This border crossing is located between the villages of Derby Line, Vermont and Stanstead, Quebec, both of which are developed up to the border. The two villages have a historically friendly relationship with one another, and there were several roads east of the U.S. 5-Quebec 143 crossing that once crossed the border, but have been barricaded since 2009. The cross-border relationship was cemented in part by the construction in 1904 of the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, which straddles the border and provides library services to both communities. The border itself is an east-west line, with a portion of the Tomifobia River running east-west just to its north. The bi-national nature of these two villages has always presented border security challenges, and in recent years local residents have been prohibited from moving freely from one side to the other. Prior to the September 11 attacks, anyone could enter the United States using any of the roads, as long as they then proceeded directly to the nearest port of entry to report. Since then however, cross-border travel between the villages on any road other than U.S. Route 5 or I-91 is strictly prohibited.