1885 Benchmark Found Today

[mloser]

After reading some older posts about old stations I looked up all the ones in my general area and tried to figure out which one(s) would be the best to find. There are some in the Philadelphia area, but they look like they might be gone, as well as having been recovered multiple times since they were set. I stumbled on Barry 1885, in Schuylkill County, PA, which was set in 1885 and not recovered since! I knew I would be heading that way to take my daughter to a sports camp, and today was the day. Rainy, foggy, miserable, but I wasn't skipping out on Barry! The walk up the mountain is simple, on a PA Dept of Forestry road, and I wasn't even trespassing (for a change).

I used my GPSr to get me near the mark, and then I thought I knew what I was doing, so I walked around looking at rock piles for about a half hour. Finally, since the coords are adjusted, I restarted the GPSr and let it guide me. Sure enough, when it started spazing out because it was at the coords, I looked down and there was the top of the monument!

What a great moment. I knelt down and looked at it, then touched it, to touch the history. Then, finally, I began photographing. There aren't many marks this old near me, especially ones that haven't been replaced by a disk (that takes a lot of the thrill out of it for me, to see a disk stamped 1893 1936--it means the original mark has been destroyed).

 

Edited to say "adjusted" instead of "scaled" as pointed out by YeOld below.

Edited July 18, 2004 by mloser

[+2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

The only thing that would have made your find better, would have been to find the upright bottle that was set underneath the monument! & having us with you. Now...you can go sit in the truck. (PM Spoo, he can explain it).

 

What a great find! Congrats!

 

John & Shirley

[mloser]

Trust me, I WANTED to see that bottle, but I didn't dare dig!

[+seventhings]

mloser -

 

Great find! Great photos - very well-documented. Well done.

 

7

[+YeOleImposter]

Finally, since the coords are scaled, I restarted the GPSr and let it guide me.

Oops, you mean the coordinates are 'adjusted' not 'scaled'

 

Cool find! There is 1 'chiselled stone' in my area. I have been within 10 feet of the coordinates - but it is 6" underground and 8 feet the other side of a 8' chain link fence on 'No Trespassing' RailRoad property

Edited July 19, 2004 by YeOleImposter

[mloser]

YeOld, yes that is what I meant! Did I type scaled? Check the posting again (wink).

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Great Find,I know the thrill.

Hey I Live in BARRY COUNTY.

 

BARRY COUNTY MO.

[+happycycler]

WOW!! mloser!! Way To Go!! Thank you for sharing your find with us via this forum.

[+Black Dog Trackers]

mloser -

 

Be sure to 'stake your claim' with your find over at the NGS site!

[mloser]

Black Dog,

I did that right after I logged it on GC!

[+ddnutzy]

That find is what benchmarking is all about. Once you get hooked on the old ones it's hard not to try to go after them. Get a metal detector because after a number of years there's quite a bit of leaves, moss, roots etc. covering them. I've found a couple of them 18 inches underground. Good luck on more great finds.

[mloser]

ddnutzy,

I agree-I want MORE now. That was the closest that hadn't been found in a while, and was even better because it had no recoveries at all. I felt in touch with the past when I found it. The thought that nobody had touched that marker since it was put in was a somewhat religious experience for me. I actually made a little noise when I saw the marker the first time and realized what it was, then touched it reverently.

As for a metal detector, I have thought about it, but it wouldn't have helped for this mark as it is stone.

 

Matt