USGS
Bench Mark
"DW 5020"

ca. 1898

"Benchmark Station"

Jerry Penry
July 19, 2015

This iron post bench mark is located approximately 27 miles northwest of Rapid City along Nemo Road or about 18 miles southeast of Deadwood by road. The survey marker is unique in that the placement of it around 1897-98 also named a town "Benchmark" around the same time. A railroad siding with a station was at this location on the Black Hills & Fort Pierre Railway. The original notes from the USGS leveling crew, at the time they placed the bench mark, stated that a group of old log cabins were at this location. At this time the location did not yet have a name, but was rather only referred to as being 1.1 miles northwest of Greenwood.

The narrow gauge railroad between Bucks and Estes, a distance of 13.88 miles, was completed on October 1, 1898. This means the railroad was probably under construction at the time the survey marker was placed, but had not yet arrived at this location. In nearly every instance where USGS had placed a bench mark near a railroad, there was mention of the railroad and distances were measured to the tracks for a future reference to aid in finding the marker. Since the town's name made it onto the 1901 30-minute USGS quad sheet (surveyed in 1897-98), it seems almost certain that USGS personnel named the town. The town mainly served workers at the Lucky Strike Mine located about one mile to the west. This railroad came under the ownership of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in 1901.

Today, one house exists near this location, but there are no road signs or other indications that a town once existed here. Many historical maps, including the various issues of 7.5-minute USGS quad sheets and the Black Hills National Forest maps, show and name the town "Benchmark". About 400 yards north of the bench mark is a road that goes west which is aptly named "Benchmark Road".

Orville H. Southmayd surveyed the nearby north-south township line on October 15, 1903, and tied in the location of the railroad station in by angles from two different locations. On his plat he noted the location as being "Benchmark Station". The location is in the Northeast Quarter of Section 13, T3N, R4E of the BHM.

The last train through Benchmark occurred on March 20, 1930. The tracks were removed quickly with nearly all the rails removed by May of 1930. Nemo Road winds it ways through the canyon today and it seems nearly impossible that a railroad had once traversed through the same canyon. Very few signs of a grade remain where the railroad once existed.

Aerial view of the location. Benchmark Station was likely where the trees are now located by the bench mark.

Looking southeast toward the highway known as "Nemo Road".

Looking west.

The bench mark set ca. 1898 that had a town named for it.

Top view of DW 5020.

View from Nemo Road looking southwest toward the bench mark location as indicated by the red arrow.

Original USGS leveling notes do not name the town, but rather the location 1.1 miles from Greenwood.

The earliest USGS 30-minute Deadwood quad sheet of 1894 does not show the railroad or the town name.

The USGS 30-minute Deadwood quad sheet of 1901 (Surveyed 1897-98) shows the railroad and the town name.

The USGS 30-minute Deadwood quad sheet of 1916 shows the town name.
Note the elevation has now changed to 5022 due to a datum shift.

The General Land Office plat dated 1903 names "Benchmark Station" in Section 13.

The survey notes from 1903 that ties in the railroad station by angles from two locations.

The approx. location of the railroad station by angles from the township line.

Survey for Tam Johnson in June 1910 showing the railroad and station location.

The red line shows the approx. location of the former Black Hills & Fort Pierre Railway and the probable location of the station.

An early image of the railroad station at Benchmark. - Roger O'Keefe photo.

Railroad map from 1922 showing the location of Benchmark between Deadwood and Rapid City.

USGS 7.5-minute quad sheet of 1953 (Imprint year 1955).

USGS 7.5-minute quad sheet dated 1953 (Imprint year 1965).

USGS 7.5-minute quad sheet dated 1953 (Imprint year 1973).

USGS 7.5-minute quad sheet dated 1953 (Imprint year 1983).

USGS 7.5-minute quad sheet dated 1953 (Imprint year 1989).

USGS 7.5-minute quad sheet dated 1998 (Imprint year 2001).

USGS 7.5-minute quad sheet dated 2012.

Black Hills National Forest Map - 1988.

Another map showing the former town of "Benchmark".

A nearby road that goes west from the area is aptly named "Benchmark Road".

Other Deadwood Datum Bench Marks

© Jerry Penry 2015