Counting to 100: Seattle 52


The 49th Parallel Project

A multi-media artist's project by Gregor Turk (1992-1995)



   For 1,270 miles (2,043 km.) a section of the U.S./Canadian border is formed by the 49th parallel. A 20-foot (6 meter) wide clear-cut (or "vista ") demarcates the line along with with 912 survey markers. As the world's longest straight international boundary, this section of the border runs from the Lake of the Woods (Minnesota/Manitoba) to the waters of the Pacific (Washington/British Columbia). In 1992, I traveled by foot and bicycle along the course of this line. As a result of my travels, a substantial body of artwork and a documentary video were produced. Minnesota/ Manitoba border
Minnesota/Manitoba Border
Satellite Image
Montana/Alberta Border
   Sections of the 49th parallel are visable from space as shown in this NASA satellite image. Because of the differences in agricultural subsidies between the two nations, different land usage becomes apparent: pastures of grain on the U.S. side (bottom of diagonal line) and open range on the Canadian side.

Continental Divide
Montana/Alberta Border
   On the left is a view of the border looking east from the continental divide showing boundary marker #272. On the right is a view of the clearcut "vista." Vista
Montana/B.C. Border


Information on the 49th Parallel Project artwork  Counting to 100
Information on the 49th Parallel Project documentary video  Documentary Cover



Other Destinations:

Cloverleaf Home
Con/Text
Interstate 50
Urban Tablets
E-mail: intherealm@mindspring.com
All images © 1998 Gregor Turk