Benchmark?

[+breeset]

While walking in DC today my son noticed a benchmark. I went and looked at it and tried to remember the best I could since we did not have a camera or pencil and paper. It had a triangle on it and was dated 1970. It was cemented into the sidewalk on a bridge. When we got home we tried to look it up but could not find it. None of the benchmarks where on the bridge. We found some on both sides but none on the bridge. We also could not find any that new. The newest we could find was 1935. Any ideas as to what this really was? Next time we go down I will take a picture of it so I can post it.

[TillaMurphs]

Hi breeset,

 

It sounds like you might have found a triangulation station disk. Did it perhaps look similiar to this?

 

You did the right thing by looking up its location (on the bridge) when you got home and remembering the date. If there were no benchmarks on the bridge that were monumented in 1970 then the station mark that you found is probably one of the many thousands of benchmarks that are not in the geocaching.com database. Here is a link to a portion of the geocaching benchmarking FAQ that talks about marks that are not in the database: FAQ

 

If you could provide the coordinates, or the bridge name, we might be able to help. A photo would be great. Also, the disk might have a name on it (such as the “DOWNS” in the photo link above) – that would be helpful for tracking it down if you can’t get a photo.

 

If it is determined that the mark is not in the geocaching database, you always have the option of logging it on Waymarking.com.

 

Good luck! Don’t hesitate to ask questions. There is always someone here to help.

[+Lieblweb]

Go back to that spot an take the coordinates. You can search for benchmarks & waymarks by coordinates also.

 

It might also be listed as a on Waymarking.com

 

(oops, sorry for the repeated info)

Edited June 5, 2011 by Lieblweb

[foxtrot_xray]

While walking in DC today my son noticed a benchmark. I went and looked at it and tried to remember the best I could since we did not have a camera or pencil and paper. It had a triangle on it and was dated 1970. It was cemented into the sidewalk on a bridge. When we got home we tried to look it up but could not find it. None of the benchmarks where on the bridge. We found some on both sides but none on the bridge. We also could not find any that new. The newest we could find was 1935. Any ideas as to what this really was? Next time we go down I will take a picture of it so I can post it.

Which bridge? Where in DC? It's not a small space. If you were around the mall, there's a few on tops of overpasses under the National Mall that I'm aware of off-hand.

[DaveD]

Without other evidence, my best guess is that it's probably a METRO (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority - WMATA) disk. They've set a considerable amount of control to support the rail system and only a portion of it is in the NGS database.

[+breeset]

I have a photo but can not figure out how to upload it. I do not get the icon box that the help section shows.

 

The coordinates are

N 38 deg 52.808 min

W 077 deg 02.416 min

 

Looking at a map they seem to be closer to

N 38 deg 52.799 min

W 077 deg 02.409 min

 

It is on the Tidal Basin bridge and the disc reads

 

U.S. COAST & GEODETIC SURVEY TRIANGULATION STATION

FOR INFORMATION WRITE TO THE DIRECTOR WASHINGTON D.C.

$250 FINE OR IMPRISONMENT FOR DISTURBING THIS MARK

TRAVERSE STATION GATE 2 1970

 

In the center of the disc is a triangle with a dot in the middle.

[CallawayMT]

I have a photo but can not figure out how to upload it. I do not get the icon box that the help section shows.

 

The coordinates are

N 38 deg 52.808 min

W 077 deg 02.416 min

 

Looking at a map they seem to be closer to

N 38 deg 52.799 min

W 077 deg 02.409 min

 

It is on the Tidal Basin bridge and the disc reads

 

U.S. COAST & GEODETIC SURVEY TRIANGULATION STATION

FOR INFORMATION WRITE TO THE DIRECTOR WASHINGTON D.C.

$250 FINE OR IMPRISONMENT FOR DISTURBING THIS MARK

TRAVERSE STATION GATE 2 1970

 

In the center of the disc is a triangle with a dot in the middle.

You found PID HV2004

GATE 2

Kurt