Did Idaho Accidentally Take a Chunk of Montana?
I think my friends in Idaho are wonderful people. They have beautiful mountainous terrain, plenty of fish to catch, and are extremely knowledgeable about potatoes. However, they apparently took a chunk of Montana. Not a lot; maybe around fifty to sixty acres. Nonetheless, it’s about the principle of it. That is OUR dirt.
Read More: Wyoming Resident Accused Of Fraudulent Montana Hunting Permits
A new survey was done by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (blm) of the Montana/idaho border located near Lookout Pass. This survey followed a state line that was originally surveyed more than 120 years ago. During these many years, some of the original survey monuments went missing, highway construction occurred in the area, and it appears there were disagreements among the maps that showed the end of Montana and the beginning of Idaho.
Montana Would Like Its Dirt Back
State senator from Montana, Denley Loge, recently questioned the correct location of the border for a long time. According to the Bonner County Daily Bee, an Idaho assessment map eventually made its way into Montana's cadastral mapping system, which may have created a discrepancy resulting in the lands owned by Mineral County being considered part of Idaho rather than Montana. Loge said he believes approximately 50-60 acres may be involved.
Before we begin constructing checkpoints at Lookout Pass and demand that Idaho give us back our land taken away from us, no one actually changed the border. BLM surveyors simply went back to the original documents and monuments to recreate the legally designated boundaries. Therefore, Idaho did not take any of Montana's land. Apparently the maps were incorrect regarding the location of the borders.
However, that doesn’t sound like as much fun.
Idaho, We Need to Talk
Although the survey will now go through the normal processes of filing and updating records for each parcel affected, officials are checking how the corrected boundary may affect property owners' and taxing authorities' records in areas such as Lookout Pass and the Route of the Hiawatha.
When considering 50-60 acres against more than 94 million acres in Montana, no one is going to wake up tomorrow morning to find that their home has crossed a state line.
Regardless, I am enjoying this one.
We have coexisted along our entire border with Idaho for years. We have let them keep their potatoes. We have allowed them to display their license plates at Montana trailheads. We have permitted them to visit us and view our scenic beauty.
Apparently, however, they had been using a portion of Montana during this entire time.
No ill will toward you, Idaho.
Just put it back where you found it, and we will never speak of this again.
States sending the most people to Montana
Gallery Credit: Stacker
