Survey Says the Four Corners Area is Not Where You Think
Which Other Monuments Are in the Wrong Places?
The Four States of the Four Corners
Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico are the four states that all border one another in the legendary four corners area. At the very spot where the four corners of the states connect, the Four Corners Monument has been erected. This landmark is for many reasons a much sought after tourist location: not only does it show a historic landmark, but it also marks the only spot in the United States where four states actually connect.
The initial marking of this historic spot dates back to 1912, and it is not uncommon to see tourists - national as well as international - having their pictures taken on all fours, ostensibly with their hands and feet in each of the four states that make up the four corners area.
Survey Says: the Four Corners Area is not where you think it is
Today there is news that is bursting the bubble of all those who hoped to show off their body parts being located in Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico concurrently. Salt Lake City's Deseret News reports that the monument which should have been located at 37 degrees north latitude and 109 degrees west longitude is actually located at 36 59 56.31532 degrees north latitude and 109 02 42.62019 degrees west longitude.
The math bears out that this means that the Four Corners Monument is actually 2.5 miles away from the four corners area where the states in point of fact intersect. There are of course no plans to relocate this marker in order to put it in harmony with the much improved surveying methods of recent decades. Thus, when you go to visit the four corners area after today, you will still visit the monument, although you now know that it is not actually on the exact spot where the four states connect.
The Four Corners Area Monument is Not the Only Tourist Attraction in the Wrong Place
Take for example Vice Admiral Lord Nelson, made famous to Brits and tourists to the UK because of his bravery during the Battle of Trafalgar. He died after being felled on deck of the battle ship Victory, shot by a marksman from the opposing Redoubtable. The ship returned to England and the spot of his taking the bullet was duly marked for posterity. Yet in 2008 -- the Mirror reports -- it came to light that apparently the actual spot on which Lord Nelson received his fatal bullet was a good 25 feet to the right. The British Navy decided to move the memorial spot to adequately mark the authentic memorial spot.
Granted, there is a world of difference between 25 feet and 2.5 miles, but it does cause wonder just how many well known monuments and tourist attractions are really in the wrong place, and how many unsung spots are truly the venues where greatness happened but may now house a trash can or nothing at all.
Sources
http://www.navajonationparks.org/htm/fourcorners.htm; http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705298412,00.html?pg=1; http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/05/29/admiral-lord-nelson-death-spot-in-wrong-place-115875-20432985/
Published by Sylvia Cochran - Featured Contributor in Travel
Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing -- full-time -- since 2005. SEO-optimized Internet copy includes news analysis, political Op/Ed and parenting as well as a... View profile
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- The Four States of the Four Corners
- Survey Says: the Four Corners Area is not where you think it is
- The Four Corners Area Monument is Not the Only Tourist Attraction in the Wrong Place
12 Comments
Post a CommentLand Surveyors frequently deal with this situation in boundary surveys, the 'map dosn't match the field'.
The previous comment: "Monuments DEFINE the location of boundaries. Where the monument was supposed to be is irrelevant. The monument was set, so now it's the corner.", is based on a principal of the order of importance of conflicting boundary evidence: #1 Monuments (natural) #2 Monuments (artificial or man made)... Imagine the chaos if boundaries had to fit what the 'map' says!
Oh and lets not forget about the plates and and any earth commonalities play a role in land movement. Check your history bub. I have a parent that is a surveyor and even they know that info and also agree that this is a debatable dicussion.
Still Mr or Mrs Former Surveyor, your agreeing to the fact that the four corner IS NOT at the eact point of where the monument stands. This may just be because land can move (you should know what I'm talking about when it comes to sand storms nearing that area. I've been in one and I has been documented that land moves) and that the monument lay have been put in that particular spot for a reason. Either way, though with your little shpeill, you are still agreeing that the exact point of the for corners is still inconclusive and arguable. So picky you. Nothings ever as it is claimed. And I can bring up rather interesting information about the golden spike. BTW and FYI (or if you prefer 411) it's not uncommon knowledge about the actual position of the Greenwich meridian. Even before The Da Vinci Code was released, poeple still knew that fact. Aw :-( BURN!!!!!! So, take your high and mighty to the shallow end. It's just an article.
Don't you just love it when reporters write sensational articles when they don't know what the hell they are talking about.
The enabling legislation creating the State of Colorado says that the western boundary of the state is the 32nd meridian west of the Washington meridian. The Washington Meridian in 1868 was defined at the center of the small dome at the Old Naval Observatory. At the time they believed that to be 77° 2' 48" west of the Prime (Greenwich) meridian. Adding the two numbers the western boundary should be at 109° 2' 48". The latest coordinates for the Four Corners monument are 36 59 56.31570(N) and 109 02 42.62076(W) So, there is only a mismatch of less than 6" in longitude using the correct numbers. That is less than 180 meters. BTW, if the border were to be moved to the "correct" position, Colorado and New Mexico would gain land form Utah and Arizona.
Now consider that several things have changed since 1876. The actual position of the Greewich meridian
LOL pretty funny.
Monuments DEFINE the location of boundaries.
Where the monument was supposed to be is irrelevant. The monument was set, so now it's the corner.
what does this mean for the leagal property owners in all four states if the lines are off and you think you live in az and your not. what about the indian reservations all around the four corners.more or less land? state taxes ?
Does this mean the state line is off by 2.5 miles and Utah and Arizona stand to gain several hundred square miles from Colorado and New Mexico? Could be a can of worms.
Thank you all for stopping by and for commenting. Hmm...the ad that loaded when I checked the article was for Jewish menorahs.
It'll be interesting to see what else we find out about. GPS certainly is changing things. Thanks for the thought provoking article. By the way, a Real Age ad loaded when I viewed your article.