The Town of Christiansburg has installed a blue line of thermo plastic across West Main Street to mark the approximate location of the Eastern Continental Divide and 1763 Proclamation Line.
The line divides water flowing east to the Atlantic Ocean - via the Roanoke River basin - from water flowing west to the Gulf of Mexico - via the New, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
The Eastern Continental Divide is also a historic landmark in Christiansburg. In October 1763, by Royal Proclamation, King George III forbade Virginians to settle west of this line. Virginians considered the taking up of western land as their natural right. Shutting off access to this land was a provocation that accelerated the building momentum in Virginia for the coming American Revolution.
The blue marker on the roadway - near Citgo and Route 8 Donuts - is offset approximately 430 feet from the actual location where the Eastern Continental Divide crosses so that the striping does not interfere with limited access traffic or traffic signals. This map shows where the marker has been installed, along with all the locations where the Eastern Continental Divide crosses within the Town of Christiansburg and how it divides the flow of water.
The blue marker on West Main Street is accompanied by a sign with a brochure holder so that passersby can pick up a flyer and learn more about the Eastern Continental Divide and 1763 Proclamation Line.