ePub Walkin' the Line: A Journey from Past to Present Along the Mason-Dixon by Bill Ecenbarger in History

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. First-person research with real walkingBy James DennyWilliam Ecenbarger's "Walkin the Line" is the story of the famous surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon; who in the late Colonial period were recognized as top British experts in the field of geodesy. The two did much of their survey work with instruments by the stars; "star-gazers" as they came to be known. The two men were hired to survey and mark the boundary line that would once-and-for-all set the boundary between William Penn's grant (Pennsylvania); from that of Cecilius Calvert; the Second Lord Baltimore's grant; (Maryland). Delaware; once known as the "three lower counties" of Pennsylvania would gain its full identity as a separate and independent colony as a result of the Mason-Dixon survey.There was much more to this work than the classic east-west line that still separates Maryland on the south from Pennyslvania on the north. Some people may believe that the main east-west line was the only line surveyed and marked by the two surveyors. Actually; there is the cross-Del-Mar-Va Peninsula line; bounded at the geographical mid-point between the Delaware River and the Chesapeake Bay. This line separates Maryland on the south from Delaware on the north. There is the north-south line that separates Maryland on the west from Delaware on the east. There is the tangent line; a short stretch along the circumscribed 12-mile arc from the New Castle Courthouse. There is one more short north line that joins the classic Mason-Dixon east-west line. The three states of Maryland; Delaware and Pennsylvania meet at this exact point.In addition to these lines surveyed by Mason and Dixon; there is the main 12-mile circular line which which pre-existed the Mason-Dixon survey. Its point of origin was the cupola of the original New Castle; Delaware courthouse. This is the nation's only circular boundary. This line separates Delaware and Pennsylvania.Ecenbarger traces each of these lines and describes the survey techniques used to map them. He explains where subsequent and modern survey work found the lines to be only slightly off; emphasis on the word; slightly. The survey work done by Mason and Dixon in the 1760's was remarkably accurate; especially considering the difficulty of the work and the technology available at the time. He locates boundary stones found at each mile marker along with the crown stones at five-mile intervals; the latter with Calvert and Penn family crests inscribed on them. In his narrative; he often tells a story about each stone as he finds it.Included in his research are off-line junkets to surrounding towns or historic sites that figure into a larger narrative. There is a considerable emphasis on slavery since Maryland and Delaware were slave states up until the Civil War and Pennsylvania was not. "Crossing the line" was the difference between slavery and freedom for literally thousands of blacks in the antebellum period. When the Fugitive Slave Act was passed and signed into law in the 1850's; it made crossing the line into freedom an act of far less assurance; since slave-catchers could come into Pennsylvania with the law on their side to catch and return fugitive slaves. Such kidnappings were not limited to escaped slaves as sometimes; freemen or freed women would be captured with the idea of returning them to slavery via a slave sale or auction.I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The maps; photographs and Ecenbarger's level-of-detail information makes this a valuable work of American history; not simply a narrative of the survey work done by Mason and Dixon in the 18th century.Finally; Ecenbarger brings his narrative right up to the dawn of the 21st century. He delves into sensitive race relation issues that persist along the border; differences in political culture among the border states and how things evolved along the border throughout the 20th century. Five stars!8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Personalizes basic geographyBy Corinne H. SmithThe recent book "Drawing the Line" by Edwin Danson details the technicalities of the work done by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in marking the boundaries of Delaware; Maryland; and Pennsylvania in the 1760s. Nearly two and a half centuries after that land survey took place; William Ecenbarger travels along the famous border not only to reminisce about that task but also to document some of the lives that have lived there since. It's not a pristine picture. Race relations loom large in his findings. Reverse Underground Railroaders snatched free blacks from the North and sent them south during the 1800s. KKK activity seems to thrive along the line; even up through recent times. For whites who are under the impression that civil rights and equality were successfully achieved by blacks either after the Civil War or in the mid-1960s; the accounts relayed here may be disturbing to read. Jarring; but necessary. Black and white photos of people; buildings; and places add much to the text; and the map at the end of the book is a handy resource to consult. Though Ecenbarger seems to have a fascination with more of the negative stories than the positive (i.e.; while he mentions Mercersburg; Penna.; he doesn't note that PA's only president; James Buchanan; was born there); this book remains a real eye-opener to those of us who resided nearby and never knew the truth.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A delightful piece of stimulating literatureBy Efs DansonBill Ecenbarger's Walkin' the Line is a delightful stroll along the entire Mason-Dixon. Whether its dropping into a bar for a chat with the locals or reminiscing about some long past tragedy; Mr Ecenbarger employs his considerable journalistic skills to deliver to us the unique record of the historical perspective of Mason and Dixon extraordinary achievement. As a treatment of the Underground Railroad; by which slaves from the South ostensibly sought freedom; Walkin' the Line is essential reading.The book is an engrossing; often poignant; reminder of days gone by and of slowly changing attitudes towards race and culture. The conversations with the people he met during his journey are written in a lively and colourful style and fairly represent modern attitudes; feelings and symbolism for this; the most famous border in America and; probably; the world.Read it and enjoy a rare piece of honest and entertaining writing.