Farmington Hills in Oakland County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk

Photographed By Joel Seewald, March 20, 2021

1. Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk — east face

Inscription.

Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk. . , [East face] , Surveyors exhibited courage, determination, integrity, and ingenuity in the heroic feat of measuring Michigan from 1815 - 1853. Their work resulted in global implementation of innovative methods of land measurement and ownership. The history of the surveying of the base line reveals the collision of four contrasting concepts of property: Native American, European Aristocratic, Colonial American, and Jeffersonian. From this emerged a new, uniquely American set of principles which profoundly shared our landscape laws and way of life. , , Native American , No tribe has the right to sell, even to each other, much less to strangers. Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the Great Sea, as well as the Earth? Didn't the Great Spirit make them all for the use of his children? , Tecumseh , , This obelisk is the second of a series to be aligned near Michigan's base line. , 2005 , , Coasting the Base Line , Artist David Barr , Lettered and installed by Inch Memorials , , European Aristocratic [north face] , Metes and Bounds , Ownership by heads of state to be our Royal will and pleasure. , , Colonial American [west face]. , Metes and bounds ownership by Imperial decree , "Not more than one acre in a hundred or perhaps in a thousand could be cultivated." Edward Tiffin in 1815 report on Michigan's survey. , , "Surveyors create boundaries. People create community." , David Londau , Farmington Area Arts Commission , , N 42° 26' 25" , W 83° 23' 50" , , [South face] , Arthur Power , (Quaker) , First settler , 1824 , , Farmington City , 1926 , Farmington Hills City , 1973 , , Governor Warner , 1905 - 1911 , , Underground Railroad , 11 Mile / Power , , Suggested by , Longacre School , S. Kessner's Gr. 3 , , Jeffersonian , Immaculate Grid , , The earth is given as a common stock for man to labor and live on." , Thomas Jefferson , Surveyor, 1790 , , Interurban trolley , 1901 - 1929 , route , Northville, Farmington , Pontiac and Detroit

[East face]
Surveyors exhibited courage, determination, integrity, and ingenuity in the heroic feat of measuring Michigan from 1815 - 1853. Their work resulted in global implementation of innovative methods of land measurement and ownership. The history of the surveying of the base line reveals the collision of four contrasting concepts of property: Native American, European Aristocratic, Colonial American, and Jeffersonian. From this emerged a new, uniquely American set of principles which profoundly shared our landscape laws and way of life.

Native American
No tribe has the right to sell, even to each other, much less to strangers. Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the Great Sea, as well as the Earth? Didn't the Great Spirit make them all for the use of his children?
Tecumseh

This obelisk is the second of a series to be aligned near Michigan's base line.
2005

Coasting the Base Line
Artist David Barr
Lettered and installed by Inch Memorials

European Aristocratic [north face]
Metes and Bounds
Ownership by heads of state to be our Royal will and pleasure.

Colonial American [west face]
Metes and bounds ownership by Imperial decree
"Not more than one acre in a hundred or perhaps in a thousand

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could be cultivated." Edward Tiffin in 1815 report on Michigan's survey.

"Surveyors create boundaries. People create community."
David Londau
Farmington Area Arts Commission

N 42° 26' 25"
W 83° 23' 50"

[South face]
Arthur Power
(Quaker)
First settler
1824

Farmington City
1926
Farmington Hills City
1973

Governor Warner
1905 - 1911

Underground Railroad
11 Mile / Power

Suggested by
Longacre School
S. Kessner's Gr. 3

Jeffersonian
Immaculate Grid

The earth is given as a common stock for man to labor and live on."
Thomas Jefferson
Surveyor, 1790

Interurban trolley
1901 - 1929
route
Northville, Farmington
Pontiac and Detroit

Erected 2005.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • Colonial Era • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1815.

Location. 42° 26.419′ N, 83° 23.839′ W. Marker is in Farmington Hills, Michigan, in Oakland County. Marker is on West 8 Mile Road, 0.6 miles west of Gill Road, on the right when traveling west. Obelisk is near the entrance

Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk — north face image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joel Seewald, March 20, 2021

2. Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk — north face

to the City of Farmington Hills' Ice Arena and Founders Sports Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 35500 West 8 Mile Road, Farmington MI 48335, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Glen Eden Cemetery Veterans Memorial (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Livonia Revolutionary War Veterans (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Newburg Church (approx. one mile away); The Newburg School (approx. one mile away); A.J. Geer Store (approx. one mile away); Alexander Blue House (approx. one mile away); The Bungalow (approx. one mile away); The Detroit United Railway Waiting Room (approx. one mile away).

Also see . . . Coasting the Baseline. City of Novi's website PDF (Submitted on March 27, 2021, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk — west face image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joel Seewald, March 20, 2021

3. Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk — west face

Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk — south face image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joel Seewald, March 20, 2021

4. Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk — south face

Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joel Seewald, March 20, 2021

5. Farmington/Farmington Hills Baseline Obelisk

View from the southeast, near the park entrance.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2021, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 246 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 27, 2021, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.