You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times?

   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #1  

Diggin It

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A new wrinkle to those stories.


"A farmer in Belgium inadvertently changed geography by moving his country's border with France. The farmer was driving a tractor and apparently got annoyed by a large stone blocking his path, BBC News reports. So, he slightly moved it.

Another person recently walking in the forest noticed the stone had been moved. The history enthusiast knew it wasn't just any stone — it was there to mark the boundary between the two countries.

The marker had moved about 7.5 feet, according BBC News, effectively giving Belgium more land.

"He made Belgium bigger and France smaller, it's not a good idea," David Lavaux, mayor of the Belgian village of Erquelinnes, told French TV channel TF1.

The move could cause a problem for private landowners — and neighboring countries, Lavaux said. But people in both Belgium and France had a good laugh over it.

"I was happy, my town was bigger," the mayor said, laughing. "But the mayor of Bousignies-sur-Roc didn't agree."

The mayor of a neighboring French village told La Voix du Nord "we should be able to avoid a new border war," BBC News reports.

France and Belgium share a 390-mile border, which was established under a 1820 treaty signed after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo five years earlier.

The stones were placed when the border was first decided in 1819.

Belgian authorities plan on simply contacting the farmer and asking him to return the stone – but if he doesn't, the Belgian foreign ministry could open a Franco-Belgian border commission, something that hasn't happened since 1930, according to BBC News. The farmer could also face criminal charges if he doesn't comply.

"If he shows good will, he won't have a problem, we will settle this issue amicably," Lavaux told Belgian news website Sudinfo.


 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #2  
My goodness. In today’s high tech society that is unexpected.

They are making the farmer replace the stone? Hopefully he remembers exactly where it should be placed!

MoKelly
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #3  
He moved a border marker, not a border.

Bruce
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #4  
He moved a border marker, not a border.

Bruce
That doesn't make as good of a story though. I'm curious how big the markers are. Those up on our border with Canada would take some effort to move.
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #5  
'In today’s high tech society' isn't the question, 'did he use a gas, diesel, or electric tractor to remove or replace the marker'? :unsure:
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #6  
Sometimes in my travels I find those places where 3 states meet. The most recent one last year.
20200731_102647.jpg
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #7  
He moved a border marker, not a border.

Bruce
Sometimes those treaties actually mention the border markers since GPS wasn't a thing and there wasn't a real way to denote borders other than land features, long/lat, or markers. So, the border is the marker.
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #8  
The photo in the BBC story made it look like it was about six inches square and a foot high.

I agree with @SgtSluggo; reading actual boundary descriptions can be pretty funny. Rivers are obvious points where the midpoint of the river moves after a flood.

All the best,

Peter
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #9  
The original meets-bounds survey of my property has bearing points off pine trees. Later surveys of adjoining properties established the corners with survey markers. Originally, my property was part of a homestead tract.
 
   / You know those property line marker stones that have been mentioned a few times? #10  
I have two concrete posts marking a front corner of my property. There's two because the line is diagonal across the corner. They are where the State Road easement meets the County Road. The one on the South boarder is the starting point for the survey on my deed. They're about one foot tall, square and come to a point on top. The rest are just rebar stakes. Or were--Those have probably disintegrated by now. But I know about where they are. I put the fences up 12" inside those stakes.
 

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