Ohio - Michigan Boundary Line; Lake Erie.

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Whereas, Uncertainty has existed concerning the boundary between the states of Ohio and Michigan in Lake Erie, due to the omission of this portion of the boundary on some maps and its incorrect position on others; and

Whereas, The easterly terminal monument of the Ohio-Michigan land-boundary line set in 1817 by Andrew Harris has disappeared, due to the washing away of North Cape at the place where the monument originally stood; and

Whereas, The earliest United States lake survey charts of the region show that the aforesaid terminal monument was at or near the intersection of the land-line between the two states and a line drawn south forty-five degrees west (S 45° W) through the center of Turtle island which is located at latitude 41° 45' 08.8" and longitude 83° 23' 28.8" according to primary triangulation of the United States lake survey published in 1882; and

Whereas, The center part of the island was preserved by a circular concrete sea wall about 190 feet in diameter by the U.S. lighthouse service, which wall is still standing; now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the boundary line between the states of Ohio and Michigan in Lake Erie shall be a line passing through the center of the aforesaid circular wall and bearing south forty-five degrees west (S 45° W) therefrom until it shall intersect the land-line between the two states as marked and monumented by them in 1915; and that from the aforesaid center of the circular wall the boundary in Lake Erie shall extend north forty-five degrees east (N 45° E) until it shall intersect the international boundary between the United States and Canada, it being understood that all bearings herein referred to shall be measured from a true meridian through the center of the aforesaid circular wall on Turtle island.

History: 1945, S.C.R. 15, Eff. Mar. 26, 1945 ;-- CL 1948, 2.321


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