USDI - NPS Monument - Gettysburg, PA - U.S. Benchmarks on Waymarking.com

There is a sizable collection of these benchmarks about the park. I have found 6 and another waymarker has found 3. There is certainly more but they are unfound and given their age and condition I doubt there is an official list and location file available to know how many there are of these markers for sure. This marker and its concrete prism holder are camouflaged in a stone wall, used by Confederates as a shield or protection from Union fire and artillery.

This marker is on South Confederate Avenue. Some say West Confederate Avenue. It is definitely where one becomes the other. The benchmark is to the left of the McCarthys 1st Richmond Howitzers CS Battery Marker/Monument. The benchmark is on the left or west side if traveling south, opposite Biesecker Woods. The site is on the upper or northern part of the road or the 'handle' of S. Confederate Avenue. Further down or south it turns into a ladle like turn and then does it again, resembling a sine wave. Parking is tricky around here so exercise caution. Please do not park on the grass, park on the side of the road. I cannot emphasize that enough! You will be ticketed. I visited this monument on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 4:18 PM, just before the clocks were set ahead for the Spring. I was at a 600 foot ASL elevation.

The monument is in pretty good condition. It was probably installed when this battlefield gained official historic district status although the greening of the disc may indicate a much older benchmark. The marker simply reads USDI - NPS. These latters stand for U.S. Department of Interior - National Park Service. This is similar to the other markers I found. The third in the series actually has a numerical-letter designation so I do not know what the thinking was when these were surveyed and installed. There are slight variations in some of these things.

The posted coordinates are deadly accurate.

1. A closeup photo of the mark taken by you is required.
2. A 'distant' photo including the mark in the view is highly recommended. Include the compass direction you faced when you took the picture.