Haskell Free Library & Opera House
Traveler Resource Concert & Show Performance & Event Venue Opera House Performance Art Theatre Attraction Library 96 Caswell Ave, Derby Line, Vermont, 05830-5901, Estats Units
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Contact & Hours
96 Caswell Ave, Derby Line, VT 05830-5901
Opening Hours
- Tuesday: 09:00-17:00
- Wednesday: 09:00-17:00
- Thursday: 09:00-17:00
- Friday: 09:00-17:00
- Saturday: 09:00-14:00
- Sunday: Closed
- Monday: Closed
Nearby Attractions
Reviews (35)
A unique random thing
I couldn't wait to visit and show my wife this little piece of trivia I've long known about. Is it especially amazing unto itself, beyond being an amazing building with lovely spaces and staff? No. But it's one of a kind. We both enjoyed chatting with random visitors and taking photos on the U. S.-Canadian border both inside and outside the library. Why not??
Fun and unique place
A must-stop if you are on a road trip to Canada. Very informative tour by the staff and an impressive Opera house. No dining options nearby so plan accordingly. Fun for kids and adults.
No Tours on Tuesday!
We were visiting from Orlando, FL on a Tuesday. We were greeted at the door by a librarian who promptly said- they do not do tours on Tuesday but if we wanted to take a picture at the line to be quick about it.. So we didn't get to see the library or the Opera house. Perhaps you should mention this on your website. We made a special 3 hour trip to visit this place and left very disappointed. We did get the typical- One foot in the US & one foot in Canada photo though.
Great place to see a show
We saw Mama Mia there & was very good. Local actors put on a fine show. Kept us entertained at all times The building is a great architectural piece of history. LOTS of wonderful picture options. Stained glass, tin ceilings, tile floor & the wood moldings. Make sure to go when it's not a show to appreciate the building. The stage is in Canada & the rest is USA. Pretty cool! Kids would love the library downstairs
half in Canada, half in US
Friendly staff with books in English and French Lots of people taking selfies with one foot in one country, another in other country.
Funky Library: The Location Is the Big Draw
The border runs directly through the building. Great place for an Instagram. And the building itself has much charm. Helpful staff. Good toilets... and you have to cross through Canada a step to get there. There is not much to do in Derby Line, so make the most of it.
Incredible building!
This is a must see if in the area!! Not only is it unique for straddling the Canadian / US line, but the construction and all the detail in the building and Opera House are amazing!!! The Fellow that gave the tour was wonderful! Humorous, and full of the history and details of the family and construction.
One foot in Canada and one in The US
On our return drive home from Quebec, we decided to drive through Stanstead, partly because we were told that there was very little traffic at the border. We had heard about a wonderful library where the border passed through the middle. We parked on the Canadian side, walked past a border marker, and entered the library in Vermont. The quaint library has a black line de marking the border and two little flags signifying USA / Canada. It was a wonderful experience. The border crossing was also a wonderful experience, no delays and very pleasant officers.
Visit Canada without a passport
This wonderful historic library is divided between Canada and the United States - the border is a yellow line on the floor of the library so you may have one foot in Canada and the other one in the USA. The selection of books is outstanding and there are also tables of books for you to take home for a small free will offering which is wonderful for tourists visiting the area.
One of a kind
We were here yesterday as we crossed into Canada. The library is hardly a mile deviation from I-91 and keeps a low profile. The US Canada border line which passes through the library looks like a simple duck tape. Kids had a kick straddling on either side of the border. It was cool to watch patrons from both countries casually walking into the library.
Unique Experience!
While traveling from Vermont to Quebec while on vacation, we intentionally added a detour to include a stop to this little library sitting atop the Canada-US border. Entrance is from the Vermont side of the border, but you are afforded 2 opportunities to cross into Quebec while still inside the library - the front (children's books) room is in both the US and Canada and you must also cross the border to get to the circulation desk and remaining rooms. We spent probably about 20 minutes taking pictures of the line & and us straddling it ;) Also purchased a nice local history book while there. The library also had some local brochures as well. There are historical signs and of course a border monument outside along Church St / Rue Church which allow for additional photo ops. If you're a library fan, a fan of unique border points, or even of architecture, this is a must visit if you are in the area!
Beautiful Early 1900's Building
The beautiful old building sits on the line that separates Canada and Vermont and there is a black tape on the floor that indicates the separation between the two countries. The staff is accustomed to having visitors stop in and they were very friendly and most willing to answer questions about the building and the library. Being from the US my husband and I loved seeing a group of children's book written in French which had been set out on a shelf for the holidays. With some college French we were able to read through a couple of them!
Very very interesting area.... worth stopping if in area
I visited the Haskell Library on a cold, wet Monday in October. Although the library was was closed the spirit was evident. I've long been fascinated by the library's location on the border--and who knows how long it can continue. Be very careful not to inadvertently cross the border either way--security and surveillance is enhanced and a new US border station is under construction in Derby Line. Precisely where the border between Derby Line, VT and Quebec is often not obvious. A single street may have a small fence + gate, a painted line, a marker or even a row of flower pots marking the boundary, but precisely which is THE boundary is not clear. The circumstances allowing the construction of the Haskell Library directly atop a national boundary is from a bygone era--the towns are unique and quite an anomaly in this age.
À cheval sur la frontière
Si la ville ne présente pas un grand intérêt, la bibliothèque est un bel édifice qui possède la particularité d'être traversé par la frontière entre le Canada et les États-Unis. Faites le détour !
Disappointed
We wanted to see the Opera House but even though we were there on a Saturday we were told it was closed and we couldn't see it. We were surprised that a place that people clearly go out of their way to see wouldn't be willing to accomodate them by letting them actually see it!
One of the most unique experiences that you will ever have is sitting in the audience while the actors are on stage in Q
Be is a play, a concert or the Vermont Symphony everything offered at the Haskell Opera House is great... and the public library on the ground floor is worth coming early to see.
Fun
I was happily surprised to fine a library in the middle of the US & Canada. Plus bi-lingual in French & English. The staff we spoke with was Quebecoise (SP?) Great photo with Sam & I holding hands across the black tape that meet both counties.
Hands across the Border!
So, we wanted to give my son's girlfriend the opportunity to say she has been to Canada without the hassle of going through customs. This fit our need perfectly and was a delightful stop to boot! The library is truly lovely and we all would have enjoyed having enough time to really explore it's shelves of books. Better yet, we would have loved to see a show in the opera house, but that wasn't an option during the time we visited. That being said, we all thought that it was beyond neat that we could stand half in the U. S. and half in Canada by straddling the line that is in the library. Adding to that was the opportunity to stand outside, and walk around, the marker denoting the line between the two countries. It was interesting to note that the only thing separating the two countries was a row of large flower filled pots! Oh, and the border patrol agent who watched us walk back and forth between the 2 countries. I'm sure we would have had a problem if we had strayed further than the 15 feet or so to the Canadian border sign, but since we made sure to stay well within that we never had a problem! We all enjoyed this quick stop tremendously and certainly recommend it.
Inviting reading room, perfect for all ages!
For all the novelty of the building, it is easy to overlook the primary function of the building as a library. To our surprise and delight, it performed that function quite nicely. We visited for less than an hour as part of a driving tour of the Northeast Kingdom. The kids (ages 6 and under) immediately settled in for stories, completely oblivious to the black border line running through the middle of the reading room. There were also toy boxes with legos, trucks, and the like. They all wanted to stay past closing. A separate room had computer access accompanied by display cases with antique china. Add the ornate architecture and charming tourist interactions, and there was something here for everyone.
My feet are in Canada, but my mind is in the U. S
I have only gone to the Haskell Library once, but have been to the Opera House upstairs many times. When you walk into the theater, you notice a yellow line on the floor, running diagonally under the seats. This is the U. S. / Canada border. I enjoy grabbing a seat just behind the line so my feet wind up in Canada. You can legally walk back and forth across the line as long as you exit using the same door as that when you entered. Even if you arrive at midnight, there is a border marker on the left side of the building and you can stand in the U. S. and lean across the border. Before you get any other ideas, there is a security camera on the street. It's still fun.
Unique stop resting on the U. S. Canada Border
Our family stopped here on our way to Canada. The library is located on the U. S. Canada border. There is a black line running across the floor in the library to show you where the U. S. and Canada border runs. Even if you don't have a passport you can access this library. You can freely walk back and forth inside and out. However stay on the property. If you continue to walk into Canada and / or the U. S. there are security cameras and you risk being stopped by border patrol. Family friendly and a quick fun stop.
Stade de la sortie à gauche! _ Exit stage right!
We visited the opera house and caught a play. (The library was closed for the day by the time we arrived.) Yes, the setting is unique! There is a certain charm to having the national boundary line shown on the floor and being able to cross it time-and-again at will. The play was okay _ nothing to write home about but a nice night out. Be alerted! If driving there, GPS might inadvertently direct you across the border. (Make sure you input the address of the country you're arriving from.) If coming from the USA, it's easy to mistakenly cross into Canada. It's not so easy to get back!
2 country library
2nd time visiting. Library has both English and French books, magazines and newspapers as well as computers in both languages. Interesting to see a book in both languages.
Stand in two countries at once!
My family throughly enjoyed our visit to the library and opera house. My son loved that he could stand with one foot in the United States and one in Canada at the same time. There is a $5 per adult suggested donation. You can go on a guided tour, and learn the history of Haskell Free Library and Opera House. Fascinating! No passports are needed to visit, and tour. There are lines of the floors that mark the border. There is also a granite marker outside the library.
A must stop
A very interesting place as half of the building is in Vt and half in Quebec. Lots of history and book to buy. Building is made of granite and has lovely grounds to walk around and sit.
Laughter and music in a beautiful, historical setting
I arranged online for tickets to " Suds " at the Hacknell mainly because it was bargain-priced, but our group of four lifelong friends were all delighted with the performance and the venue. Ticket pick-up was easy and quick. Right from the opening scene, this promised to be a very special event. The music was all 50's and 60's rock and roll and the performers had the audience in stitches. There were some poignant moments, but the action was 99% fun and 100% pure entertainment. I would be delighted to attend other theater in this intimate and charming place.
A pleasant evening of theater
We attended the " Sound of Music " production and enjoyed a pleasant evening of entertainment in a beautiful facility with the unusual international feature. Seating is good for viewing but hard for sitting. Fortunately, cushions are available (50 cents). Sitting in America to watch a play in Canada is a fun story in itself. Tours of the Opera House are available most afternoons. The web site provides good information, including access rules from both countries. If attending a show, the only nearby dining on the U. S. side is the Derby Line Inn. A wonderful German / Austrian restaurant - reservations suggested on weekends.
Second verse, same as the first
Same wonderful place as the Quebec address. As I said, don't miss this charming bit of history and you don't need a passport to get in and out, although you will need one to come and go into Canada since 9 / 11
Love
Such a nice place, must visit if you are in Derby line. And Miss Nancy does a wonderful job for toddler time. If you are there on Thursday and / or Friday bring your kids for toddler time!
Unique
I recently visited this location. I love the fact you walk in the front door from the United States side, walk a few feet, then you are in Canada without going through customs, at least while you're in the building. The town is pretty awesome as well. Well worth the visit and I plan on visiting the area again very soon in the future.
Quaint
We went to say we'd been to Canada, but we got a really nice tour of the building. Calm. Interesting. Enjoyed it.
Historic landmark
This is in the Guinness World record book. Only building built on the border with Canada on purpose. Great place to browse.
The Library
Nowhere else in the world can one find a library whose door is in U. S, and whose books are in Canada.
good entertainment!
Go for the plays, quality at a lower price! I see the plays when we are at home, they are well presented. The building is on the USA Canada border!
We got good seats but we had to go to Canada to do it
For a live theater in a really small town with no big cities anywhere around, the Haskell presents some excellent plays. I'm not about to talk about any specific one, as by the time you read this, it will be long gone, but be aware, presentations here are first rate. The building is a magnificent piece of architecture. Quarried stone outside and age-polished wood inside. However, these efforts came to an abrupt end where seating is concerned. Mercifully, the seats are far enough apart to be comfortable, as anyone who has spent a performance in some of Boston's older theaters where a taller person often finds himself viewing the performance between his knees, can appreciate. However, the chairs themselves must have been left over from one of Torquemada's best effort. The staff does their best by renting cushions at fifty cents a performance. However, the local cognoscenti often bring their own… a wise move. The building intentionally sits astride the national border between Canada and the US. A line through the seating area lets people know in which country their hindquarters are resting. Mercifully, Homeland Security turns a blind eye to movement WITHIN the building. The same does not apply to movement outside and visitors should be careful to heed advice from the staff and the numerous signs. The Customs officials who occasionally park near the building are notable absent a sense of humor and there are hefty fines for those who violate the border. One thing I particular appreciate is that the theater follows the old custom of having the cast line the way out, giving play goers a chance to praise a particularly good performance or …. (well you can guess.)