As described by the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey in 1872:
"STATION IS IN EASTERN PART OF STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS, HIDDEN IN THICK HEDGE OF PRIVET OR BOXWOOD BETWEEN AUSTIN LONGITUDE STATION (1911) AND IRON FENCE ALONG BRAZOS STREET. MARKED BY COPPER BOLT IN CENTER OF TOP OF MASSIVE MONUMENT BUILT OF LIMESTONE AND CAPPED WITH VERY HEAVY SLAB. AUSTIN LATITUDE STATION IS 369.6 FEET DUE S OF STATION. AUSTIN LONGITUDE STATION (1895) IS 14.5 FEET DUE N AUSTIN LONGITUDE STATION (1911) IS 4.303 METERS (14.12 FEET) N AND 11.707 METERS (38.41 FEET) W OF STATION."
The 1872 description is still a good reference for locating this station, even after more than a century since its monumentation... Two minor updates:
(1) The hedge is no longer there (and apparently was not there anymore since the mid-1930's)
(2) The references to an "AUSTIN LATITUDE STATION" station ~370ft south of here and another "AUSTIN LONGITUDE STATION (1895)" station close by are no longer applicable: those two benchmarks no longer exist. The reference to the "AUSTIN LONGITUDE STATION (1911)" *is* still correct, however; that particular station has its own waymarking.com entry: "
WWMNPK1" (BBM0627 - AUSTIN LONGITUDE STA).
The station's associated NGS Data Sheet's posted coordinates are very much in line with my own observations: the NGS reports the station at "N 30 16 26.89 W 097 44 20.22 " which was quite close to my personal readings -- as measured within 10' accuracy and 20+ reading averages: "N 30° 16.448 W 097° 44.338".
The station was recovered in good condition; see posted waymark's gallery images for BM close-up and setting details. Some additional pictures are also available on the
NGS website itself.
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Below are some additional facts, per the NGS database (with some editing for length): (
visit link)
BM0582 ***********************************************************************
BM0582 DESIGNATION - NORTH MERIDIAN
BM0582 PID - BM0582
BM0582 STATE/COUNTY- TX/TRAVIS
BM0582 COUNTRY - US
BM0582 USGS QUAD - AUSTIN EAST (1988)
BM0582
BM0582 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
BM0582 ______________________________________________________________________
BM0582* NAD 83(1986) POSITION- 30 16 26.89 (N) 097 44 20.22 (W) HD_HELD1
BM0582* NAVD 88 ORTHO HEIGHT - 166.204 (meters) 545.29 (feet) ADJUSTED
BM0582 ______________________________________________________________________
BM0582
BM0582_MARKER: B = BOLT
BM0582_SETTING: 36 = SET IN A MASSIVE STRUCTURE
BM0582_SP_SET: PIER
BM0582_STABILITY: B = PROBABLY HOLD POSITION/ELEVATION WELL
BM0582_SATELLITE: THE SITE LOCATION WAS REPORTED AS SUITABLE FOR
BM0582+SATELLITE: SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS - March 20, 2011
BM0582
BM0582 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By
BM0582 HISTORY - 1872 MONUMENTED COASUR
BM0582 HISTORY - 1935 GOOD CGS
BM0582 HISTORY - 1953 GOOD CGS
BM0582 HISTORY - 1983 GOOD USPSQD
BM0582 HISTORY - 1990 GOOD USPSQD
BM0582 HISTORY - 20020225 GOOD NGS
BM0582 HISTORY - 20021103 GOOD GEOCAC
BM0582 HISTORY - 20050226 GOOD USPSQD
BM0582 HISTORY - 20090331 GOOD GEOCAC
BM0582 HISTORY - 20110320 GOOD NGS