Two attorneys general will meet up on Friday for a mandatory stroll, all because things got testy between New Hampshire and Vermont a century ago.
In the early 1900s, New Hampshire officials sought to tax businesses and property on the western bank of the Connecticut River, which divides the two states. A full-blown border dispute ensued.
Vermont filed a lawsuit in 1915, claiming the state line ran down the center of the river. New Hampshire claimed its boundary stretched to the top of the river’s westerly bank. Ultimately, a special master appointed by the US Supreme Court decided in 1933 that the boundary was the low water mark on the river’s western side (i.e., “the line to which the river recedes at its lowest stage, without reference to extreme droughts”).
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Both states then enacted laws to ensure that the monuments marking the boundary between them would be recognized and maintained in perpetuity. Those requirements call for the two attorneys general to work together on a “perambulation of the boundary line” every seven years.
In recognition of those statutory requirements, Vermont Attorney General Charity R. Clark and New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella will connect late Friday morning at the border of Norwich, Vt., and Hanover, N.H., much like their predecessors did in 2012.
The mandatory meetup has been a quaint occasion for good-neighborly humor. It’s been more than seven years since the last one, but Friday will mark the 12th perambulation for Vermont and New Hampshire, and a first for Clark and Formella personally. Their event will include more than a few remarks and a leisurely stroll. They are expected to inspect the shoreline from a boat as well.
“I look forward to taking part in what has become a modern New England tradition,” Formella told the Globe on Thursday, saying the custom has come to symbolize “the close relationship” between colleagues on opposite sides of the river.
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“Bi-state coordination and cooperation are essential to ensuring the rule of law,” Formella said. “Whether they be environmental issues, civil matters, or criminal cases that might arise at or near the border, it is vitally important to understand exactly where the lines of state jurisdiction start and stop and to maintain good cross-border cooperation in law enforcement and every other government function.”
This story first appeared in Globe NH | Morning Report, our free newsletter focused on the news you need to know about New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles from other places. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.
Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.