The Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society

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Sesquicentennial Celebration of Establishment of the Inititl Point of the Humboldt Meridian

Set By

Deputy Surveyor Henry Washington
on Mount Pierce on October 6, 1853

Event sponsered by the

Humboldt Chapter of the California Land Surveyors Association

Firemans Park, Scotia, CA

October 4, 2003

Table of Contents

Top of the page.
Event Title
Introduction
Photographs.
Event Credits
Bottom of the page.

Introduction

Join the Humboldt Chapter of the California Land Surveyors Association in the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the establishment of the Initial Point of the Humboldt Meridian, set by Henry Washington on Mount Pierce on October 6, 1853.

To commemorate this important event the chapter has organized an event on October 4 which will involve commemorative events on Mount Pierce itself (also known as Monument Peak) and a large rock approximately 5 miles northwest of the Initial Point which Henry Washington scribed in the course of his Initial Point survey, a family picnic with a catered barbeque lunch, games, and exhibitors.

The Humboldt Chapter invites members of other chapters, or members of the public who have interest in the history of surveying, to join us for this event. The majority of the day's events will be taking place in Firemans Park next to the Eel River in the company town of Scotia, owned by the Pacific Lumber Company. Scotia is approximately 11 miles south of Fortuna on US Highway 101.

The day will begin at 11am, with a trip up to the location of the Initial Point and the scribed rock at 12noon. Exhibitors will be displaying both historic and cutting edge survey equipment. The day's events will conclude around 6pm.

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	The Humboldt Initial Point on Mount Pierce.

Humboldt Initial Point & Dedication Plaque .	Stone wall constructed between 1949-1955 protecting the Station in need of some repair.	Mount Pierce 2 U.S.C. & G.S. Tringulation Station monumented in 1928.
Mount Pierce 2 Close up of U.S.C. & G.S. Tringulation Station.		California's Three Initial Points

To see an annotated (cached) version of the National Geodetic Survey's Datasheet for this monument, click here. (Note: for the current Datasheet, visit the NGS Datasheet page for PID = "LV0929")	To see an annotated (cached) version of the National Geodetic Survey's Datasheet for the origional (destroyed) monument at the Initial Point, click here. (Note: for the current Datasheet, visit the NGS Datasheet page for PID = "LV0930")	Learn about Principal Meridians and Base Lines Governing The United States Public Land Surveys (including detail of the three California Meridians and Initial Points here

	The Program at the Initial Point.
Michael Pulley, PLS welcomes everyone at the Initial Point.		Dave Ryan, PLS Humboldt County Surveyor describes Washington's survey.

	Deputy Surveyor Henry Washington's Survey.
Humboldt Initial Point Traverse & Triangulation of Colonel Henry Washington.	Close up of map title.	The Initial Point .
Point "A" near what would later become Scotia	Originial SW Bearing Tree the only one remaining, NE BT was cut down shortly prior to this event however stump remains.	Town of Scotia as seen from the summit of Mt. Pierce. (also known as Monument Peak)

	The Commorative Plaque at the Initial Point.
The dedication Plaque installed in the "imported" bolder.		The dedication Plaque close up.

	Everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather and took time to take in the moment.
The summit is also home to communication transmission equipment.	The weather could not have been better!	Stone & concrete wall protecting the point.
Michael Pulley & Michael Foley at the Iniital Point.	Michael Foley at the summit.	Dave Ryan, Marti Ikehara at the Initial Point.
? & Don Marcott		Ed Schillinger & Don Marcott at the summit.

	Most of the attendees pose for the commorative photograph.
Most of the attendees (76±) pose at the conclusion of the event. Some stayed in Scotia and some were walking around		and some had already returned to Scotia. Estimates are 100-120 persons attended.

	The "Three-peat" Sesquicentennial Surveyors. (Mount Diablo in 2001, San Bernardino in 2002, and Humboldt in 2003)
	(l-r) Earl Cross, Michael Foley, Marti Ikehara, Ralph Ricketson, Bob Bronkall, (and Gara Cross not photographed, stayed in Scotia) These surveyor attended all three Initial Point Sesquicentennial Celebrations in California.

	Back in Scotia, The Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society Display.
Don Marcott & Michael Foley set up the MDSHS booth.	Michael Foley. MDSHS Display booth.	Gara Cross & Don Marcott welcome visitors at the booth.
Earl & Gara Cross Your MDSHS host.	Don Marcott Documenting something. Earl Cross?	Gara Cross stayed in Scotia to host the booth. Thank you! Gara
"31-Star" CA statehood flag.		California Republic "Bear Flag"

	Local Surveyor Ed Schillinger displayed some of his collection of fine & rare late 19th. / early 20th. century instruments.
Transit & Solar Compass (Ed Schillinger collection)	W. & L. E. Gurley Vernier Compass (Ed Schillinger collection)	Very rare (Burt's) Solar Compass (Ed Schillinger collection)
W. & L. E. Gurley Transit with (Burt's) Solar Attachment (Ed Schillinger collection)	Close up of W.& L. E. Gurley Transit with (Burt's) Solar Attachment (Ed Schillinger collection)	Transit with Solar Attachment Saegmuller type (Ed Schillinger collection)
.	.	.
	A little bit of information and color about Scotia.
Scotia Museum & Visitor Center .	Giant Redwood example of large trees logged in the area	Pacific Lumber Company & Scotia history
Local color in Soctia.	Pacific Lumber Company logging locomotive	Steam Donkey logging engine
Slack Line System diagram	Parts of the Slack Line System .	Washington 12X17 Duplex Flyer .
Washington 12X17 Duplex Flyer .	Washington 12X17 Duplex Flyer .	Washington 12X17 Duplex Flyer .

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The Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society wish to thank the Initial Point Committee of the Humboldt Chapter of the California Land Surveyors Association (Michael Pully, PLS, Don Campbell, PLS, Michael O'Hern, PLS and David Ryan, PLS) for inviting us to this event.

The MDSHS display committee Chairman for this event was Michael J. Foley, PLS. Other MDSHS committe members that helped with this event were; Don Marcott, PLS, Earl Cross, PLS and Gara Gross.

Photographs by Earl & Gara Cross and Michael J. Foley, ©2003 MDSHS. All rights reserved.
Portions of the material presented under the Fair Use doctrine.

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