<P> In the 1858 Fraser gold rush, Point Roberts was briefly settled by prospectors from Victoria, BC, attempting to avoid tax collection . Their settlement was called Robert's Town and consisted of six wooden buildings, including a store and saloon, but lasted less than a year . </P> <P> In 1949, there was talk about Point Roberts seceding from the U.S. and joining Canada, but this never happened . In 1973, a drought caused the wells to run dry and created tensions between the U.S. and Canadian residents of Point Roberts . The Americans threatened to cut off the Canadian residents' water supply--and hung up signs saying "Canadians Go Home"--unless the Canadian municipality of Delta agreed to provide water . Eventually an arrangement was made, and an agreement signed on August 28, 1987 whereby the Point Roberts Water District would purchase raw water on an annual basis from the Greater Vancouver Water District . Delta Fire Department also provides assistance to the Point Roberts volunteer fire department when requested, and until 1988, BC Tel (now Telus) provided telephone service . </P> <P> Point Roberts is a U.S. exclave bordered by Canada and the waters of Boundary Bay . It is 22 miles (35 km) south of Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia . Point Roberts is part of the U.S. because it lies south of the 49th parallel, which constitutes the Canada--US border in that area . Other exclaves of this type include the U.S. state of Alaska, parts of Minnesota such as the Northwest Angle and Elm Point, Minnesota, and Province Point, Vermont . Alburgh, Vermont is also separated by land, but is reachable by highway bridge, from the rest of the United States . </P> <P> Point Roberts borders the municipality of Delta in British Columbia . Boundary Bay lies to the east of Point Roberts and the Strait of Georgia to the south and west . The U.S. portion of the peninsula is about 2 miles (3 km) from north to south and about 3 miles (5 km) from east to west . It has an area of 4.884 square miles (12.65 km). </P>

Why is point roberts not part of canada