Hazel Green in Grant County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Point Of Beginning
Photographed By Robert L Weber
1. Point Of Beginning Marker
Inscription.
The Point Of Beginning. . Late in 1831, when Wisconsin was still in Michigan Territory, Lucius Lyon, U. S. Commissioner on the survey of the northern boundary of the State of Illinois, set a post and erected a mound of earth 6 feet square at the base and 6 feet high, at a point 1/2 mile east of here to mark the intersection of that boundary and the 4th Principal Meridian. The Wisconsin public land surveys were begun here in 1832 and were completed "up north" in 1867. Lyon surveyed 16 townships in S. W. Wisconsin in 1832-33, which opened this Territory for settlement. In 1833 Michigan Territory honored this veteran surveyor by electing him their Delegate to Congress. The post and mound he erected at this point were obliterated by fence and power line construction long ago, but the point is now preserved by a new concrete surveyor's monument. Every section corner monument in the state; the boundaries of each county, city, village, township, farm and lot; the position of roads, lakes and streams, all were surveyed and mapped from this Point of Beginning.
Late in 1831, when Wisconsin was still in Michigan Territory, Lucius Lyon, U. S. Commissioner on the survey of the northern boundary of the State of Illinois, set a post and erected a mound of earth 6 feet square at the base and 6 feet high, at a point 1/2 mile east of here to mark the intersection of that boundary and the 4th Principal Meridian. The Wisconsin public land surveys were begun here in 1832 and were completed "up north" in 1867. Lyon surveyed 16 townships in S. W. Wisconsin in 1832-33, which opened this Territory for settlement. In 1833 Michigan Territory honored this veteran surveyor by electing him their Delegate to Congress. The post and mound he erected at this point were obliterated by fence and power line construction long ago, but the point is now preserved by a new concrete surveyor's monument. Every section corner monument in the state; the boundaries of each county, city, village, township, farm and lot; the position of roads, lakes and streams, all were surveyed and mapped from this Point of Beginning.
Erected 1979. (Marker Number 172.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Landmarks • Notable Places. In addition, it is included in the Wisconsin Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1831.
Location.
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42° 30.469′ N, 90° 26.193′ W. Marker is in Hazel Green, Wisconsin, in Grant County. Marker is on State Highway 80, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located just north of the Illinois state line. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hazel Green WI 53811, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regarding The Point Of Beginning. The "Point of Beginning" is the benchmark from which all lands in what would become Wisconsin were measured. With this benchmark in place, survey crews began laying out the first rectangular townships, each containing 36 one-mile square sections of 640 acres.
Photographed By Robert L Weber
2. Hard to find Point Of Beginning Marker
Photographed By Robert L Weber, August 15, 2009
3. NGS Benchmark
Actual benchmark. This benchmark is approximately 1/2 mile from the marker down an easy to travel dirt road. 42°30'25.86"N 90°25'36.20"W or N 42° 30.431 W 090° 25.603
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 12, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. This page has been viewed 2,279 times since then and 134 times this year. Last updated on December 16, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. Photos:1. submitted on December 12, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. 2. submitted on June 6, 2011, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. 3. submitted on December 18, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
