Meridian Control?

[+solid-rock-seekers]

While completing the Pine Island Cache this evening in Manchester, NH, we happened to observe this "Meridian Control" marker. I've never seen anything like it before, and am wondering if anybody else knows what it is.

 

It appeared to be a "stake" of some sort driven down into the ground adjacent to a small stump. I didn't try to pull on it at all, so I have no idea how firmly embedded it was. It is quite small (the top is about the size of a quarter) as can be seen by its size relative to my eTrek GPS.

 

Please post if you have any idea what this might be!

 

Thanks,

--ken

 

[CallawayMT]

What you have found is a private survey or engineering firm's control monument. The name of the company is probably "Meridian".

 

It is what is called an RPC by our company (Red Plastic Cap); it is a cap which is driven onto a 1/2" or 5/8" rebar. It is local control for a project in the area, it may have a mate within viewing distance for conventional survey control; or it may have been driven in as a photo control monument in which it may or may not have any other control monument within viewing distance.

 

Hope this helps.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Scroll down to

MECHANICS

see: Meridian

 

PLSS New Hampshire

[CallawayMT]

If you would like any information on this control point here is a link to Meridian Land Services of Amherst, NH. Hillsborough, NH Land Surveyors

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Yes that is true but all plastic caps I have seen with the Surveyors Name was the name and the #.

 

Meridian Control is different than Meridian Land Services.

 

All Surveys of the PLSS use a CONTROL MERIDIAN.

If you look into it you will see the Meridian Control is for the Several State Surveys.

 

Meridian Control State Lines

 

More Meridian History

 

LOOKS LIKE THIS MERIDIAN IS:

71* 26.9?? Hard to tell in picture!

71* 27.000

Edited August 27, 2004 by GEO*Trailblazer 1

[+solid-rock-seekers]

CallawayMT and GEO*Trailblazer1,

 

Thanks so much for the excellent responses on the "Meridian Control" marker. I've learned a lot more about surveying and the history of it in the USA!

 

--ken

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

I put the coordinates in my National Geographic topo!.

It placed it near a east, north-south line of the State boundry,but have not found the new way to upload the BMP YET.

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

Plastic caps like the one found by Solid-Rock-Seekers come in many different colors and can be stamped however the setting surveyor or engineer wants them to be stamped. Some local jurisdictions require certain information to be shown on a set marker, such as a license number, if the marker is being used to define a legal point or line, but a name is not always required. If it is a point only to be used by the surveyor or engineer, it can be stamped with anything. While it is most common to find markers of this type stamped with a name and license number, a company name and purpose is also common. I routinely set control markers with similar plastic caps which are stamped only with our company initals and 'CONTROL PT'. MARK-IT Survey Markers and Monuments is one company that makes and stamps Plastic Survey Markers.

 

I would agree with CallawayMT that the marker found by Solid-Rock-Seekers is a control point set by an engineering firm called 'Meridian' or something similar, for two reasons: First, while these caps are relatively inexpensive, they are purchased in bulk - 100, 200, or 500 (or more) at a time. It wouldn't be cost efficient to make only one or two caps to put on the Merdian Line unless the entire State Meridian was to be marked. Second, usually when a line as important as a State Meridian is to be marked, even if by only one point, a more official looking mark, such as a brass disk would probably be set.

 

- Kewaneh

[+Colorado Papa]

I would agree with CallawayMT that the marker found by Solid-Rock-Seekers is a control point set by an engineering firm called 'Meridian' or something similar,

You are absolutally correct. A search of yellow pages in Manchester, NH listed Meridian Land Svc.