Alexandria, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

D.C.'s First Building Block

Jones Point Park

By Allen C. Browne, October 7, 2012

1. D.C.'s First Building Block Marker

Inscription. In 1791, surveyors on Jones Point began to lay out the ten-mile square that would become Washington, D.C. The first marker for the survey—the south cornerstone—was set in place on this spot. Although the stone within this protective enclosure may be a replacement dating from 1794, it is nonetheless among the oldest existing physical monuments associated with the federal city of Washington, D.C.

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With water levels steadily rising, the cornerstone on Jones Point has long been at the mercy of encroaching Hunting Creek. In 1861, a retaining wall was constructed in front of the stone, creating a raised yard in the lighthouse constructed six years earlier. The stone remained "lost" behind this wall for over five decades. This 1921 photo was taken at a commemorative celebration following its "rediscovery." Image courtesy of the Library of Congress

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In 1916, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) assumed responsibility for maintaining D.C.'s cornerstones and mile markers. In 1926, the DAR purchased the Jones Point lighthouse and later deeded it to the National Park Service (NPS). Today, the DAR and the National Park Service work together to preserve and interpret both the south cornerstone and the adjacent lighthouse. Image courtesy of the Daughters
By Allen C. Browne, October 7, 2012

2. Window in the seawall covering the south cornerstone of the District of Columbia
of the American Revolution

The inscription on the south cornerstone, worn by weather and water is now illegible. The other cornerstones are inscribed with the name of the state (Virginia or Maryland), the year, the compass heading, and the phrase 'Jurisdiction of the United States.' Images courtesy of the Library of Congress

(right panel)
May this stone long commemorate the goodness of God in those uncommon events which have given America a name among nations—
Under this stone may jealousy and selfishness be forever buried!
Commemoration of Cornerstone April 15, 1791

Erected 2012 by National Park Service.

Location. 38° 47.42′ N, 77° 2.436′ W. Marker is in Alexandria, Virginia. Marker can be reached from Jones Point Drive east of South Royal Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. On the seawall of Jones Point lighthouse. Marker is in this post office area: Alexandria VA 22314, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. First Original Federal Boundary Stone (was here, next to this marker but has been reported missing. ); The Nations Capital Begins Here 1791-1793 (here, next to this marker); Who Owns the River?

The south cornerstone of the District of Columbia image. Click for full size.

By Allen C. Browne, February 18, 2007

3. The south cornerstone of the District of Columbia

(within shouting distance of this marker); Mistress Margaret Brent (within shouting distance of this marker); The Remarkable Margaret Brent (within shouting distance of this marker); The Jones Point Lighthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Mountains of Materials and Massive Manpower (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); World Wars to the Present (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alexandria.

Categories. • Man-Made Features • Politics •

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on October 8, 2012, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 647 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 8, 2012, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.