait of the USA/Canada Border. The Center for Land Use Interpretation. Winter 2015.
  4. ^ Legg, Herbert (1962). Customs Services in Western Canada, 1867-1925; a History, The Creston Review Ltd., Creston, BC, Page 54
  5. ^ "Border Station Funds Sought". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. March 27, 1953. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
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