Although my parents were Americans, and lived in St. Vincent, Minnesota, I was born in Emerson, Manitoba. It was 1959, and at that time, Emerson was the closest medical facility; it also wasn't as unusual then, as it would be now, for people to go back and forth as a matter-of-fact daily act for shopping and other services. We were waved - yes, waved - through the borders, Canadian and American sides. People knew the locals that well.
Emerson has a bridge (may still have that bridge - I don't know since I haven't checked in over 30 years...) - the CPR railway bridge, that was not far from the Emerson Hospital where I was born. A large black truss bridge, it had a small walkway to the right, that had a puzzling sign to me: "Walk your horses, and keep to the right!" I asked Mom about it once, and she explained that the bridge once was used by buggies and early automobiles, and that the sign had been left as a quaint reminder of a time gone by. Even then, I thought that was pretty cool - I've always loved hearing about the past.
I found the photo used in this post of that same bridge when it was newly opened. In the dim image, you can still see that same sign...
Cool story, it is too bad that the border has become such an issue.
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