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Roadpix - The MI-IN-OH "Tripoint"Hillsdale County, MI, Steuben County, INand Williams County, OH - September 23, 2006 On a recent roadtrip, I got to visit an interesting geographic location that's easy to find on a map, fairly easy to get to and actually visit in person... yet few actually go there. It's one of a small number of places in the United States where three different states come together, known as a tri-state area, or "tripoint" for short. In this case, the three states are Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. (See area map.)  From the area map, you can see that there is a road that runs north-south, straddling both the Indiana-Michigan and Indiana-Ohio state lines. The Indiana-Michigan stretch is called "N 1000 E", and it is a dirt road. Just a short distance north of the tripoint along this dirt road, you will find the stone marker you see here. The marker reads: "130 FEET SOUTH IS THE POINT WHERE INDIANA, MICHIGAN AND OHIO MEET. THIS MARKER WAS ERECTED BY HILLSDALE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 1977". A Monument... Somewhere?  Continue south toward the tripoint about roughly that 130 feet, and pavement begins. And... not only will you see blacktop but you may also see these markings, which were apparently spray-painted onto the road surface. 
Here is another view from the opposite side.Now you can see that the markings refer to a "monument". The up-arrows point back to the stone marker erected by Hillsdale County (shown above). The arrow pointing to the right is directed toward another marker, which you're about to see in the next set of pictures, below. Rest In Pieces 
Just off the roadway from the "monument" marking......is what you see here in this picture. Tragically, this official marker (or "monument") had been vandalized sometime around 2003. It's difficult to understand the motivation do something as senseless as this. But, if the painted markings are any indication, this monument is due to be replaced, very soon.  It's hard to make out in this picture, but the inscription originally read "INDIANA 20 FEET", meaning that's where the actual tripoint lies. In other words, this is not the actual tripoint itself, but a monument that directs one to the tripoint's true location.   Left: The Ohio side of the monument. Right: The Michigan side. The wording on each side faces it's respective state. The top of this monument had a line etched down the middle, marking the actual state boundary. 
Here is another view of the monument.From this vantage point (literally straddling the Michigan-Ohio border) the camera is looking west toward the monument. The Michigan-Ohio state line cuts directly through the center of the monument, with Ohio to the left and Michigan to the right. Indiana starts 20 feet beyond the monument... with it's line running both north and south along the road.  In the previous picture (above) you could see a green sign on a post, standing on the far side of the road. Here's the same sign, close-up: ...it shows Williams County Road 1, which is maintained by the northwesternmost county of Ohio. This is the paved portion of the road that runs due south of the MI-IH-OH tripoint, along the Indiana-Ohio line. Somewhat ironic is the fact that this Ohio county road sign was not erected in Ohio; it is physically standing upon Indiana soil. Finding The Actual Tripoint 
Now that we have found the MI-IN-OH Tripoint monument, and we know the monument is located 20 feet from the actual tripoint......where is the tripoint really located? Remember the spray-painted markings in the middle of the pavement? There was a circle among the arrow markings. Here... take a closer look.  Here's an even closer view of the metal plate embedded in the middle of the road. This is the actual point where Michigan, Indiana and Ohio come together. One Final Look Back 
This last picture is looking north toward the tripoint along Williams County Road 1.
The Indiana-Ohio state line runs roughly along the centerline of this road, so you are looking from just about 3 feet inside Ohio.Ahead, Michigan picks up Ohio's half of the roadway just as the pavement ends, and the road becomes "N 1000 E". Off in the distance to the right, you can just make out the large stone "130 Feet" marker that was erected by the Hillsdale County Historical Society. |
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