If you've ever traveled the New York State Thruway between Rochester and Syracuse you've crossed an historic survey line you've likely never heard of called the Preemption Line. That line continues to divide New York State in surprising ways.

The Preemption Line

The Preemption Line was first drawn in 1786 to resolve land claims between the colonies of New York, Massachusetts and Native American tribes.

The line is drawn from Sodus Bay on Lake Ontario, just west of Geneva and Seneca Lake down to the New York-Pennsylvania border.

Surprising Ways the Line Affects New York Today

It sounds strange that a line drawn at the dawn of the founding of the United States could impact life in New York State today. An eagle-eyed reddit user found that the preemption line is nearly identical to a line that divides the fan bases of the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants. This line is also equal to the soda/pop divide.

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