The original District of Columbia was larger than it is today. Today the western boundary extends along the Potomac River but initially it extended from Alexandria to Falls Church. As such, the District was, back then, fully in the shape of a square. The passage of the Residence Act of 1790 authorized President George Washington to choose a 100-acre site on the Potomac River to establish a capital city. He selected this location because he wanted to include Alexandria, which was at the time one of the young country's busiest ports. Work got underway in February 1791 was completed in 1792. Major Andrew Ellicott, a professional surveyor, was tasked with the job. He hired astronomer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Banneker" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Benjamin Banneker</a>, an African American, to make astronomical observations and calculations to mark the first marker at the southernmost point (this is another <a href="https://www.theclio.com/entry/26598" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Clio entry</a>).

This boundary stone was one of a series of stones that marked the original boundary of the District of Columbia.

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Situated in the corner of the yard of this private residence is a cube-shaped stone surrounded by an iron fence. The stone is one of the original boundary stones dating from 1791-1792 to mark the original boundary of the District of Columbia. The stone is not in its original position; it was moved 225 feet to this spot in 1904 and rotated in such a way that the sides with "Virginia" and "Jurisdiction of the United States" do not face their respective jurisdictions. 

Federal Boundary Stone:  Southwest 1

In the early 1790s, surveyor Major Andrew Ellicott led a team, including African-American astromer and surveyor Benjamin Banneker, to survey the city of Washington, DC. This effort placed 40 marker stones along its boundary, each about a mile apart. Thirty-six of these stones are extant today and traveling this tour to a few of them will take you around the original borders of the city.

Original Boundaries of Washington, DC

On July 16, 1790 (amended March 3, 1791), the Residence Act granted President George Washington authorization to choose the site for a national capitol. It was to be a 100-square-mile plot located on the Potomac River, between the cities of Alexandria, Virginia and Williamsport, Maryland. Washington selected the southernmost location that encompassed what is now Old Town Alexandria and a busy port. The territory chosen, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson instructed Major Andrew Ellicott, a prominent surveyor, to begin demarcating the 10-mile square of the city limits. He began his work on February 11, 1791. Ellicott hired the Maryland astronomer and surveyor, Benjamin Banneker, to provide the astronomical observations and calculations needed to fix the south corner. "Banneker fixed the position of the first stone by lying on his back to find the exact starting point for the survey ... and plotting six stars as they crossed his spot at a particular time of night."1 The initial survey was completed in April, an event commemorated by the Masonic Lodge in Alexandria on April 15th. The Lodge placed a small, ceremonial stone at Jones Point at the south corner, although it was later replaced with a larger stone bearing the inscription, "The beginning of the Territory of Columbia." The marker stones are made of Aquia Creek sandstone, weigh approximately half a ton (with the exception of the cornerstones), and are separated by one-mile. Those placed more than a mile apart include an additional marking, indicating the extra distance. On each stone, facing D.C. territory, is the mile number and inscription "Jurisdiction of the United States." The opposite side features the name of the state the stone borders. The other faces state the magnetic variance of their location and the year the stone was placed. Thirty-six of the marker stones are still in place. Boundary Marker Northeast No. 2 is located along the Washington, D.C./Maryland line and is surrounded by a fence erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1915. DAR is an organization for women descended from individuals involved in the American Revolution. It has engaged in numerous preservation efforts throughout the Washington, D.C. area, including a 2014 project to clean and restore the markers. Owing to its historical significance, this particular marker was among those added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 1, 1996. In 2011, the District of Columbia geographic information system program used Global Positioning and contemporary survey technology to validate the efforts of Ellicott's team. It found that the historical surveying effort had been conducted with a high level of accuracy.

The Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia mark the four lines which form the boundaries of the federal district which were created between Maryland and Virginia. The markers were placed by a survey team led by Major Andrew Ellicott between 1791 and 1792. The resulting 100 square miles became the federal city of Washington, D.C. Thirty-six of the original marker stones are still extant and are significant as the oldest federally-placed markers in the United States. The Northeast No. 2 Boundary Marker is located along the D.C./Maryland line.

Federal Boundary Stone:  Northeast 2

Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson instructed surveyor Andrew Ellicott to survey a ten-mile square of the DIstrict of Columbia. Ellicott's work began in February 1791. Ellicott and his team surveyed the border between February and April 1971, and then began placing stones of Aquia Creek sandstone at one-mile intervals, laying the Virginia-DC stones first, then the Maryland-DC stones. These boundary stones are the oldest federal monuments. The east cornerstone sits in a forested area about 50 feet east of the intersection of Eastern Avenue Northeast and Southern Avenue Northeast. It is engraved with the year 1792 on one face and on the other a line marking the boundary between the jurisdiction of the United States and that of Maryland. Marcus Baker re-surveyed the stones in 1894, and Fred E. Woodward photographed the 39 extant stones beginning in 1905. Woodward's work demonstrated the deterioration of the stones and the need for restoration. The District of Columbia chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a fence around this stone in 1916 and placed a historic marker at the site. The District Department of Transportation and National Park Service continued restoration efforts in 2015 and 2016, with the DAR holding a re-dedication ceremony of the east cornerstone in 2017.

In 1791-1792, surveyor Andrew Ellicott led a team which included African-American surveyor Benjamin Banneker to place boundary stones around the ten square miles of Washington, DC. The 40 boundary stones were about a mile apart. This cornerstone marked the easternmost point of the city limits at the time, delineating the jurisdictions of the United States government and the state of Maryland. The Daughters of the American Revolution's District of Columbia chapter placed a historical marker at the stone and built a fence around it in 1916. A century later, collaborative efforts restored the stone again, with a rededication ceremony taking place in 2017.

Federal Boundary Stone:  East Cornerstone

This boundary stone is unusual in its size, much larger than other boundary stones. Fred Woodward, who surveyed the stones in 1907, surmised that it was meant to be the west cornerstone, which is smaller than the other cornerstones. The lettering is extremely eroded. The Ruth Brewster Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution placed a plaque and fence at the stone in 1916. The plaque and fence went missing at some point, and the DAR undertook new restoration efforts in 2014 and 2015.

Federal Boundary Stone:  Southeast 3

On July 16, 1790 (amended March 3, 1791), the Residence Act granted President George Washington authorization to choose the site for a national capitol. It was to be a 100-square-mile plot located on the Potomac River, between the cities of Alexandria, Virginia and Williamsport, Maryland. Washington chose the southernmost location within that area. The new capitol would encompass what is now Old Town Alexandria and a busy port. With the decision made, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson instructed Major Andrew Ellicott, a prominent surveyor, to begin demarcating the 10-mile square of the city limits. He began his work on February 11, 1791. Ellicott hired the Maryland astronomer and surveyor, Benjamin Banneker, to provide the astronomical observations and calculations needed to fix the south corner. "Banneker fixed the position of the first stone by lying on his back to find the exact starting point for the survey ... and plotting six stars as they crossed his spot at a particular time of night."1 The initial survey was completed in April, an event commemorated by the Masonic Lodge in Alexandria on April 15th. The Lodge placed a small, ceremonial stone at Jones Point at the south corner, although it was later replaced with a larger stone bearing the inscription, "The beginning of the Territory of Columbia." The marker stones are made of Aquia Creek sandstone, weigh approximately half a ton (with the exception of the cornerstones), and are separated by a distance of one-mile. Stones placed more than a mile apart include an additional marking, indicating the extra distance. On each stone, facing D.C. territory, is the mile number and inscription "Jurisdiction of the United States." The opposite side features the name of the state the stone borders. The other faces state the magnetic variance of their location and the year the stone was placed. Thirty-six of the marker stones are still in place. Boundary Marker Southeast No. 5 is located along the Washington, D.C./Maryland line, on the border of Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Maryland. It sits next to the sidewalk along Southern Avenue, in front of the Southern Avenue metro station. This particular marker was among those added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 1, 1996. It reads "JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES MILES 5". In 2011, the District of Columbia geographic information system program used Global Positioning and contemporary survey technology to validate the efforts of Ellicott's team. It found that the historical surveying effort had been conducted with a high level of accuracy.

The Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia mark the four lines which form the boundaries of the federal district which were created between Maryland and Virginia. The markers were placed by a survey team led by Major Andrew Ellicott between 1791 and 1792. The resulting 100 square miles became the federal city of Washington, D.C. Thirty-six of the original marker stones are still extant and are significant as the oldest federally-placed markers in the United States. The Southeast No. 5 Boundary Marker is located along the the border between Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Maryland, next to the sidewalk in front of the Southern Avenue metro station.

Federal Boundary Stone:  Southeast 5

On July 16, 1790 (amended March 3, 1791), the Residence Act granted President George Washington authorization to choose the site for a national capitol. It was to be a 100-square-mile plot located on the Potomac River, between the cities of Alexandria, Virginia and Williamsport, Maryland. Washington selected the southernmost location that encompassed what is now Old Town Alexandria and a busy port. The territory chosen, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson instructed Major Andrew Ellicott, a prominent surveyor, to begin demarcating the 10-mile square of the city limits. He began his work on February 11, 1791. Ellicott hired the Maryland astronomer Benjamin Banneker to provide the astronomical observations and calculations needed to fix the south corner. A free African American, Banneker was an experienced and largely-self taught, almanac, author, surveyor, naturalist and farmer. "Banneker fixed the position of the first stone by lying on his back to find the exact starting point for the survey ... and plotting six stars as they crossed his spot at a particular time of night."1 Banneker left Ellicott's team after the initial survey was completed. On April 15th, the achievement was commemorated by the Masonic Lodge in Alexandria. The Lodge placed a small, ceremonial stone at Jones Point at the south corner, although it was later replaced with a larger stone bearing the words, "The beginning of the Territory of Columbia." The rest of the inscription reads <blockquote>May this stone long commemorate the goodness of God in those uncommon events which have given America a name among nations—</blockquote><blockquote>Under this stone may jealousy and selfishness be forever buried!</blockquote><blockquote>Commemoration of Cornerstone April 15, 17912</blockquote>The inscriptions on this stone are now illegible. The marker stones are made of Aquia Creek sandstone, weigh approximately half a ton (with the exception of the cornerstones, which are larger), and are separated by one-mile. Those placed more than a mile apart include an additional marking, indicating the extra distance. On each stone, facing D.C. territory, is the mile number and inscription "Jurisdiction of the United States." The opposite side features the name of the state the stone borders. The other faces state the magnetic variance of their location and the year the stone was placed. Thirty-six of the marker stones are still in situ, or close to their original location, including the north, south, east, and west stones. The South Cornerstone is located within a seawall south of the Jones Point Lighthouse in Alexandria, Virginia. It borders the City of Alexandria, Virginia and Prince George's County, Maryland. This boundary marker was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, along with the lighthouse.

The Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia mark the four lines which form the boundaries between Maryland and Virginia, and the 100 square miles (259 km²) of federal territory that became Washington, D.C. Under the orders of Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, a survey team led by Major Andrew Ellicott and supported by the astronomical calculations of free African-American Benjamin Banneker placed the stone markers between 1791 and 1792. Thirty-six of the original marker stones are still extant and are the oldest federally-placed monuments in the country. The South Cornerstone is located at Jones Point and was the first stone to be set in place.

District of Columbia South Cornerstone

Born in 1731 in&nbsp;Baltimore County, Maryland,&nbsp;Benjamin Banneker was an African American&nbsp;farmer, mathematician, inventor, &nbsp;astronomer, writer, surveyor, scientist, and humanitarian.&nbsp;He grew up with a Quaker education, but was essentially a self-taught "renaissance man".&nbsp;During his lifetime he invented the first working&nbsp;wooden clock with moving
parts (after having only observed one sundial and a pocket watch), wrote one of the first series of astronomical almenics in the country, was active in criticising slavery and capital punishment, and provided invaluable information to farmers and scientists on&nbsp;the behaviour of locust swarms. By the time&nbsp;he died in 1806 he was one of the most well-known African Americans in the country, and was widely-acclaimed for setting an example of the capabilities of Black Americans. In 1789 Congress gave permission to&nbsp;President George Washington to survey and demarcate a territory to act as a the nation's capitol.&nbsp;Major Andrew Ellicott was appointed by Washington for this task, who in turn asked Benjamin Banneker for his assistance. The team was instructed to choose suitable locations for the capitol building, president's house, streets, parks, and public buildings.&nbsp;Thomas Jefferson appointed&nbsp;Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant to also help, by creating drawings of the proposed site. Each of the original stones were inscribed with the year of its placement on one side,&nbsp;&nbsp;"Jurisdiction of the United States" on&nbsp;the side facing the capital, the name of either Virginia or Maryland on the opposite side, and its magnetic variance on the fourth.&nbsp;This particular stone marks the division between&nbsp;Arlington
County and the City of Falls Church. In addition each stone bore a number representing its progression along the chain of ten stones marking one side of the district's boundary. They were originally made of carefully sawed blocks of&nbsp;sandstone. Today the stone is situated within the 11-acre Benjamin Banneker Park, which is managed by the Arlington Parks and Recreation&nbsp;Department. It has unrestricted access, but is protected by a tall iron&nbsp;fence with a commemorative plaque installed by the&nbsp;Daughters of the American Revolution at the beginning of the 20th century.&nbsp;The park contains excellent walking trails, picnic tables with BBQ grills, a playground and sports fields.

Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) was a remarkable figure in U.S. history, and commemorated here at the boundary stone set after he assisted in surveying the original boundaries of the District of Columbia. Forty stones were placed around the four ten-mile edges of the original territory, each one  placed at intervals of one mile. In 1976 this boundary stone was added to the List of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia.

Benjamin Banneker and the SW 9 Intermediate Boundary Stone

On July 16, 1790 (amended March 3, 1791), the Residence Act granted President George Washington authorization to choose the site for a national capital. He was to choose a 100-square-mile plot located on the Potomac River, between the cities of Alexandria, Virginia and Williamsport, Maryland. Washington selected the southernmost location, as it encompassed what is now Old Town Alexandria and a busy port. The territory chosen, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson instructed Major Andrew Ellicott, a prominent surveyor, to begin demarcating the 10-mile square of the city limits. He began his work on February 11, 1791. Ellicott hired the Maryland astronomer and surveyor, Benjamin Banneker, to provide the astronomical observations and calculations needed to fix the south corner. Supposedly, "Banneker fixed the position of the first stone by lying on his back to find the exact starting point for the survey ... and plotting six stars as they crossed his spot at a particular time of night."1 The initial survey was completed in April, an event commemorated by the Masonic Lodge in Alexandria on April 15th. The Lodge placed a small, ceremonial stone at Jones Point at the south corner, although it was later replaced with a larger stone bearing the inscription, "The beginning of the Territory of Columbia." The marker stones are made of soft Aquia Creek sandstone, weigh approximately half a ton (with the exception of the cornerstones), and are separated by one-mile. Those placed more than a mile apart include an additional marking, indicating the extra distance. On each stone, facing D.C. territory is the mile number and inscription "Jurisdiction of the United States." The opposite side features the name of the state the stone borders. The other faces state the magnetic variance of their location and the year the stone was placed. Thirty-six of the marker stones are still at or near&nbsp;their original location. The West Cornerstone is located along the Virginia/Maryland line in what is now the quarter-acre Andrew Ellicott Park. Many of the stones are surrounded by a fence erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1915. DAR is an organization for women descended from individuals involved in the American Revolution, which has engaged in preservation efforts throughout the Washington, D.C. area, including a 2014 project to clean and restore the markers. Owing to its historical significance, this particular marker was among those added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 1991. In 2011, the District of Columbia Geographic Information System program used Global Positioning and contemporary survey technology to validate the efforts of Ellicott's team. It found that the historical surveying effort had been conducted with a high level of accuracy. Construction projects and weathering has displaced or destroyed some of the stones, and preservation efforts are ongoing.

The Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia mark the four lines which form the boundaries between Maryland and Virginia, and the 100 square miles of federal territory that became Washington, D.C. The markers were placed by a survey team led by Major Andrew Ellicott between 1791 and 1792. Thirty-six of the original marker stones are still extant and are the oldest federally-placed monuments in the country. This stone, known as the West Cornerstone and the West Jurisdiction Stone, marks the westernmost point of the diamond-shaped boundary.

Andrew Ellicott Park and the West Cornerstone, Boundary Markers of the District of Columbia 

This was the first boundary stone placed in Maryland. Placing this stone at its correct location along the District of Columbia-Maryland border, four miles from the west cornerstone, would have put it in the Potomac Gorge. Therefore, the stone is 1650 feet, or 100 poles, northeast of the four-mile mark. One face of the stone reads "Var. 0° 3' W," the magnetic compass variance at this location. The Daughters of the American Revolution placed a fence and plaque here in 1915. The stone is visible from the Capital Crescent Trail and within the grounds of the Dalecarlia Water Treatment Plant grounds, who will grant access to the stone upon request.

Federal Boundary Stone:  Northwest 4

On July 16, 1790 (amended March 3, 1791), the Residence Act granted President George Washington authorization to choose a 100-square-mile plot of land to serve as the nation's capitol. It was to be located on the Potomac River, between the cities of Alexandria, Virginia and Williamsport, Maryland. Washington selected the southernmost location, which encompassed what is now Old Town Alexandria and a busy port. Once Washington has chosen the site, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson instructed Major Andrew Ellicott, a prominent surveyor, to begin demarcating the 10-mile square of the city limits. Work on the project began February 11, 1791. Ellicott hired the Maryland astronomer and surveyor, Benjamin Banneker, to provide the astronomical observations and calculations needed to fix the south corner. The Masonic Lodge of Alexandria, Virginia commemorated the completion of the initial survey on April 15th by placing a small, ceremonial stone at the southernmost location. The marker stones were quarried from Aquia Creek, Virginia and weighed approximately half a ton. The cornerstones were larger than the intermediate stones. Each of the markers are separated by about one-mile, with those placed more than a mile apart featuring an additional marking indicating the extra distance. On the side facing D.C. territory is the mile number and the inscription, "Jurisdiction of the United States." The opposite face features the name of the state the stone borders. The other sides state the magnetic variance of their location and the year the stone was set in place. Thirty-six of the marker stones are still in situ, or close to their original location. Many of them are extremely weathered, as they were constructed from relatively soft sandstone. The North Corner Boundary Marker of the Original District of Columbia is still extant and marks the northernmost point of Washington, D.C. It lies on the 1880 block of East-West Highway (south side); between Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland; and indicates the border between the two regions. In 2011, the District of Columbia geographic information system (G.I.S.) program used Global Positioning and contemporary survey technology to validate the efforts of Ellicott's team. It found that the historical surveying effort had been conducted with a high level of accuracy. Owing to the historical significance of these markers, this stone was among those added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 1, 1996.

The Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia mark the four lines which form the boundaries between Maryland and Virginia, and the 100 square miles of federal territory that became Washington, D.C. The markers were placed by a survey team led by Major Andrew Ellicott between 1791 and 1792. Thirty-six of the original marker stones are still extant and are the oldest federally-placed monuments in the country. The North Corner Boundary Marker marks the furthest north point of the District of Columbia.

Original Boundaries of Washington, DC

Federal Boundary Stone: Southwest 1

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Backstory and Context

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