USDI/NPS Benchmark (2 of 2) (Battery M, 1st N.Y. Light Artillery Monument) - Gettysburg, PA - U.S. Benchmarks on Waymarking.com

There are a sizable collection of these benchmarks about the park. I have found almost two dozen thus far. There are certainly more but they are yet unfound. Given their age, condition and anonymity (especially with the trio located here), I doubt there is an official list or spreadsheet available to know how many of these markers exist for sure. Like all the medallions, this marker rests in a concrete, prism-shaped monument, a few inches high & set into the ground. The monument is in pretty good condition except for a green patina which has plagued almost anything bronze installed from the early 20th century. 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 The letters stand for U.S. Department of Interior - National Park Service. Sometimes they are numbered but lately, most of the new ones I have been discovering are unnumbered. One of the monuments in this series actually has a numerical-letter designation so I do not know what the numerical thinking was when these were surveyed and installed. There are slight variations in some of these things.

Suffice to say, it is one he!! of a walk to get to this benchmark and the other two also located in the immediate area. This area is called Power's Hill and for some reason, there is no path or rail to get to it and consequently, it is a seldom visited and unknown area. The terrain is a 5. But in my quest to document all things Gettysburg, I had no choice but to inspect every square inch of this hill. Previous visits left me confounded as this area was closed. You will have to park at Granite Schoolhouse Lane at N 39° 48.297 W 77° 13.185. You'll see a rancher across the street owned by a licensed Park tour guide who assures me this is the only place to park to get up to Power's Hill. The benchmark is almost 600 feet due north of the parking spot and it is a nasty climb up and down. When you leave your vehicle, move north over the rugged terrain and you will come to the 77th New York Infantry Monument (MN360-B). Somehow, climb over the fieldstone retaining wall and move to the back of the monument and you will be able to discern an overgrown trail which continues to wind its way up north. Eventually, you'll come to the Battery A, Maryand Artillery Monument (MN359-A) and this is where the hill begins to go down. Finally, there will be a rock wall to climb over and in the corner of that rock wall is a tall, thin, plastic sign which marks the location of the first benchmark of the three to be found here. Continue moving down the hill and you will find this benchmark and the other one (oddly those two are only a few feet apart) at the Battery M, 1st New York Light Artillery Monument, near the artillery pieces. This waymark is located to the front of the right Napoleon Rifle, less than 2 feet from the right wheel (if facing northeast and the back of the rifle). I visited this benchmark on Monday, July 29 @ 3:29 PM, EDT & @ an altitude of 561 feet, ASL., 15 feet lower then the other benchmark up the hill. As always, I used my trusty and oft abused Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos.

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.