Idaho / Wyoming Border Benchmark - #139
Posted by: 
Chooch72
N 42° 59.778 W 111° 02.645
12T E 496406 N 4760404
Idaho / Wyoming Border Benchmark - Number 139 - Freedom, Wyoming, USA
Waymark Code: WM2B18
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 10/05/2007
Views: 41
I happened upon this benchmark by pure luck. I was Waymarking the Idaho / Wyoming / Caribou County borders when I noticed a shiny object in the middle of the road. Upon further inspection I found the benchmark pictured here.
This brass benchmark is in the middle of County Line Road located in Freedom, Wyoming. This benchmark physically depicts the state border between Idaho & Wyoming. In 2007, these benchmarks were placed based on old USGS information. I spoke with the gentlemen, Steve Scherbel, that placed this disk and he gave me quite an education.
This benchmark is located 139 mile from the southwest corner of Wyoming that borders Utah, hence the number 139. There should be one of these benchmarks for each mile up the Wyoming border. Now the education really begins:
The USA is broken up into a grid - think of an Excel spreadsheet - rows are called 'Townships' and columns are called 'Ranges'. Each Township is made up of 36 square miles, so a Township is madeup of 36 'Sections' - a Township can be made up of less than, but no more than 36 Sections - so a Section is equal to one (1) square mile.
On this benchmark, you note the 'S10' on the Idaho side - this denotes that this section of the border is in Section 10 of the Township it belongs to. On the Wyoming side we have an 'S28' which is Section 28 of the Township it belongs to. Really kind of cool once you know how it works.
I really enjoyed learning all of this and hope you enjoyed it to! Now get out there, take the picture and get this Waymark!!!
