Borders: Pennsylvania-Delaware

A border is an interesting phenomenon. The demarcation between two units is most often designed to keep something in, or something out. It is a human construction that divides two spaces. Yet, animals, plants, pollution and weather pay no attention to the attempts of people to keep things separate. We think of borders has geographical barriers that mark a transition from one place to another. But a border can be mental or psychological.

Sometimes geographic borders are so old that the transition through it has a minimal mental effect. The border between Pennsylvania and Delaware has become nearly meaningless in many ways, save for taxes and liquor laws. The border between the two states on Highway 41, near Hockessin, still has a concrete marker that appears to be decades old. Given that there is a big blue tourist sign that towers over the older sign, I suspect most motorists do not see this demarcation that dates from the early days of motoring.