BQ0406 - MCDONALD OBSERVATORY - Mount Locke, TX - U.S. Benchmarks on Waymarking.com

As described by the CGS back in 1942:

"THIS INTERSECTION STATION IS 26 MILES, AIR LINE, N OF MARFA, AND 10 MILES, AIR LINE, NW OF FORT DAVIS, ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF A MOUNTAIN, 1.5 MILES BY ROAD N OF STATE HIGHWAY 118. IT CAN BE REACHED FROM FORT DAVIS BY FOLLOWING THE SIGNS MC DONALD OBSERVATORY ON STATE HIGHWAY 118. THE POINT SELECTED WAS THE CENTER OF THE OBSERVATORY DOME, TANGENTS BEING SHOT WHEN THE DOME WAS TOO LARGE FOR CENTERING IN THE TELESCOPE. THE DOME IS 76 FEET HIGH AND 65.5 FEET IN DIAMETER (OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS). IT IS ALUMINUM COLORED AND HIGHLY VISIBLE FROM 40 OR 50 MILES WHEN UNOBSTRUCTED BY HIGHER MOUNTAINS. THE DOME HOUSES AN 82-INCH REFLECTOR TELESCOPE, THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING."

While the observatory's dome/benchmark is interesting to behold unto itself, four more"traditional" NGS benchmarks can be found near its main southern entrance:

* BQ0296 - "MCDONALD RM 1" --> (visit link)
* BQ0297 - "MCDONALD RM 2" --> (visit link)
* BQ0298 - "MCDONALD RM 3" --> (visit link)

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Below are some additional facts on the NGS "dome" benchmark in question, per the NGS database (with some editing for length): (visit link)

BQ0406 ***********************************************************************
BQ0406 DESIGNATION - MCDONALD OBSERVATORY
BQ0406 PID - BQ0406
BQ0406 STATE/COUNTY- TX/JEFF DAVIS
BQ0406 COUNTRY - US
BQ0406 USGS QUAD - MOUNT LOCKE (1978)
BQ0406
BQ0406 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
BQ0406 ______________________________________________________________________
BQ0406* NAD 83(1993) POSITION- 30 40 17.52620(N) 104 01 22.02901(W) ADJUSTED
BQ0406* NAVD 88 ORTHO HEIGHT - **(meters) **(feet)
BQ0406 ______________________________________________________________________
BQ0406_U.S. NATIONAL GRID SPATIAL ADDRESS: 13REP9361193607(NAD 83)
BQ0406
BQ0406_MARKER: 87 = DOME
BQ0406_SATELLITE: THE SITE LOCATION WAS REPORTED AS SUITABLE FOR
BQ0406+SATELLITE: SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS - August 19, 2010
BQ0406
BQ0406 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By
BQ0406 HISTORY - 1942 FIRST OBSERVED CGS
BQ0406 HISTORY - 1958 GOOD AMS
BQ0406 HISTORY - 1988 GOOD USPSQD
BQ0406 HISTORY - 19961007 GOOD USPSQD
BQ0406 HISTORY - 20030322 GOOD USPSQD
BQ0406 HISTORY - 20100806 GOOD GEOCAC
BQ0406 HISTORY - 20100819 GOOD GEOCAC

Condition: Mark found in good condition Designation: MCDONALD OBSERVATORY Benchmark Agency: U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Monumentation type: other (not any of the below) Monumentation type (if other): Dome County: Jeff Davis County USGS 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Name (optional): Marfa Find type: Coordinates and/or to-reach information from the NGS database (or Geocaching's copy of it) were used Web address of this benchmark's datasheet (optional): [Web Link] NGS PID: BQ0406 Benchmark Agency (if other): Not listed Special category (optional): Not listed Special Category (if other): Not listed Local database's URL (optional): Not listed

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