Northern-most point in the Contiguous US
Angle Inlet, Minnesota
The northernmost point is a geographic anomaly. It is the only point in the contiguous United States that lies north of the 49th Parallel. It is part of Minnesota but it is not connected to the rest of Minnesota by land. This 123 square mile section of land (which includes many islands as well) is only part of the United States due to an incorrect understanding of where the source of the Mississippi River was and a mistake made by the first mapmakers in the area.
The Northwest Angle in Minnesota became part of the United States due to a surveying error in 1783. The Treaty of Paris, that same year, used outdated maps of what is now northern Minnesota to establish the U.S. - Canada border. The maps, including the Mitchell Map by John Mitchell, incorrectly depicted Lake of the Woods as smaller and oval shaped, and didn't show the source of the Mississippi River. As a result, the treaty incorrectly stated that the NW Angle and the Lake of the Woods were next to the Mississippi headwaters. However, British explorers discovered in 1798 that the headwaters were actually farther south.
There are many sources to learn more about the Treaty of Paris (1783) negotiated mainly by Benjamin Franklin, which not only established the borders of our young nation but was also the treaty that ended the revolutionary war with Great Britian. The Department of State and National Archives are both excellent sites to expand your knowledge.
The marker you're at is in actuality not the most northern point, but the marker was placed close to the main marina for the convenience of visitors and residents alike and has been a source for a multitude of photo ops. There are a few geocaches in the NW Angle that are farther north of the marker just like its cousin in Key West, Florida, GC2C32, which is the most southern point that has a couple of caches farther south than it's marker.
In order to claim this virtual you must do one of the following.
Post a picture of yourself in front of the marker holding a sign with your geocaching name. NO Team Names. A photo of each cacher holding a sign with their name on their log is a must
If you are the bashful type (like me) you may post a picture in front of the marker holding a sign with your geocaching name and a geocaching article in the photo as well. Or as in the example below holding the sign in front of your face. This also must be posted with your found log. You must visit the site after the hidden date. No previous photos will be accepted.
Any logs not adhering to the above requirements will be deleted. You don't want that, it's a long drive back up here.
See Below Pictures For An Example
I
I prefer this type of photo on your log but will accept one like is shown below
If you drive to the North West Angle don't forget your passport - you will need it.
BTW, Did you know that this is the only county or parish in the United States that has four words in its name?
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.
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