Hazel Green in Grant County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Point Of Beginning

Photographed by Greta Schassler, October 25, 2025

1. The Point Of Beginning Marker

Inscription. 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 1970. (Marker Number 172.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed

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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. 42° 30.469′ N, 90° 26.193′ W. Marker is in Hazel Green, Wisconsin, in Grant County. It 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 at or near this postal address: 148 Trunk Highway 80, Hazel Green WI 53811, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

in the Driftless Area — Bluff Country,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Father Samuel Mazzuchelli (approx. 4.8 miles away); Dominican Sisters Gravesite (approx. 5.1 miles away); Benton Wisconsin Veterans Memorial

Point Of Beginning Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Robert L Weber

2. Point Of Beginning Marker

(approx. 5.1 miles away); Benton Fire Bell (approx. 5.1 miles away); George Wallace Jones (approx. 5.4 miles away); St. Augustine Church (approx. 5½ miles away); The De Soto House (approx. 6½ miles away in Illinois); The Napoleon (approx. 6½ miles away in Illinois).

Another marker is no longer nearby. Sinsinawa Mound (was approx. 5½ miles away but has been permanently removed).

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.

Hard to find Point Of Beginning Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Robert L Weber

3. Hard to find Point Of Beginning Marker

NGS Benchmark image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Robert L Weber, August 15, 2009

4. 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 October 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 12, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. This page has been viewed 4,754 times since then and 317 times this year. Last updated on May 6, 2024, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. Photos: 1. submitted on October 25, 2025, by Greta Mulder of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 2. submitted on December 12, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. 3. submitted on June 6, 2011, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. 4. submitted on December 18, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.