54' 40"

54/40 is a reference to a great Canadian band, but as a factoid I learnt last night is one of those bits of US-Canadian trivia that is worth a google search or two!

Long before Canada was born, in the 1840's there was a movement when President Polk was elected to figure out what to do with the "Oregon Territory". This vast swath of land covered both Oregon as we know today all the way up to Prince George.

When said President was elected his campaign was to annex this territory so that the border between British North America and the United States in the western part of the continent would be at 54' 40", rather than the eventual treaty that set the border at the 49th Parallel.

Phewph! To think Prince George, USA as a town might be a bit hard to imagine.

<gotta check my geography to make sure the 54th parallel is actually inclusive as far north as PG>