Stumbled Across This One...

[+graveyard mom]

Ok, today while out at a historical site, I noticed a benchmark disk atop a hunk of concrete about 2 ft high. The disk was so scratched up that it was nearly impossible to see any numbers. And I've checked and I don't think there are supposed to be any in this area.

 

Now here is the deal-it was found in a reconstructed "Pioneer Village". Things in this village have supposedly been brought from all over the county. I recalled seeing this "hunk of concrete" in a library book about the village so I went back to check out what it had said(the bm was not visible in the photo in the book).

So here is what the books says:

 

Mile-post:

These turnpikes had a toll-gate every five miles which was accompanied by a gate-keeper's house. The traveller would arrive at one of these barricades and signal the keeper that he desired passage. A fee called pike-age was paid and he was permitted to proceed. A mile-post such as the one above appeared every mile along side the pike. These became well-known landmarks in the community and if you wished to meet someone at a given time the mention of a certain number mile-post was thoroughly understood.

 

...so this is what the disk on the mentioned "mile-post" looks like now:

 

 

I studied it as close as my eyes would let me for a few minute and could just not make out any numbers at all. Shame too, it would be nice to know where it came from so that one can obviously be marked as "gone"!!

 

At any rate, I thought it was a neat find!!

[+JoGPS]

I found that one to and after talking to the folks at the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Dept. they let me know it was moved there along with the other old and cool stuff there on display but did not know where it came from, they saw it as something neat and went with the vintage area …………… JOE

[evenfall]

An interesting thing about this station is that it looks much worse than average wear under the worst conditions, it may have been obliterated intentionally. Especially ugly for a Bench, mounted either vertically or horizontally. My guess it was vandalized at some point or other.

 

Though many USGS stations were submitted to the NGS for inclusion in the NSRS (National Spatial Reference System) most are not. The USGS does not have a public database, and they do not update or upgrade their field monument data in ways that the NGS does, so the likelihood of this mark being a part of a database than needs updated is hard to say. If anything, there may be a PID somewhere in the Database with a Not Found listed, and it will be forever.

 

Rob

[+graveyard mom]

Thanks Joe! I was just so shocked to see this one today-I mean actually seeing one that I hadn't been looking for!! I figured they had just moved it here from parts unknown in Rutherford County. I was really hoping that the book I found with it pictured would be more specific, but alas no luck.

No problem, it's still too cool!

 

Rob, it definitely looked like perhaps it was damaged purposefully so the numbers could not be read. Whether by the people who put it there in the 70s or someone else. Ah, yes, maybe someday if I find all the others in my county(haha-like that will happen!) but one I might guess that is it. Until then, I'll probably just put the pictures on my website somewhere!!

[ArtMan]

they let me know it was moved there along with the other old and cool stuff there on display but did not know where it came from

I hope there are better-informed individuals on staff there. If historic objects were assembled from disparate origins, the organization running this "pioneer village" certainly should have records indicating the source of their artifacts. If they don't, it suggests shocking disregard of their obligations as keepers of history.

 

-ArtMan-

[+graveyard mom]

they let me know it was moved there along with the other old and cool stuff there on display but did not know where it came from

I hope there are better-informed individuals on staff there. If historic objects were assembled from disparate origins, the organization running this "pioneer village" certainly should have records indicating the source of their artifacts. If they don't, it suggests shocking disregard of their obligations as keepers of history.

 

-ArtMan-

Well, I'm not sure about who was there at the time Joe was asking around-and I have to admit the only person I talked to there didn't know much-but they do have records for at least most of the things there. There is a reference book at our local library that tells the history of most of the buildings. The smaller things, like tractors and an ash-hopper and the afore-mentioned mile-post do not have specific info. I may have to do some talking to the person I know from the Historical Society!!

[Bill93]

I don't know about this organization, but most of the "pioneer village" places are put together by volunteers from all walks of life with no training in history or archeology. The idea of keeping a file of where stuff came from would astonish most of them. They are just happy if they know what the object is, or if there was an alleged link to a famous person.

[+JoGPS]

Monkeybrad had placed a cache in my honor within a 100 feet of the benchmark and we all spotted it right off beside the gate to the entrance to the village and did check GC.com and the NGS data base for one I had not found nearby but no luck. The benchmark was in a drill hole in the top of a free standing stone monument standing ( probably buried somewhere else ) about 30 inches tall and looked like it had been brought in and set there beside the gate. It look like someone had been using it for a firewood splitting block.

 

I regularly check placement for all caches placed in the Murfreesboro area for the parks dept and talk with them quite regularly and had them do the search for me of old time personnel and records what little there were.

 

It was a real hoot , Monkeybrad had placed the cache without permission, and later I had to explain to the parks dept where the cache was for them to OK the placement.

 

Only in Tennessee ………… JOE

 

Too Cool Cache

[+graveyard mom]

That's good to hear Joe, if you are in the Boro, I'm not far from you!

 

And I FOUND that cache just yesterday! I hope I don't give anything away by saying I am too short, and if my hubby hadn't been with me I would never had found it!!

 

I've just started working with the Historical Society on the new cemetery books that will be going to print in March. I may have to ask them about the benchmark on the courthouse too. I think I just read somewhere that wings were added in the 70s and it is possible that the one on the west side was covered up by that addition.

 

(btw-I just rewatched that Tennessee Crossroads from their wesite-tooo cool! )

[+JoGPS]

You are fine on the cache, its so small it hard for most folks to do, and I live in Nolensville

 

The benchmark is still on the court house, it is covered with plaster, had one of the maintenance people show me where it is but did not want to start chipping away with my little hammer, afraid of going to the poky for the night.

 

But here is one right down your alley and near by:

 

FD0605

 

And my all time greatest benchmark find

 

GC2163

 

............... JOE