Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing

The Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing connects the town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho with Creston, British Columbia on the Canada–US border. It can be reached by Idaho State Highway 1 on the American side and British Columbia Highway 21 in the Canadian side. It is open daily from 7:00am to 11:00pm.

Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing
Canadian Border Inspection Station at Rykerts, British Columbia
Location
Country	United States; Canada
Location	SH-1 / Hwy 21 US Port: 12222 Idaho Highway 1, Porthill, Idaho 83853 Canadian Port: 108 Highway 21, Creston, British Columbia V0B 1G2
Coordinates	48.999873°N 116.49956°W / 48.999873; -116.49956
Details
Opened	1883
US Phone	[phone]
Canadian Phone	1-800-461-9999 (calls within Canada) 1-204-983-3500 (calls outside of Canada)
Hours	7:00 AM-11:00 PM
Website http://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/porthill-id
U.S. Inspection Station – Porthill, Idaho
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP reference No.	14000252
Added to NRHP	May 22, 2014

History

Former US border station at Porthill, Idaho

This crossing was first established in 1883, when Canada directed John Charles Rykert to establish Customs and Immigration inspection operations at the border, primarily to inspect vessels crossing the border on the Kootenai River. Mr. Rykert purchased most of the land east of the Kootenay River, and the current Canadian border station is named for him. A branch of the Great Northern Railway of Canada was constructed on the eastern shore of the river, but it stopped operating in 1913. The rail grade was later converted into a highway between Creston, BC and Bonners Ferry, ID. Canada first built a roadway border inspection station in 1948. which was replaced in 1973 with the present facility.[1]

In 1967, the US replaced its depression-era brick border station with the current wooden structure. A redesign of the road system approaching the border enabled the new facility to be built in a different location, so the old border station remains nearby. In 2014, the old border station was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[2]

See also

• List of Canada–United States border crossings

References

1. "HISTORY OF CANADA CUSTOMS". Retrieved 26 January 2015.
2. "U.S. Inspection Station - Porthill, Idaho" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Program. Retrieved 27 December 2015.