A century-old symbol of the U.S.–Canada friendship, the Haskell Free Library, loses its shared border entrance as Trump ends the cross-border arrangement.
In the quiet border town of Stanstead, Quebec, a century-old symbol of unity between Canada and the United States has become the latest casualty of deteriorating bilateral ties. President Donald Trump’s administration has ended Canadians’ direct access to the Haskell Free Library — a historic building straddling the two nations — citing concerns over “illicit cross-border activities.”
For more than 100 years, residents of Stanstead could walk freely through a door into Derby Line, Vermont, without passing through customs. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, built deliberately on the border, became a cherished emblem of trust and cooperation. But that open-door tradition officially ended this week, with workers constructing a new Canadian entrance to replace the original shared doorway.
“This decision caused a lot of anger on both sides,” said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the library’s board of trustees, standing on the black line inside the building that marks the U.S.–Canada boundary. “It’s the end of something.”
The shared access has been temporarily restricted before — after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and during the Covid-19 pandemic — but never permanently revoked. Trump’s move marks the first definitive closure of the arrangement since the library’s founding in 1904.
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The decision has reignited emotion and nostalgia in the twin towns. Derby Line resident Jonas Horsky said the change felt deeply personal. “We’ve always been united. We’ve always visited each other,” he said. “Now we carry our passports. It wasn’t like this before.”
For Canadians like Erica Masotto, who works at Stanstead College, the symbolism stings. “It’s strange entering through what used to be an emergency exit,” she said. “Why this sudden mistrust?”
The library’s closure to direct Canadian access comes amid growing tension between Washington and Ottawa. Trump’s recent comments about annexing Canada and a series of new tariffs have soured relations. Last week, he abruptly ended trade negotiations following an anti-tariff advertisement from Ontario’s provincial government.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by saying the relationship “will never be the same again,” acknowledging a deep rupture in economic and political trust.
Despite the political chill, some locals remain hopeful. “Maybe if the government changes, things will go back to normal,” said retiree Marc Samson.
Boudreau echoed that sentiment, saying the closure marks “a physical end” to an era — but not to the friendship that has long bound the two border communities together.
