This Is An Odd Unlisted Bm

[+Ka-Ching!]

Stumbled upon this marker while hiking in Huntley Meadows, located in Alexandria, VA.

 

 

The concrete post and the marker atop are located in the middle of a swamp! The marker reads "Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway US Right of Way", and the stamped letters 'S' and 'a'.

 

 

Additional image of environs.

 

I'm assuming the name refers to what is actually called the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which at its closest point passes 2 miles away from this marker. If not, the only other nearby highway it could refer to is Route 1, which is 1.4 miles away.

 

Some googling led me to an online National Park Service tour of the GW Highway which mentions a study of possible routes for the GW Memorial Parkway being performed by the Army Corps of Engineers around 1900.

 

I find it strange the marker is there. It's hard to believe a road would have been considered going through this area due to its swampy nature. Also, is it possible that this marker dates back to 1900?

 

Thought I'd share this odd one with you and hope someone could possibly explain why a highway right of way is out in the middle of nowhere in a swamp. I hesitate to publish the coordinates for it due to the fragile nature of the ecosystem where it is located. If anyone is particulary interested in knowing them, email me.

 

Thanks!

[+seventhings]

Ka-Ching!

 

Interesting thing you found there!

 

I suspect that there is someone at the National park Service who could confirm your theory - that this right-of-way marker is a leftover from an early planned route alternative. But (and just as likely), the original purpose and significance of this marker may be lost to history.

 

Although other members of this forum are much more familiar with early 20th Century marks, my sense is that it is not a pre-1900 mark. It just looks too, well, new. More likely, I think, it dates from the late 1920's or early 1930's when the plans for the GW Parkway (initially proposed as the Mt Vernon Memorial Highway)were finalized and the project got underway.

 

It also appears that the stamping may have different dates of origin. The "MT VERNON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY" part looks pretty old, but the "U.S. RIGHT OF WAY" appears to be newer and much less weathered. I propose an alternative theory: although the disk says it's a highway right-of-way marker (and it may have started out life as such), its present function may be to establish or mark some other boundary. Perhaps it marks the boundary of the NPS' responsibility since the land (or right-of-way) along the modern GW Parkway is, in fact, administered by the NPS as a national park (or something roughly equivalent thereto). Typical modern right-of-way markers are usually within a few hundred feet of the highway but, since the GW Parkway is itself considered to be a park, maybe its right-of-way are the NPS park boundaries.

 

In any event, it's a cool find and the kind of thing that benchmark hunters (as opposed to "normal" people) find interesting.

 

Were I you, I would not be reluctant to disclose the marker's exact location - as interesting as it is, it's not likely to start a stampede of pilgrims. It would be a very cool thing to Waymark. See the "Recovered US Benchmarks" sub-category at:

Recovered US Benchmarks

 

Good find, good hunting,

Will

[Z15]

maybe someone moved that there, flood or vandailism?

 

Only one was found?

Edited March 5, 2006 by Z15

[+Ka-Ching!]

maybe someone moved that there, flood or vandailism?

 

Only one was found?

 

That area is prone to flooding, but the marker is firmly planted and straight.

It probably will be the only one I'll find, as the surrounding area is deeper swamp area with high overgrowth of cattails.

[+Ka-Ching!]

 

It also appears that the stamping may have different dates of origin. The "MT VERNON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY" part looks pretty old, but the "U.S. RIGHT OF WAY" appears to be newer and much less weathered. I propose an alternative theory: although the disk says it's a highway right-of-way marker (and it may have started out life as such), its present function may be to establish or mark some other boundary.

 

Thanks for the insight Will! You may be on to something about the marker actually being a boundary for something else. It appears to be located somewhat near a boundary of the county park and a CG reservation, but not at it. Still a mystery!

 

It was fun to stumble upon it!

Edited March 5, 2006 by Ka-Ching!

[+BuckBrooke]

I'll add it to the agency list.