Connecticut River
Connecticut
The border between Massachusetts and Connecticut was drawn because of an argument over river tolls that nobody won.
In 1641 the settlement at Springfield broke away from the Hartford-based Connecticut Colony and threw in with Massachusetts Bay. Hartford kept a fort down at the river's mouth in Old Saybrook, and the remaining Connecticut towns decided Springfield's ships could pay a toll to sail past it. Springfield refused. No representation at the fort, no tax. Hartford would not budge either. So Massachusetts Bay hit back where it hurt and put a toll on Connecticut ships entering Boston Harbor. Connecticut lived on sea trade with Boston, and the tax on Springfield was dropped for good. Springfield stayed loyal to Boston anyway. That quarrel over shipping fees drew the first state line across the Connecticut River, and the line is still there.
This is the first of 3 parts. The rest runs about 2 minutes and is read to you as you drive past. Hear the whole piece.
Springfield allied with Boston nonetheless, drawing the first state border across the Connecticut River.
Written from Wikipedia, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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