U. S. Coast & Geodetic Survey
Bench Mark

"J"
1899

Jerry Penry
November 5, 2005

Approximately halfway between the small town of Ayr and the large city of Hastings was a location along the Burlington Railroad known as "Brickton". At the time of the placement of the bench mark in 1899, there was at least one side track and several buildings including a grain elevator. The bench mark was said to have been placed 100 meters south of the elevator. No traces remain today of the side track or any of the buildings at Brickton. This old marker was found by Nebraska surveyor Gene Thomsen after doing some fine detective work to determine where it was hidden.

Fallen trees, brush, and leaves had obscurred this bench mark from sight for many years.

The cleaned top surface of Bench Mark "J".

A nearby monument along the road tells the story of early Brickton, Nebraska.

The original description for the bench mark by USC&GS surveyors in 1899.

Back to Original USC&GS Bench Marks

© Jerry Penry 2010