Program

NYS Historic

Subject

Government

Location

218 Boston Corners Rd, Millerton, NY 12546, USA

Lat/Long

42.0524, -73.5205

Grant Recipient

Town of Ancram

In the settlement of the New York State and Massachusetts boundary, a portion of Massachusetts (known as Boston Corners) was isolated by a mountain range with the only access via New York State. This became a notable issue when John Morrissey and James “Yankee” Sullivan chose this location to fight a bare knuckle boxing match for the championship of United States in October 1853 due to the difficultly of policing the area. In 1855 the U.S. Congress passed, and the President signed, an act to cede this portion of Massachusetts to New York State.