Corner of Colorado-New Mexico-Oklahoma
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According to the Congressional definition of the boundary of Colorado, this point is theoretically where the 37th parallel north latitude intersects 103 degrees west longitude*. The first three attempts to locate this intersection (1857, 1859, and 1881) were later found to be in error. The fourth (and finally accepted) location was set in 1900 by Levi Preston. However, due to the technological limitations of his day, it is not exactly right either (but it is remarkably close, and at any rate, his survey does define the official boundary, regardless of its accuracy). This was originally a sandstone monument, but during his 1928 resurvey Arthur Kidder replaced it with the current granite marker shown below.
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* Many American surveys between 1850-1884 were based on the Washington Meridian, which was officially abolished by Congress in favor of the Greenwich Prime Meridian in 1912. This point is one of the few Colorado corners that was defined as a degree of longitude west of Greenwich (as opposed to "west of Washington").
Note: The book "Colorado Mapology" (Erl H. Ellis, 1983, Jende-Hagan Book Corporation) is an excellent resource, from which I obtained much of the information presented on these pages. The view in this photo is to the west. I was standing in the northeast corner of New Mexico; my father was standing in Colorado. The fenceline behind his hat runs along the Colorado-New Mexico line. The northwest corner of Oklahoma's panhandle is just to the left (south) of the camera, and directly in front of me. The state names are inscribed on the marker: |
Sanderson, fall 1993
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Research and/or photo credits: Dale Sanderson
Page originally created 1998;
last updated Nov. 17, 2016.
last updated Nov. 17, 2016.
