AW6973 - RICHMOND FT BEND CTHSE STATUE - Richmond, TX - U.S. Benchmarks on Waymarking.com

As described by the Coast and Geodetic Survey ("CGS") back in 1935:

"THIS STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE BASE OF THE STATUE OF JUSTICE ON THE FORT BEND COUNTY COURTHOUSE. THE COURTHOUSE IS A BUFF-COLORED BRICK BUILDING WITH A SILVER DOME AT THE CENTER OF THE TOP. ON TOP OF THE DOME IS A CUPOLA WITH A COLONNADE OF EIGHT COLUMNS. THE CUPOLA HAS A DOME TOP SURMOUNTED BY A STATUE OF JUSTICE. THERE IS A CLOCK ON EACH OF FOUR SIDES AT THE BASE OF THE CUPOLA. THERE IS A SMALL DOME WITH FINIAL AT THE TOP OF EACH CORNER OF THE BUILDING. THE STATUE IS ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND IS QUITE PROMINENT. THE BUILDING WAS ERECTED IN 1908. [...]"

The CGS description is pretty accurate, and so are the associated NGS Data Sheet's coordinates. This benchmark is actually hard to miss when in the general vicinity, as long as you don't get TOO close to the courthouse's clock tower in question (so that you can still spot the actual reference point, namely the BASE of the statue).

While the courthouse's statue is not that interesting from a "benchmark recovery" perspective, there's another NGS benchmark to be recovered at the courthouse's main entrance: AW4730 ("B 1212") -- it's a Vertical Control Mark.

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

AW6973 ***********************************************************************
AW6973 DESIGNATION - RICHMOND FT BEND CTHSE STATUE
AW6973 PID - AW6973
AW6973 STATE/COUNTY- TX/FORT BEND
AW6973 COUNTRY - US
AW6973 USGS QUAD - RICHMOND (1980)
AW6973
AW6973 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
AW6973 ______________________________________________________________________
AW6973* NAD 83(1993) POSITION- 29 34 53.82410(N) 095 45 42.10346(W) ADJUSTED
AW6973 ______________________________________________________________________
AW6973
AW6973 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By
AW6973 HISTORY - 1935 FIRST OBSERVED CGS
AW6973 HISTORY - 1952 GOOD CGS
AW6973 HISTORY - 19931204 GOOD USPSQD
AW6973 HISTORY - 19981009 GOOD USPSQD
AW6973 HISTORY - 20040323 GOOD USPSQD
AW6973 HISTORY - 20111230 GOOD GEOCAC

Condition: Mark found in good condition Designation: RICHMOND FT BEND CTHSE STATUE Benchmark Agency: U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey Monumentation type: other (not any of the below) Monumentation type (if other): (NGS data sheet does not state a specific monumentation type... but "CUPOLA" would probably be most appropriate) County: Fort Bend County USGS 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Name (optional): Richmond 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: AW6973 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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