Trivia Question #1: What is the northernmost point of the United States, other than Alaska?

Answer: The Northwest Angle

When you look closely at a map, the Northwest Angle seems it should belong to Canada. In fact, to drive to the Angle from the United States, you must travel through Canada and re-enter the U.S. at the Northwest Angle. If you don’t go through Canada, the only alternative is to boat or fly.

Why does Minnesota have "that bump" on top? It all started many years ago after the Revolutionary War. In 1783 the United States and Great Britain began to negotiate boundaries. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, John Adams, and others were representing the U.S. The British ministry thought the boundary should follow Rainy River to the northwest point of Lake of the Woods, and then straight west to the Mississippi. But, the headwaters of the Mississippi River is about 140 miles south of the lake! They had been looking at the 1775 Mitchell’s Map of North America.

The British found out about the problem and wanted to change the boundary in the Treaty of Ghent, but the United States did not want to secede any land.

An international joint commission was named to find where the most northwestern part of the lake was, but when they looked, there were so many bays and inlets they quit. Then in 1841 the British hired an astronomer, Dr. I. L. Tiarks, to solve the problem. He just took a ruler and placed it at a NE and SW angle over the lake and moved it west until it touched shore. He solved the problem simply! Once that point was figured out, a line was drawn straight south to the 49th parallel. In 1872 the line was finally established.

Trivia Question # 2: What is the most northern school in the contiguous United States?

The Angle Inlet School is Minnesota’s last one-room public school. It is still in existence due to the many miles that separate it from its district. The district headquarters are in Warroad, Minnesota, 65 miles away.

Many children live on islands and some live on mainland where there are no roads. These students must travel to school each day by boat or snowmobile depending on the season.

The Angle Inlet School consists of grades Kgn-6th. Students work independently on their work in a family atmosphere. The older students get a built-in review while listening to the younger grades and the younger students’ interests are piqued when hearing older classes share their lessons. Besides all this, lower class size plays a big role in student success.

Trivia Question # 3: Why do people want to live in such an isolated area?

The Northwest Angle and Islands is a BEAUTIFUL place to be. There’s plenty of space to boat, water ski, hike, fish, canoe, snowmobile, cross-country ski, ice fish, and explore. You can even check out historic Ft. St. Charles or explore the Dawson Trail.