For over 100 years, Canadians and Americans have shared the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. The Trump Administration is aggressively ending this harmony.
Established by the Haskell family in 1904 to serve both Canadians and Americans, the library and opera house are fantastic examples of the friendship and allegiance formed between the two countries since settling their differences in the War of 1812. Suddenly, access to the library is being limited. Canadians wishing to access the only door, located on the American side, are now being forced to deal with border controls. Come October, there will be no access at all.
The library is seeking assistance in raising funds to develop a Canadian entry:
The City of Stanstead and the Haskell Free Library and Opera House are calling on the public and media to stand with us against the U.S. government's unilateral decision to shut down the primary Canadian access point to this world-renowned, one-of-a-kind heritage landmark.
For over a century, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House has stood as a powerful symbol of unity and cross-border friendship—one of the only buildings in the world that quite literally connects two nations. This sudden closure not only limits off Canadian visitors from their shared history and threatens the very spirit of collaboration that has defined this institution for generations.
We refuse to let a border divide what history has built together. Join us to raise your voice and take action to protect this irreplaceable piece of our collective heritage.
Beyond the cultural and historical loss, this forced closure demands costly and unnecessary infrastructure overhauls to meet new border restrictions, placing an undue burden on both the library and the community it serves. These overhauls also need approval from both historical societies in both countries.
Previously:
• Watch how 7 people illegally crossed a US-Canada border by driving across a shared lawn
