U. S. Geological Survey
Township Corner
T 2-3N, R4-5E, BHMBlack Hills, South Dakota
November 13, 1897
A. L. Coleman - U. S. Surveyor for USGS
The U. S. Geological Survey established township, section, and quarter section corners only in a few locations. Two known areas are parts of Oklahoma (Indian Territory) and in a region of the Black Hills of South Dakota. At the township corners they placed 3.5-inch diameter iron posts with 3.75-inch diameter bronze caps. At the time, USGS did not have special monuments for PLSS corners so they used monuments that were also being used for bench marks. The township corners where the iron pipes were placed have the words "Bench Mark" on them, but most were probably never leveled to for the establishment of elevations. Between the township corners and in the interior of the townships, USGS placed marked stones just like the GLO was doing.The USGS iron post township corners are rare because they were infrequently established and because they preceded the placement of iron markers by the GLO by almost a decade. The work by USGS in doing the PLSS type of work can be regarded as excellent since they were a government agency with a goal of doing things correctly. The GLO work during the same era in the 1890's was generally done by private contractors who were working to make a profit and always looking for quicker methods to accomplish the work.
Location of the Township Corner at the NE Corner of Sec. 1, T2N, R4E.
Unfortunately, many areas of the Black Hills have seen logging operations where the USGS corners were not marked prior to equipment moving into the area. The monument shown on this page was most likely damaged by a stump grinder. The operator apparently thought the iron post was a stump. The damage done to the 1/4-inch thick steel pipe was so destructive that it shredded parts of the pipe and destroyed the cap.This monument was originally found on April 25, 2015, with the use of a metal locator. A non-ferrous metal detector was also used to recover part of the bronze cap. Pieces of the pipe were found up to 25 feet away from the remaining vertical portion found in the ground. One of the original bearing trees from 1897 was still standing, but has been dead for quite a long time. A piece of the tree lying on the ground revealed the original scribing from November 13, 1897.
Enough evidence was found to remonument the position of this corner. Approximately 34" of the original 48" USGS pipe was found. The lower 23" of this pipe was still straight which was used for the position of the new monument. The remonumentation was done on July 19, 2015, by using part of the original USGS pipe for the lower monument and also a establishing a new aluminum survey marker for the surface monument.
April 25, 2015
(Discovery Date)
The arrows point to the remaining portion of the USGS township corner and to the remaining bearing tree. Both established in 1897.
Searching for pieces of the iron pipe and for the bronze cap.
Recovered pieces of the iron pipe and the top half of the bronze cap (far left).
The top of the pipe showing the rivets that attached the bronze cap.
The recovered portion of the bronze cap and pieces of the pipe.
The remaining portion of the 3.5-inch iron pipe in the ground.
Top portion of the recovered 1897 bronze cap.
The underside of the same cap.
The remaining bearing tree from 1897. The arrow points to the piece where the scribing was found.
Scribing found on the piece of wood lying next to the bearing tree.
The text of the scribing. T2N R4E S1 BT
Chalk outlining the scribing from 1897. Note the small "US" in a separate area.
July 19, 2015
(Remonumentation Date)
The top of the USGS 1897 pipe three months after it was discovered.
Excavating the damaged pipe to determine the true position.
Tie nails (indicated by red arrows) serve as reference nails to reset the monument.
The pipe out of the ground for the first time in nearly 118 years.
The bottom flared end of the pipe.
Cutting off the lower 12" of the original pipe to reuse for a lower monument.
The lower monument ready to be reset into the hole.
The pipe back in the hole for the lower monument.
Concrete in the lower monument pipe.
A stamped and center punched brass marker defines the exact position of the lower monument.
The new surface monument. A concrete filled aluminum pipe with rebar inside.
The bottom of the new surface monument.
The total station centered over the lower monument to align the surface monument.
Also for determining the angles to the new bearing trees.
The surface monument just before backfilling.
Bearing tree to the Northeast. T3N R5E S31 BT
Bearing tree to the Southeast. T2N R5E S6 BT
Bearing tree to the Southwest. T2N R4E S1 BT
Bearing tree to the Northwest. T3N R4E S36 BT
Looking Southwest toward the original bearing tree and the new one.
Stamping the bearing tree signs.
Rock mound placed on the south side of the corner monument
Rock mound and new corner monument. Looking southwest.
Top of the new cap.
South side of the cap giving credit to the original surveyor A. L. Coleman and the date he established the corner.
Looking north over the finished monument and showing bearing trees to the Northwest and Northeast.
An old marker sign on the nearest trail about 150 yards east of the corner.
Closeup of the sign. Top lettering indicates the corner is 6 chains to the West.
CERTIFIED LAND CORNER RECORD
(Front)
(Back)
© Jerry Penry 2015
