Tri-State Monument

Tri-State Monument. . , During the Utah Council of Land Surveyors (UCLS) 2016 Convention: Daniel W. Webb - BLM, Utah State Office, approached several UCLS Board members and suggested that we collaborate together and re-monument the Tri-State monument located here at Arizona, Nevada and Utah. After holding one of its board meetings it was decided that the UCLS, Color Country Chapter would take on this task. , The Color Country Chapter meet several times where the project was discussed and plans started coming together. The CC Chapter got members of the three State Professional Land Surveyor Society members (APLS, NALS, and UCLS) involved. The design of the monument was made and the plans for removal and placement were set. It was also decided the original monument that was set here in 1901 would be placed on display at the Washington County Administration Offices, located in St. George Utah. If you would like to see this original monument please go to these offices located at the corner of Tabernacle Street and 200 East Street in St. George. , The first step in this re-monumentation process was to perform a retracement survey, which was performed by the collaborator of the BLM offices located in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. On Friday, November 4, 2016 the three BLM offices, along with members of the three State Professional Land Surveyor Society members (APLS, NALS, and UCLS) meet to perform this retracement survey. The crew used survey grade GPS equipment which gives sub centimeter accuracy. After the survey was complete, crews like those mentioned above went out on January 27, 2017, to remove the original Tri-State Monument set in 1901, and prepared the ground and poured concrete for the new monument and flag poles you see here today. , After allowing the concrete to set another crew came out on February 3, 2017 and set the granite stone monument on its concrete base and stacked the rocks around the monument. , The Bureau of Land Management's Cadastral Survey Program is one of the oldest and most fundamental functions of the United States Government, with origins in the Land Ordinance of 1785. Cadastral Surveys are the foundation of our national land tenure system; creating, reestablishing, marking, and defining land boundaries. , History of the Monument , Under General Land Office Contract dated August 16th 1870, Isaac P. James, Astronomer and Surveyor, surveyed the Eastern Boundary of the state of Nevada. The survey was commenced October 17, 1870 and completed December 26, 1870. During the survey Mr. James established at the 37th parallel, North Latitude, the corner of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, at mile 298 and 56.00 chains from his Initial Point to the north on the Central Pacific Railroad., Under General Land Office Contract dated October 13th, 1900, Howard B. Carpenter, U.S. Surveyor and Astronomer, was directed to survey the boundary line between the State of Utah and the Territory of Arizona. The survey was commenced March 24, 1901 and completed July 1, 1901. , Learning from local people living on the Virgin River near where it is crossed by the line between Nevada and a=Arizona, that old corners on that line were still in existence and that the sandstone shaft erected by Mr. James in 1870 to mark the 37th parallel was still standing, Mr. James proceeded out from St. George, Utah and Beaver Dam wash, in Arizona and found the 1870 James State line corners. After astronomical observations it was determined that the “James Monument was 111.51 chains too far north. Therefore pursuant to instructions I destroy the James corner and proceed to establish the initial corner at the intersection of the 37th parallel with the James line.” , “At the intersection of the 37th parallel north latitude with the James line I set a red sandstone shaft 6ft. Long 16 ins. Broad and 12 ins. Thick, dressed 8ins. Down from the top, diagonally in the ground, for the initial Monument, marked with letters 1 ½ ins. Square deeply graven in the stone NEVADA on the N.W. UTAH on the N.E. Arizona on the S.E. and Intl. Mont. 37 N.L. 1901 on the S.W. Faces. Raised a mound of stone 5 ½ ft. base 2 ½ ft. high around the shaft and dug pits 36x36x18 ins. N.E. And S. of corner 6 ft dist. No trees within limits.”, In addition to the 1870 and 1901 State boundary line surveys, Public Land Survey System surveys adjoining the State lines are: Nevada, T. 11 S., R. 71E., MDM, approved December 2, 1881, (suspended August 18, 1964); Arizona T. 42 N., W., R. 16 W., GSRM, approved January 25, 1922; and Utah, T. 43 s., R. 20 W., SLM, approved April 2, 1938.