Understanding the Border Crossings Canada-USA

Many genealogists have asked me about the online border crossings on Ancestry. Some are confused about when the border crossing records begin. Others are bewildered at finding an ancestor who they know lived in border towns such as Windsor Ontario or neighbouring Detroit Michigan, in the set called St. Alban's (Vermont) Border Crossing Records. Why, they ask, would their ancestor cross at Vermont which would lead directly to Quebec!

These two questions are easily answered.

1. Border crossing records were not kept until 1895.


 ALWAYS READ THE DESCRIPTION OF AN ONLINE DATABASE

2. To find out what a database consists of, it is wise to read the description of the database before searching. 

For example one border crossing database on Ancestry is called St. Albans (Vermont) but by reading the description of the database, we see that it contains an index of aliens and citizens crossing into the U.S. from Canada via various ports of entry along the U.S.-Canadian border between 1895 and 1960. 

St. Albans Vermont set of border crossings - note the port of entry of Detroit

 From this we learn that it does not mean that everyone found in the database crossed at St. Albans. Researchers should scrutinize the image carefully as it will indicate the port of entry.


BORDER CROSSINGS CANADA TO USA

Ancestry has U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1895-1960 online. This database covers crossing into the U.S. from Canada via various ports of entry along the U.S.-Canadian border between 1895 and 1960. Specifically, this database covers the following ports and years:

Idaho

• Eastport, 1924-1954
• Porthill, 1923-1954

Maine

• Bangor, 1924-1952
• Calais, 1906-1952 (also includes a few arrivals from 1877 to 1905)
• Eastport, Fort Kent, Lubec, and Madawaska, 1906-1952 (also includes some departure records of U.S. citizens)
• Fort Fairfield, 1909-1953 (also includes a few arrivals at Easton, ME, Houlton, ME, Boston, MA, and Buffalo, NY and a few alien departures)
• Houlton, 1906-1952 (also includes some Indian admissions, ca. 1941-ca. 1953; “Records of Registry” documenting aliens’ previous arrivals for which no records could be found; Re-entry permits; persons admitted under the “Rule of Presumption” ; Land border departure records; War brides and their children)
• Jackman, 1909-1953
• Van Buren, 1906-1952
• Vanceboro, 1906-1952 (also includes a few arrivals from 1888 to 1905 and a few arrivals at Halifax, Nova Scotia and St. John, New Brunswick)

Minnesota

• International Falls, Baudette, Duluth, Mineral Center, Pigeon River, Pine Creek, Roseau, and Warroad, 1907-1952 (also includes some departure records of U.S. citizens)
• Noyes, 1917-1929

Montana

• Babb, 1928-1956
• Chief Mountain, Cut Bank, Del Bonita, Gateway, Great Falls, and Roosville, 1923-1956
• Sweet Grass, 1917-1954

New York

• Buffalo, Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Rochester, 1902-1954
• Hogansburg, Malone, Morristown, Nyando, Ogdensburg, Rooseveltown, Waddington, Alexandria Bay, Cape Vincent, Champlain, Clayton, Fort Covington, Moers, Rouses Point, Thousands Island Bridge, and Trout River, 1929-1956

North Dakota

• Northgate and St. John, 1910-1921
• Pembina and Walhalla, 1917-1929
• Portal, 1915-1921

Vermont

• Newport, 1906-1924
• St. Albans, 1895-1954

Washington

• Anacortes, 1924-1953
• Blaine, 1905-1956
• Danville, 1931-1956
• Ferry, 1917-1956
• Laurier and Marcus, 1923-1951
• Lynden, 1923-1952
• Metaline Falls, 1924-1954
• Northport, May 1923-1951
• Oroville, 1918-1954
• Port Angeles, 1929-1952
• Sumas, 1924-1956

BORDER CROSSINGS USA TO CANADA

Ancestry also has Border Crossings: From U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935 online. These records consist of border entry lists and Form 30 (individual entry forms).

Canadian Border Entry Ports:
Alberta

Coutts

Pinhorn

Twin Lakes

British Columbia

Aldergrove	Kereemeos	Osoyoos	Rossland
Anyox	Kingsgate	Pacific Highway	Rykerts
Bamfield	Ladner	Paterson	Similkameen
Bridesville	Ladysmith	Peardonville	Stewart
Carson	Midway	Penticton	Union Bay
Cascade	Mission	Phillips	Upper Sumas
Chilliwack	Myncaster	Port Simpson	Victoria
Douglas	Nanaimo	Powell River	Waneta
Grand Forks	Newgate	Prince Rupert	White Pass
Gateway	Ocean Falls	Roosville	White Rock
Huntingdon

Manitoba

Bannerman	Morden
Emerson	Mowbray
Haskett	Snowflake
Gretna	Sprague

Ontario

Amhertsburg	Cutler	Niagara Falls	Prescott
Aultsville	Depot Harbour	Ojibwa	Rainy River
Bath	Deseronto	Parry Sound	Rockport
Belleville	Erie Beach	Picton	Sarnia
Blind River	Fort Erie	Pigeon River Bridge	Sault Ste Marie
Bridgeburg	Fort Frances	Point Edward	Sombra
Brighton	Fort William	Port Arthur	Thessalon
Brockville	Gananoque	Port Burwell	Toronto
Bruce Mines	Goderich	Port Colborne	Trenton
Cobourg	Gore Bay	Port Dalhousie	Walkerville
Collingwood	Iroquois	Port Dover	Wallaceburg
Cornwall	Kingston	Port Hope	Walpole Island
Courtright	Little Current	Port Lambton	Windmill Point
Crystal Beach	Morrisburg	Port Stanley	Windsor
			Wolf Island

New Brunswick

Andover	Debec Junction	Grand Manan	North Head	St Stephen
Aroostook Junction	Edmundston	Green River	Richmond Road/Corner	Upper Mills
Centreville	Fair Haven	Letete	St Andrews	Welshpool
Connors	Fosterville	McAdam Junction	St Hilaire	Wilsons Beach
Clair	Grand Falls	Milltown	St Léonard	Woodstock

Nova Scotia

Clements Port

Liverpool

Port Hawkesbury

Sydney

Yarmouth

Quebec

Armstrong	Frelighsburg	Lacolle Junction	Stanhope
Athelstan	Georgeville	Magog	Stanstead Junction
Beebe Junction	Hemmingford	Mansonville	St Armand
Coaticook	Hereford	Megantic	St Johns
Comins Mills	Highwater	Noyan Junction	St Regis
Dundee	Huntingdon/St Agnes	Paquetteville

Saskatchewan

Big Muddy	North Portal	West Poplar River
East Poplar River	Northgate	Willow Creek
Marienthal	Radville	Wood Mountain

Yukon

Dawson

Forty Mile

Maine

Portland

Massachusetts

Boston

New York

Charlotte

Lewiston

Malone

Rochester

Rouses Point

Vermont

Alburg

St Albans