Derby Line in Orleans County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)

Haskell Free Library and Opera House

Photographed by Kevin Craft, July 4, 2014

1. Haskell Free Library and Opera House Marker

Inscription.

This structure is doubly unusual: it not only straddles the Canada-United States boundary but also contains the rare combination of a library and a theatre. Built between 1901 and 1904 as the gift of the Haskell family of Vermont, it testifies to the late Victorian belief in the intellectual and moral benefits of education and the arts. Its Queen Anne Revival style, as designed by James Ball, is typical of public libraries of the period. The second storey opera house follows accepted principles of 19th-century theatre design and its ornate interior seats 500 people.

Erected 1985 by Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1901.

Location. 45° 0.338′ N, 72° 5.87′ W. Marker is in Derby Line, Vermont, in Orleans County. It is at the intersection of Caswell Avenue and Church Street, on the right when traveling west on Caswell Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 93 Caswell Avenue, Derby Line VT 05830, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in New England.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bibliotheque et opéra Haskell / The Haskell Free Library and Opera House

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(a few steps from this marker in Canada); Église Unie Stanstead South / Stanstead South United Church (about 120 meters away, measured in a direct line in Canada); L'ancien Bureau de Poste et de Douane / The Old Post Office & Customs Office (about 120 meters away in Canada); Vermont (about 240 meters away); In Memory of Derby Veterans (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Église unie Centenary / Centenary United Church (approx. one kilometer away in Canada); Pensionnnat et monastère des Ursulines / Ursulines Monastery and Boarding School (approx. 1.1 kilometers away in Canada); Église Christ Church Anglicane / Christ Church Anglican (approx. 1.3 kilometers away in Canada).

More about this marker. This marker is unique. The marker was erected by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada but it is affixed near the main entrance of the building which is in the United States.

Regarding Haskell Free Library and Opera House. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House has become a symbol of the harmony between Canada and the United States. It was built straddling the border. The library and opera house was a gift to

Haskell Free Library and Opera House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Craft, July 4, 2014

2. Haskell Free Library and Opera House

marker is to the left of the entrance

the communities it serves in memory of Carlos Haskell by his wife Martha and son Horace Haskell. It was designed by Boston architects James Ball, a Rock Island native and his partner Gilbert Smith. The position of the border is depicted by a black line painted on the floor. The library shelves, the opera house stage and some seats are in Québec (Canada). The rest of the seats and the main entrance are in Vermont (USA). The building has been classified as a historic site in Canada and is on the National Register of Historic Places in the USA.

Also see . . .
1. Parks Canada - Haskell Free Library and Opera House. (Submitted on July 7, 2014, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec.)
2. Official website of Haskell Free Library and Opera House. (Submitted on July 7, 2014, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec.)

Photographed by Kevin Craft, July 4, 2014

3. Haskell Free Library and Opera House

Border boundary marker is next to the sidewalk

Credits. This page was last revised on May 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2014, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec. This page has been viewed 698 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 7, 2014, by Kevin Craft of Bedford, Quebec. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.