Taking A Trip...Along Interstate 5 (8/14/12)

When I'm not engrossed in weather, I enjoy taking a 'virtual' tour of areas that I find interesting. During my 'downtime', if that's what it should be called, I've been studying numerous towns and cities along our country's intricate web of interstates.

I chose to begin this adventure along the west coast of the United States, along the Interstate 5 at the northern terminus in Blaine, WA.

Blaine is located in Whatcom county and nicknamed 'The Peace Arch City'. Its motto is "Blaine is Where America Begins".

There are a number of interesting items and tidbits about Blaine. Here are just a few that I found noteworthy.

First, I found this fascinating historical tidbit. The town of Blaine was named after a U.S. senator from the state of Maine, James G. Blaine. Historically, he served twice as Secretary of State, was the 31st Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and nominated President in 1884.

Interestingly, it was another Blaine that benefited the town more. During the period shortly after WWI, the National Prohibition Act (18th Amendment) was ratified, banning all sale and importation of intoxicating liquors. Therefore, smuggling of alcohol was rampant along the U.S/Canadian border. However, a Wisconsin senator (R) named John J Blaine wrote the 21st Amendment, which would later repeal Prohibition.

Next, I was intrigued by the Peace Arch nickname and what that was all about. From what I understand, reference is made to the International Peace Arch that was dedicated to the centennial of the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814 (see Treaty of Ghent). It was dedicated in 1921.

Today, the Peace Arch represents the tri-lateral friendship between Britain, the United States, and Canada. Standing some 67 feet tall, it represents the longest, undefended boundary in the world, nearly 3000 miles long. One foot in American soil and one foot in Canadian soil, the Peace Arch is a must-see for any tourist/visitor. For more historical information, please click here.

Finally, a geographical point of interest that I have yet to come across. Have you ever heard of a spit? Well,, Blaine has one of those called the Semiahmoo Spit. I provided a Google Satellite map of the area here. Hotels and a park can be found along this attraction

According to a popular reference, a spit is a type of deposition landform also called a sandspit. It is caused by a process called longshore drift that transports sediments along a coast at an angle to the shoreline, dependent on additional factors such as backwash and wind direction.

Other spits include the Provincetown Spit on Cape Cod, Massachusetts and the Dungeness Spit that we'll cover in a future series, as it is located in Washington state.

Access more info below....
Spit caused by longshore drift
What is a spit?

Please continue to follow my journey along the I-5 in a soon-to-be-released segment....

MS