25 Photo 4. Pub in Cologne, Germany, on the Rhine River (Sarah, Steve, Ann, and Pat Gaylord, left to right). for both countries due to the location of a valuable zinc mine. After much debate and to avoid war, the parcel of approximately 600 acres and a seven-mile circumference was left out of both countries’ borders. With the secession of Belgium from the Netherlands in 1830 and the ratification of that boundary in 1843, Neutral Moresnet remained and the Vierlandenpunt was formed. Throughout the existence of this small ungoverned chunk of land, zinc was the primary product, but as you might guess, without law and order it became an extremely popular hideout for tax evasion, draft dodging, corruption, continues Photo 5. Sign depicting Neutral Moresnet. Immediately upon entering the shop, I spied a large brass instrument with four foot screws and forgot about the kaleidoscopes! After some exploration of the shop to find something that would fit in a carry-on bag, a deal was struck and a French cross-staff head and compass circa 1880 started its journey home to Oregon. and more. During the first World War, Neutral Moresnet was illegally annexed by Germany. That annexation was never recognized by the rest of the world. By 1920, the Treaty of Versailles resulted in the area being awarded to Belgium, but it remained in conflict until the end of the second World War in 1944, when the boundary was finally settled and became what we see today. With the annexation of Neutral Moresnet into Belgium, the very unique Vierlandenpunt became one of the world’s few Drielandenpunt locations. The total number of Tri-Point border locations and monuments seems to be somewhat nebulous and ranges from approximately 155 to 175, depending on the information source, monumented or not, accessible or not, and disputed border conditions. For instance, many of the total are not monumented because they fall within bodies of water. Seven of these Tri-Points fall on the border of Ukraine, and one of those is or has been within the current war zone. The area around this particular monument is a quite popular tourist destination. A viewing tower, which was closed during our visit, allows for a 360-degree view of the surrounding countryside. Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org The Lost Surveyor
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