Deseret News | Reader comments: MormonTimes.com: How everything in Utah is connected to monument

Reader comments: MormonTimes.com: How everything in Utah is connected to monument

SlowS | 7:05 a.m. Nov. 6, 2008

I'm tied to dust bowl Oklahoma and my father's service to our great Country before relocating to Utah. But thanks for the offer.

Alan L. York, LS | 7:47 a.m. Nov. 6, 2008

As a Professional Land Surveyor, licensed by the State of Utah, I have been involved with the Base and Meridian stone for nearly 40 years. My hat is off to Orson Pratt, Brigham Young and David H. Burr, Utah’s first surveyor-general. The stone is referenced in nearly all land descriptions throughout Utah with the exception of the Uintah Basin which has it’s own Base and Meridian.

Darren | 9:04 a.m. Nov. 6, 2008

25 years ago I worked for Utah County on a survey crew. We spent a bit of time looking for these stones that mark the corners of every square mile in the State. We found two of these stones and it was awesome to imagine that in the 1800's someone marked with a stone the corners in the deserts and mountains.

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NewInUtah | 11:30 a.m. Nov. 6, 2008

Great story! I've only been in Utah for several years and it's really interesting to read something like this. I've never noticed that stone at the corner of Temple Square. I'll have to look for it next time I'm there.

MetricWrench | 12:30 p.m. Nov. 6, 2008

Oh great! Because of this story there are going to be people that demand that the adress system in SL County be changed because they are being tied to the Mormon Temple against their will. What an oppresive theocracy Utah is!

Anonymous | 1:37 p.m. Nov. 6, 2008

MetricWrench - I think you are totally off base. As a non-Mormon I could care less about being tied to the large and spacious building downtown. What matters is that we actually have address that are easy to find.

Rico | 2:44 p.m. Nov. 6, 2008

Re Anonymous: Having lived in several eastern cities(as I now do) I have to say that I totally agree with your comment about address being easy to find. I hope it doesn't change. It makes sense and I really don't give a rat' heinie who came up with the idea...although the history is always interesting."

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4 photos

Tom Smart, Deseret News

Richard Oman stands near a sandstone telescope base that was part of an observatory built on Temple Square in 1869. The observatory was used to regulate the city's clocks for almost 30 years.

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