This column originally appeared in the May 31, 2023, issue of the Barron News-Shield.
One of the great thrills in life is the thrill of discovery.
Perhaps it’s finding an agate or a tasty morel mushroom. It could be spotting a rare bird. It could be finding a great shirt on the thrift store rack or flipping through a milk crate of records and seeing a rare favorite.
Something I’ve always enjoyed stumbling upon are survey benchmarks. You’ve likely seen one. They are three-inch wide metal discs, often bronze, set in the ground by a County, state division or, more frequently, by the National Geodetic Survey. They typically display the elevation of that point above sea level. They’re commonly placed near bridges or at high points of elevation.
Highpoints are where I became familiar with benchmarks. When I was a teen, my dad developed a hobby of going to the highest point of elevation in a state or even a county. Over the years I’ve accompanied him to many of these highpoints, and at many of them we found a benchmark.
In recent years I’ve stumbled upon benchmarks along National Forest trails. I also discovered that benchmarking was a hobby in itself.
Just recently, I found that the National Geodetic Survey has interactive maps online of where benchmarks are located. When I pulled up the map, naturally, I looked first at where I was currently located—Barron. The closest benchmark to me was located near the Blueberry Line Coffee House, which is of course an old train depot.
The NGS website has detailed records of each benchmark. This one, QN0234, was placed in 1933 in the concrete base of a water tank along the railroad tracks.
In 1935, records stated “Recovered in good condition.”
And in 1980, “Recovered in good condition. Water tank has been removed, foundation remains.”
But then, in 2004, “Mark not found.”
That was a bit disheartening to read, but I wondered where the benchmark had been. I had to go look for myself.
How does one find a benchmark? The description for QN0234 is a bit dizzying to read.
“At Barron on the east side of the depot, on top south wall of well directly underneath railroad water tank, in the middle of the south pair of center supports for the tank, about 185 feet northeast of the east side of station, 20.5 feet north of north rail, 10.3 feet west of center south leg of east pair of supports to tank.”
So I went to the old depot and started walking east along the tracks. It seemed like a fool’s errand at first. I hoped that maybe I’d spot it, but I figured it was probably buried under ballast rocks.
Then I saw the concrete bases. The foundation for the water tank was still there.
“In the middle of the south pair of center supports for the tank.”
That was easy enough, but the area was covered in sandy dirt and weeds.
I didn’t come ready to dig. I was dressed business casual and shovel-less.
But, quite fittingly, there was an old railroad spike lying there. I picked it up and started digging, working from the side of the old well toward the railroad track.
After a couple minutes of loosening the dirt with the spike and brushing it aside with my feet, the benchmark disc suddenly appeared.
Clearly the last person to look for the benchmark, a DOT employee, didn’t look hard enough.
I went into Blueberry Line to celebrate with a beverage and a pastry and to grab a cup of water to clean off the benchmark.
Wording on the disc, from outside to inside is as follows: “U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Benchmark, Elev. 1114.853 feet above mean sea level, $250 fine or imprisonment for disturbing this mark, S 11, 1933.”
I wasn’t worried about the disturbance threat. I dug it up, but I certainly wasn’t going to take it with me.
The next day I shared my discovery on Facebook. I thought it was a cool thing and didn’t amount to much more than that.
But a friend of mine who is a surveyor saw my post and said that the DOT might be interested in my discovery.
He sent an email to somebody, and the same day I got an email back from a DOT official in Madison.
“Ryan- I appreciate you bringing this to our attention and thank you for taking the time to find this station. If you are interested, I can give you ‘credit’ for the recovery of this station.”
Credit? I had to laugh.
Turns out that the GPS coordinates given for QN0234 were not very exact, but rather 600 feet off, placing the mark on the other side of the depot. But the old wordy description was spot on.
I confirmed some information for the DOT guy and sent some photos.
What “credit” I’m getting exactly is still unclear to me, but apparently in the report submitted for the benchmark recovery my initials (RDU) will be listed under “Chief of Party.”
My friend, Dean, replied “Congratulations Party Chief Urban! This will look good on your resume.”
I won’t be quitting my day job, but I think I’ve found a new hobby. I’ve been browsing the NGS benchmark map, and there are some intriguing prospects for lost benchmarks that may not be truly lost.
Though I was warned by the DOT official “Regarding this becoming a hobby for you, yes, it is fun and frustrating at the same time. I can’t be responsible for time lost if you get bit by the recovery bug.”
Many are likely buried, destroyed or just gone.
By the way, if you want to see a good example of an old benchmark, I should advise that you don’t go poking around by the railroad tracks. Instead, go to the corner of Main and 7th Street in Cameron. On the northwest corner of the “Cornerstone” building is such a benchmark, also placed back in 1933.
Three other benchmarks were placed in Cameron in 1933 and 1934. It is unclear if these still exist, as they were not found in the DOT’s last search for them in 2004. One is near the intersection of two railroads. Another is near the intersection of the railroad and Hwy. SS. The third is where an old water tower used to be.
Are they truly gone? I have to say, I won’t be convinced that they are until I’ve had a look for myself.
URColumn #52 053123
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