B 15 M Mile Marker - Canton, MA
Posted by: 
NorStar
N 42° 10.568 W 071° 07.923
19T E 323912 N 4671532
This mile marker on Washington Street in Canton marks 15 miles to Boston along one of the old "Bay Roads" of Massachusetts.
Waymark Code: WMEWFP
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 07/14/2012
Views: 5
In Canton, along Washington Street and in front of St. Mary's Cemetery, is a mile marker that has on it:
"B 15 M"
The marker is located in front of St. Mary's Cemetery, by one of the entrances, and about 150 ft south of the intersection with Randolph Street. It sits between the sidewalk and the road - so close to the edge. The lettering faces the road.
According to a blog about Canton, this marker is along an old 'Bay Road,' a series of five old roads established by Massachsetts Bay Colony that ran from Boston out to various points in the colony. This one was laid out by selectmen of Dorchester (the territory before Canton split off) in 1700 and relaid in 1712, and extended to Taunton, serving the Taunton-Rehoboth area. Turnpikes in the mid 1800s, such as today's Route 138, replaced the earlier Bay Roads.
Mile markers existed along this Bay Road. Another one that survives today, mile marker 17, near the southern border of the town, has the year 1736 on it. A photo of another one, not currently existing, showed a date of 1774. This one does not have a year on it. If this stone is an original stone, then it probably dated back to colonial times. Since the date is so disparate, I decided not to list a date for this stone.
Every year, someone has volunteered to paint the mile stone letters. Thus, they all have a fresh white appearance!
Monumentation Type: Dressed stone
Monument Category: Pre-1900 Post Road Milepost
Accessible to general public: yes
Historical significance:
Marked the way along one of the Massachusetts Bay Roads, roads that predated turnpikes. This one starts at the split in Roxbury and went to Rehoboth/Taunton.
Monument Website: [Web Link]
County: Norfolk
USGS Quad: Norwood
Monumentation Type (if other): Not listed
Monument Category (if other): Not listed
Explain Non-Public access: Not listed
NGS PID: Not listed
Other Coordinates: Not Listed
Other Coordinates details: Not listed
Approximate date of monument: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
1. A closeup photo of the monument is required.
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2. A 'distant' photo including the monument in the view is highly recommended. Include the compass direction you faced when you took the picture.
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