Mystery Benchmark

[+MAG315]

A friend and I were searching for the "Rocky River Cache" near Chimney Rock, NC and came across a benchmark near the bend of a nearby river. There was a small disk atop a concrete post which read "Society of the Transfiguration." No other numbers or identification were noted. The location was 35.27.180 N and 82.17.229 W. Has anyone run across any other benchmarks like this before or have any further info?

 

Thanks,

 

MAG315

[+makaio]

I've located other private surveyor companies disks as well as county/city disks, but nothing like that. A google search for "Society of the Transfiguration" reveals they are a religous organization with ties across the U.S. and abroad. Maybe they had some sort of retreat there?

Some of the websites mention them dating back to the early 1900's - was the disk stamped with a date?

 

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[+MAG315]

No, there were no dates or other information on the disk. I too looked this up and got basically the same references to a certain religious organization that you did. Guess this one will remain a mystery.

[survey tech]

I would suspect that it may be a property corner. You may go to the county tax assessor's office and look at the tax maps and records to see if they now own, or ever did own, that property. Many people are unaware that both tax records and deed records, that are kept in county courthouses all across the country, are public information and must be made available for inspection upon request. Anyone can walk into any courthouse in the country and examine this information about any property owner or piece of property in the country. Such information is known as "open and notorious", meaning that the public is expected to freely access it and take note of it. The reason for this policy is to prevent deceitful or fraudulent land transactions from being secretly executed. It is even possible that you may find a deed or survey map, known as a plat, among the records, showing the point you found and the others marking the limits of the property. Remember, however, that while access to the information is free, access to the property is not. You may be found guilty of trespassing if you enter the property without permission.