HomeMy Public PortalAbout2000 Historic Marker 1855 US Coast Survey.tifMIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA
M IAM I•DADE
October 27, 2000
Mr. Sam Kissinger, Village Manager
Village of Key Biscayne
85 W. McIntyre Street
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIVISION
140 WEST FLAGLER STREET
SUITE 1102
MIAMI, FLORIDA 33130-1561
305-375-4958
Facsimile 305-372-6394
RE: 1855 US Coast Survey Key Biscayne Base Monument
Dear Mr. Kissinger:
On October 4, 2000, a historically significant discovery was made on the grounds of the Ocean Club
construction site at 755 Crandon Boulevard. Specifically, a 145 -year -old granite survey marker was
uncovered approximately 30 feet south of the property's northern boundary where it abuts a public park
owned by the Village of Key Biscayne. The marker is one of three granite "mileposts" placed along an
approximately 3.6 mile long survey baseline that was established by the US Coast Survey in 1855.
This baseline, the "Key Biscayne Base", was used as the basis for creating the first truly accurate maps
of the Florida coastline south of Cape Florida. The Key Biscayne Base is also important because of its
association with Alexander Dallas Bache who served as Superintendent of the US Coast Survey from
1843 to 1869. Bache was the great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin and a noted scientist and scholar in
his day. He personally supervised the establishment of the Key Biscayne Base and his name is inscribed
on two granite monuments used to mark the north and south ends of the line. These monuments can be
seen today within the Crandon Park Golf Course and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area
(SRA.)
Over the past several months, a local professional surveyor, Mr. T.L. Riggs, and I have successfully
located each of the three mileposts situated between the two end monuments. The marker found on the
Ocean Club site marked the second mile from the baseline's northern end. The first and third mileposts
were found within the Crandon Park Gardens and in the SRA, respectively. Milepost #1 & #3 were each
found beneath several feet of modern fill, but still upright and in their original locations. Consequently,
each was left in place and each is now marked aboveground with a concrete replica (See attached
photo.) Milepost #2 was also found beneath almost five feet of fill but had been knocked out of its
original orientation, probably many years ago. As a result, the marker was removed from the site and is
being kept by Mr. Riggs until a permanent and appropriate place for it is found.
As we discussed earlier this week, I would like to propose placing the milepost within the Village's
beachfront park, just north of the Ocean Club, at a point along the original baseline. Ideally, the
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA
MIAMI-DADE
monument would be accompanied by a small interpretive sign that would evplam its historic
significance. I believe the marker would be an interesting, yet unobtrusive. amenity to the new park.
If the Village of Key Biscayne is amenable to this proposal, both Mr. Riggs and 1 ill be happy to help
in placing the milepost in the park. Mr. Richard Chitwood of the Ocean Club Development Company
(who was very helpful in permitting us to search for, find, and recover the marker) has also offered his
assistance in making this happen. Please do not hesitate to contact me at (305) 375-3412 if you have any
questions. Meanwhile. 1 am enclosing articles concerning the historic background of the Key Biscayne
Base for your information.
Sincerely,
John Ricisak
Miami -Dade County
Historic Preservation Division
c Richard Chitwood, Ocean Club
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For,
Tel estcs
Key Biscayne Base Marker -1855
By ARVAMORE PARKS*
In the spring of 1970 personnel from the Dade County Parks Depart-
ment were in the process of clearing virgin land for a new county golf
course in the northwest corner of Crandon Park. In May, the clang of a
bulldozer blade against a large object caused bulldozer operator W. E.
Reed to stop his work and investigate. He discovered a large granite
"tombstone -like" object which was immediately reported to Dade County
Party Chief John Giffen. John Giffen called in J. C. Frazier, Field Survey
Supervisor of the Dade County Public Works Department, who not only
had the technical knowledge for this type of investigation, but also a keen
interest in the history of the area.
What the bulldozer hit was the capstone or top monument of Key
Biscayne North Base Marker, which had been placed there by the U.S.
Coast Survey team in 1855. It was a sixteen inch square, three foot high,
800 pound obelisk of light grey granite with carving on four sides. The
carving read: "U.S. Coast Survey —A. D. Bache, Superintendent —North
Base No. 7-1855." The overall impression was truly that of a high
quality, professionally done tombstone.
Upon further investigation the base of the marker was discovered ten
feet northeast of the cap stone. The base was a three foot square, twenty-
eight inch thick, 3,000 pound slab of granite, the top of which was flush
with the ground. In the center there was a copper plug about the size of a
dime with a cross in it.
Naturally the men were amazed to find this tonnage of granite in a
mangrove swamp hundreds of feet from the west shore of Key Biscayne.
But fortunately, professional surveyors had been called in the beginning
who not only appreciated what they had stumbled upon but had the
knowledge to put it back together again.
After careful re -alignment, they poured a four by four inch reinforced
concrete curb around the base of the cap stone in order to properly secure
it to the base. A recovery note was sent to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic
•Mrs. Robert L. Parks, President of the Historical Association of Southern Florida, con -
her study of early Dade County.
4 TEQUESTA
Survey who in 1945 after reconnaissance of the area, had last reported
the monument "lost." Thus the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey had
"found" one of its missing base markers and historians had a new lead
to pursue in uncovering the early history of the area.
Because the Coast Survey was under the Federal Government, all
records of this project were preserved in the National Archives. Therefore,
a full investigation of the North Base Marker at Key Biscayne was possible.
• w s
The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey began in 1807 when President
Jefferson authorized a survey to be made of the coasts of the United States.
In 1816 the first "Superintendent of Survey of the Coast," F. R. Hasler
was appointed in the Treasury Department. Although the early years of
the survey were marked by confusion and lack of funds, by 1836 it had
become a well organized branch of the Treasury Department.'
In 1843, Professor Alexander Dallas Bache, great grandson of Benjamin
Franklin, and well known in scientific circles was appointed Superintendent
of the Coast Survey. Under his direction the undertaking assumed greater
proportions and the practical value of the survey was thoroughly demon-
strated.3
The Coast Survey was accomplished through triangulation. Triangula-
tion consists of a system of connected triangles with all angles carefully
observed, but with only an occasional length actually measured on the
ground. Eeach measured length is known as a base. By use of these
measured angles and bases the length of all other sides of the connected
triangles may be computed by trigonometry. If the latitude and longitude
of one point are known together with the azimuth to one of the other
stations, the latitudes and longitudes of all other points and the azimuths
of all other lines may also be derived.3
The first step in setting up the measurement of a base for triangulation
is reconnaissance to determine the best location for such a base. The
reconnaissance of the South Florida Coast was delayed by the Second
Seminole War (1835-1842), when much of South Florida was threatened
by the Seminole Indians. The uncharted "Great Florida Reef" was such a
serious hazard to shipping that it became a priority item for triangulation
as soon as practicable.
t"Registration of Record Group 23, Records of the Coast and Geodeuc Survey," The
National Archives, May 6, 1968. (Mimeographed.)
2Al1en Johnson, ed., "Alexander Dallas Bache," Dictionary of American Biography (New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1928), pp 461-6Z, '72,0-r ?3
3U.S. Department of Commerce, Horizontal Control Data, Special Publications No. 227,
1961, p.l.
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Gerdes sketch of 1851 of the preliminary base at Key Biscayne.
6 TEQUESTA
In January, 1849, Assistant Superintendent F. H. Gerdes began the
reconnaissance of the Florida Keys and Reef from the head of "Key Bis-
cayne Bay" to the Tortugas. His report included a description of the main-
land, every key and a list of the most dangerous places on the reef. This
early description provides an interesting and previously unpublished ac-
count of the area. He wrote:
The Southern part of Florida as is well known consists chiefly
of Everglades or vast and enormous water praries. The bottom
of most places when I entered the Glades, had a rocky founda-
tion and was covered only silghtly with soft soil, the thickness of
which did not exceed 6 inches, apparently of an alluvial nature.
The depth of water varied from 1 to 4 feet and the water was
fresh drinkable and of a brownish color. Numerous hammocks
or patches of elevated ground lay all over the Glades like islands
in a bay; they are from 1 to 3 feet above the water, thickly
covered with wood and exceedingly fertile.
Around the Everglades along the Atlantic Coast as well as on
the branch of the Gulf towards the Florida Keys runs a belt of
solid ground to the extent of 8 or 10 miles in bredth, [sic]
bordering the Glades on the inside. It is generally thickly wood-
ed, the soil is barren and stoney on some places rocky. Marshes
extend for a few miles along the coast, and some hammocks and
fertile spots are found at several projecting points. Among the
latter the hunting grounds+ occupy the first place. Here cultiva-
tion has very sparsely begun through the - - - - of the soil in
sugar, rice, corn, limes, oranges and olives, etc. was very rich.
On the Miami River are also some small plantations that seem-
ed before the late Indian outbreak to thrive well. For 5 or 6
miles to the E. from Cape Sable the country is also very produc-
tive and here along is open and consists of well watered prarie
land, intermixed with fine groves of trees. The stoney and barren
tracts along the coast are covered chiefly with Pine growth, the
ground in general is plentifully filled with arrow -root bushes
called in this section by the Indian name of Coonty. This is a
product, which is little used as yet, but which I presume will
become in time a source of wealth to the land owners. The
4The "Hunting Grounds" usually referred to what today is considered South Dade and
the term "Little Hunting Grounds" referred to the Coconut Grove area. At this time,
however it referred to th entire mainland from South of the Miami River to South Dade.
A. D. Bridle, Su-ervt,or. Notes on the Coast o/ the United States (Washington: 1861).
Record Group 23, p, 64.
ARVA M. PARKS 7
navigable streams from the Glades to the Bay of Florida with
water power of generally 4 or 5 feet fall will facilitate the manu-
facturing of the article. It grows in very gerat abundance and is
of an excellent quality, perfectly equal to the Bermuda Arrow-
root, and can be delivered with large profits for ten cents per
pound when the imported article sells here in the country for
60 or 75 cts.
Above Cape Florida there runs out of the Everglades into Key
Biscayne Bay, a stream called the Boca Routes, and a few miles
below the Little River, the Arch Creek and the Miami River fall
into the same water all constantly discharging the contents of the
glades into the bay. Some 10 or 13 miles below the Miami, near
the Hunting grounds is Little Creek and further down another
small stream without a name. From here to Cape Sable the shore
is uninterrupted. I ran a line of levels along the Miami, which
will show the fall and other features of the river and country.
The mainland of Florida above said cape (Cape Florida)
runs down into a sharp point from the head of Key Biscayne
Bay to Narrows Cut which separates it from Virginia Key, the
most northern of the Florida Keys . . . This spit is in fact the
first island itself, and ought to be counted as such. It is covered
with wood, has a fine beach and is about 8 or 10 miles long
and one half or one mile wide.
Virginia Key —about 3 miles long and 1 mile wide, a wooded
area with a fine Atlantic beach; Southern passage called Bear
Cut with 4 feet water.
Key Biscayne —Southern Point called Cape Florida, having a
lighthouse, 5 miles long, from 1 to 2 wide, with a fine Atlantic
beach and a strip of open land along side covered with palmettos,
etc., the rest wooded. The Southern inlet (Key Biscayne inlet)
has a swash channel over the reef with 10 ft. water. W. or S.W.
of the island is an excellent anchorage and harbor. From here
to the Miami 8 feet may be carried.5
After Gerdes completed his reconnaissance he selected two sites as the
est location for a base to begin triangulation. One was at Cape Sable, and
be other at Key Biscayne. In December, 1849 he began a preliminary
5"Extract from the Report of Assistant F H Gerdes to the Superintendent of the Coast
Survey on the reconnaissance of the Florida Keys," 1850, Record Group 23, pp. 840-42.
8 TEQUESTA
clearing and measurement of the Cape Florida Base on Key Biscayne.
The South end of the base line was located near the tip of the key and
was marked with crude stone monument, which consisted of five limestones
cut ten inches square by twenty inches long. Two were laid underground,
two others over the same nearly under the surface, and one on top. The
top one had one exact point marked by a leaded bar firmly inserted in a
drilled hole. A hill of earth was built up around the whole monument. It
was also at this point that J. E. Hilgard, Gerdes' assistant, built a tripod
and set up an astronomical and magnetic station to begin observations for
latitude and azimuth and moon culminations for longitude.
The north point of the base was 31/4 miles away and was marked by a
coral screwpile inserted four or five feet deep in which a pole.was inserted
to serve as a signal, Much of the line was over water —probably to avoid
clearing the land as touch as possible.
From this base preliminary triangulation was begun. Forty-five signals
were put up embracing all the points required from Bear Cut to the Miami
River Southward to Card Sound. Seven stations were occupied, 210 angles
(of six repetitions each) were measured with a six inch Gambey theodilite
aid twenty-seven stations were observed upon.'
On December 19, 1849 Gerdes wrote to Professor Bache to keep him
abreast of his progress. In it he drew a sketch of the area in order to
explain how he planned to set up signals on the reef for triangulation.
Two names were mentioned on the mainland as a site where occupied
signals would be constructed. "Beasley's" referred to the home site of
Edmund D. Beasley, the first settler in what later became Coconut Grove,
and "Dubose" to John Dubose the first lighthouse keeper at Cape Florida
who returned to the area after the second Seminole War and lived
near what was called "Elliot's Beach" which is in the present Gables
Estates area.? Both of these men were probably those referred to in the
reconnaissance report of 1849 who had cultivated land in the "Hunting
Grounds."
All the work in 1849-50 was considered preliminary in nature with
final measurement to come at a later date. But in the meantime this
triangulation was used as the basis for all maps of the area. In the Superin-
tendent's Report for 1850, Professor Bache urged that work on "one of the
6"From the St. Mary's River to St. Joseph's Bay, Coast of Florida, and Including the
Florida Reef and Keys," 1850, Record Group 23, pp. 183-98.
?Letter, L. H. Gerdes to A. D. Bache, December 19, 1849, "Coast Survey Correspondence
with Civil Assistants, Extra Observers and Superintendents Party." Vol. 3, 1849, Record
Group 23.
ARVA M. PARKS 9
most important and dangerous parts of the United Coast"' be given
priority status and a double appropriation, until the reef and keys were
properly surveyed. In the previous five years over a million dollars worth
of vessels and cargoes had been wrecked annually on this coast.'
In early 1851 Gerdes and party returned to Key Biscayne. He completed
a topographical survey of Key Biscayne and made the decision to move
the North Base marker to the north and west of the 1849 site. The 1849
South Base was retained because it was also being used as a magnetic
station.
The new line commenced "from the South between the blacksmith shop
of the lighthouse keeper and the lighthouse, leaving nine feet to the right
and twelve feet to the left side and nowhere touches the thicket of wood
to any considerable extent. The shore remains forty yards from the line
. . . the soil in the site is sandy and generally more solid, than in other
parts of the island. The northern terminus is a hammock of wood on a
dry sandy patch about seventy-five yards from the shore line of N.W.
Creek and nearly one-half mile from the signal N.W. point."' °
A large scaffold was constructed at the South Base, range flags were
placed in the palmettos and woods and all impediments to a line of sight
were cleared. From this initial observation Gerdes decided that there were
no obstacles that could not be overcome. It would not be easy, however,
to cut through palmetto, "cabbage tree roots," about a mile of dense
mangrove, twenty small hills and as many low places. Gerdes wrote that
he "almost despaired . . . but in the face of all these objections there
remained no alternative . . . this to be the only site on the key, but with
perserverance . . . the line could be made a tolerable good one.""
Gerdes left for Key West in order to find some one to take a contract to
effect the clearing.12 He found Key West booming and because of this
could find no one to take the contract for less than $ 1,000, which was
twice as much as he had budgeted. He decided to hire day workers and
superintendent the work himself.
I"Fronm the St. Mary's River to St. Joseph's Bay," p. 183.
9/bid.
leLetter, L. H. Gerdes to A. D. Bache, April, 1851, pp. 3-4. "Correspondence and Reports
of Gerdes relating to the preparing, clearing, grading and ditching of the base lino at
Cape Florida," February-Aprli, 1851, Record Group 23.
ltlbtd., p. 5.
i2According to the 1850 Census there were under a hundred residents in Dade County
which at the time was almost four times its present size. Therefore, all labor bad to come
from Key West. (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Seventh Cennu
of the United Statei, Dade County, Florida, 1850).
10 TEQUEST A
In late February Gerdes returned to the Cape with fourteen men who
reluctantly began the tedious clearing —"a rather unknown and not very
pleasant occupation to Kay West laborers, who in fact are only acquainted
with fishing and wrecking.""
One month later, the ten foot wide line through the wilderness was
cleared. Hundreds of cords of palmetto roots were piled along the line and
partially burnt. When the northern terminus was reached a screwpile was
inserted by means of a capstan four feet deep and a "handsome" signal
of thirty-six feet was erected with a red and white painted barrel in the
socket.
The whole line was then carefully chained giving a distance of 5800
meters from signal to signal. It was ready for measurement, which Gerdes
cautioned should take place as soon as possible because of the rapid
tropical growth)* For the moment the whole line had the appearance of
a "beautiful road running through brushwood."'5
For some erason preparation for final measurement did not begin until
late 1854. At this time Professor Bache sent a series of memoes to Mr.
Gerdes to complete information for the forth coming measurement. From
them a great deal of information about the area can be obtained.
Mr. Gerdes indicated that even though a narrow channel of eight feet
existed to the south-east of the Cape, it would be foolish to attempt entry
into the bay without a qualified pilot. There was no wharf on the key but
good anchorage could be found on the lee side of the island near the tip.
Here a suitable camp could be set up with little difficulty. If needed, two
rooms were available at the keeper's house. He emphasized the importance
of bringing mosquito nets for every man.
Gerdes wrote that water was available from the keeper's cistern or
could be obtained from the "falls" of the Miami River. Wood was plentiful
on the beaches or in the hammocks. Some vegetables and provisions
could be obtained from the mainland. Fish, turtles and game were very
plentiful in the area.' 6
It is interesting to note that Gerdes questioned the advisability of using
the heavy granite monument at the North Base where the land was some-
t3Leuer. L H. Gerdes to A D. Bache, April, 1851, Record Group 23, p 7.
t+ih,d., p. 9.
t s"Remarks nn the two Bace Lines for the U.S Coast Survey in Florida at Cape Florida
and Cane Sable," 1851, Record Group 23, p. 239.
16"Corresrondence, Reports. Sketches of Gerdes Relating to the Measurement of the
Florida Bases at Cape Sable and Cape Florida," 1855, Record Group 23, p. 236.
"
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A R V A M . P A R K S 1 1
w h a t m a r s h y . H e b e l i e v e d t h e S o u t h B a s e l o c a t i o n t o b e a n e x c e l l e n t s i t e
f o r a h e a v y g r a n i t e s t r u c t u r e . t 7
I n J a n u a r y , 1 8 5 5 , a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r t h e t r i p b e g a n . T h e s c h o o n e r
G r a h a m w a s a c q u i r e d i n B a l t i m o r e a n d a s m a l l s c o w f o r l a n d i n g e q u i p m e n t
w a s p u t a b o a r d . A r r a n g e m e n t s w e r e m a d e t o h a v e t h e G r a h a m f i t t e d f o r
s e a a s e a r l y a s p o s s i b l e .
A m o n t h l a t e r t h e g r a n i t e b l o c k s f o r t h e C a p e F l o r i d a b a s e w e r e p l a c e d
o n b o a r d t h e G r a h a m a s w e r e f o u r w a g o n l o a d s o f e q u i p m e n t s h o v e l s ,
s p a d e s , g r u b b i n g h o e s , m e d i c i n e , p i s t o l s a n d s u p p l i e s . I n c l u d i n g t h e c a p -
t a i n , M r . M a r t i n , a n d t h e m e n e m p l o y e d i n B a l t i m o r e , n i n e t e e n h a n d s
w e r e o n b o a r d . T h e s a i l w a s d e l a y e d f o r a f e w d a y s b e c a u s e o f t h e e x -
t r e m e c o l d w e a t h e r a n d i c e i n t h e d o c k . F i n a l l y , o n F e b r u a r y 2 2 , t h e
s c h o o n e r G r a h a m l e f t f o r S t . J o h n ' s R i v e r , F l o r i d a t o a w a i t f u r t h e r o r d e r s .
M e a n w h i l e t h e b a s e m e a s u r e m e n t a p p a r a t u s w a s t r a n s f e r r e d t o a r a i l -
r o a d c a r i n P o r t s m o u t h , N . H . a n d s e n t s o u t h w a r d t o C h a r l e s t o n w h e r e o n
M a r c h 7 t h i t w a s t r a n s f e r r e d t o a s t e a m e r h e a d i n g f o r t h e S t . J o h n ' s R i v e r .
O n M a r c h 1 1 t h a l l e f f o r t s c a m e t o g e t h e r a t M a y p o r t M i l l s o n t h e S t .
J o h n ' s . T h o m a s M c D o n n e l l , a r t i f i c e r a n d H . P r e n o t , m e c h a n i c a r r i v e d t o
h e l p i n t h e t r a n s f e r o f t h e b a s e a p p a r a t u s t o t h e G r a h a m w h i c h h a d a r r i v e d
f r o m B a l t i m o r e o n M a r c h 2 . M r . B o u t e l l e a n d M r . S u l l i v a n t o o k u p t h e i r
q u a r t e r s o n b o a r d t h e s c h o o n e r w i t h M r . B o u t e l l e i n c h a r g e o f t h e
o p e r a t i o n .
A f t e r a t e d i o u s v o y a g e t h e s c h o o n e r m a d e t h e C a p e F l o r i d a L i g h t a t
1 : 0 0 A . M . o n F r i d a y , M a r c h 2 3 . T w o o t h e r s c h o o n e r s , t h e F l o r i d a a n d
t h e J o s e p h H e n r y w e r e a l r e a d y t h e r e . A p i l o t c a m e o u t t o b r i n g t h e
G r a h a m a r o u n d t o s a f e a n c h o r a g e .
L i e u t e n a n t J a m e s T o t t e n , U . S . A . , A s s i s t a n t U . S . C o a s t S u r v e y h a d
a r r i v e d p r e v i o u s l y o n t h e l i g h t h o u s e s c h o o n e r F l o r i d a a n d h a d a l r e a d y
b e g u n t h e c l e a r i n g o f t h e l i n e . T h e 1 8 5 1 l i n e h a d b e e n c o m p l e t e l y o v e r -
g r o w n . B y t h i s t i m e h e h a d c l e a r e d o n l y o n e a n d o n e - h a l f m i l e s s o t h e r e
w a s m u c h w o r k t o b e d o n e . M r . B o u t e l l e w a s g r e a t l y c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e
u n u s u a l l y l o n g v o y a g e f r o m M a y p o r t M i l l s w h i c h h a d d e l a y e d t h e i r a r r i v a l .
S u p e r i n t e n d e n t B a c h e h i m s e l f w a s e x p e c t e d t o a r r i v e s h o r t l y t o s u p e r v i s e
t h e o p e r a t i o n .
1 2 T E Q U E S T A
F o r t h e n e x t w e e k t h e m e n w e r e b u s y c l e a r i n g t h e l i n e , m a k i n g c o m -
p a r i s o n s a n d g e n e r a l l y s e t t i n g u p f o r B a c h e ' s a r r i v a l . T w o d a y s w e r e a l m o s t
l o s t w h e n a " s e v e r e " s t o r m i n t e r r u p t e d t h e w o r k . T h e d a y ( A p r i l 1 ) f o l -
l o w i n g t h e s t o r m t h e t e m p e r a t u r e d r o p p e d t o 5 5 � g i v i n g t h e m e n m o r e
d i s c o m f o r t .
D u r i n g t h e u n e x p e c t e d s t o r m t h e s c o w w h i c h c o n t a i n e d t h e g r a n i t e
N o r t h B a s e M a r k e r w a s s w a m p e d a n d a l m o s t s u n k . O n l y q u i c k a c t i o n b y
t h e m e n s a v e d i t .
O n M o n d a y , A p r i l 2 P r o f e s s o r B a c h e a n d h i s w i f e , M r . F a i r m a n
R o g e r s , v o l u n t e e r a i d f r o m P h i l a d e l p h i a a n d o t h e r s a r r i v e d o n t h e s t e a m e r
C o r w i n w h i c h a n c h o r e d n e a r F o w e y R o c k . T h e i r b a g g a g e w a s b r o u g h t
a s h o r e a n d t h e y j o i n e d t h e o t h e r s i n t h e c a m p . T h e s c h o o n e r B o w d i t c h
w h i c h a c c o m p a n i e d t h e C o r w i n w a s b r o u g h t a r o u n d t o t h e l e e a n c h o r a g e
j o i n i n g t h e t h r e e s c h o o n e r s a l r e a d y t h e r e .
B y t h i s t i m e t h e r e w e r e f i v e l a r g e s h i p s a n c h o r e d o f f o f K e y B i s c a y n e
a n d o v e r f o r t y m e n a n d o n e w o m a n i n r e s i d e n c e t h e r e . T h i s u n d o u b t e d l y
w a s t h e l a r g e s t c o n t i n g e n t o f c i v i l i a n s e v e r a s s e m b l e d i n t h e a r e a . I n t h e
n e x t f e w d a y s t h e r e v e n u e c u t t e r S e a D r i f t a r r i v e d t o j o i n t h e g r o u p a n d
t h e m a i l b o a t I s a b e l p a s s e d b y o n i t s m o n t h l y m a i l r u n . t a
P r o f e s s o r B a c h e i m m e d i a t e l y t o o k c h a r g e o f t h e c o m p a r i s o n s o f t h e
m e a s u r i n g b a r s w i t h t h e s t a n d a r d .
T h e s y s t e m o f m e a s u r i n g b y t h e U . S . C o a s t S u r v e y a t t h i s t i m e w a s a
r e f i n e m e n t o f a v e r y a n c i e n t m e t h o d o f d e t e r m i n i n g l o n g d i s t a n c e s . T h e
E g y p t i a n s h a d u s e d l e n g t h s o f r o p e w h i c h n a t u r a l l y s t r e t c h e d a n d s h r a n k
w i t h v a r y i n g h u m i d i t y . T h e e a r l y E u r o p e a n s h a d c o m e u p w i t h t h e i d e a o f
r o d s o f w o o d , w e l l d r i e d a n d t i p p e d w i t h m e t a l w h i c h w e r e u s e d i n p a i r s
l a i d o n t h e g r o u n d , b u t t e d o n e a g a i n s t t h e o t h e r a n d a l t e r n a t e l y l e a p -
f r o g g e d a h e a d a l o n g a l i n e . T h e s e r o d s w e r e 1 6 . 5 f e e t l o n g v a r i o u s l y
c a l l e d r o d s o r p e r c h e s a n d a r e s t i l l t h e b a s i s o f E n g l i s h l a n d m e a s u r e m e n t ,
i . e . 3 2 0 r o d s = 5 2 8 0 f e e t = 1 m i l e .
A t t h i s t i m e t h e G u n t e r s c h a i n w a s i n e x i s t e n c e , i t b e i n g m a d e o f 1 0 0
s h o r t l i n k s o f w i r e t o t a l i n g 6 6 f e e t o r 4 r o d s . I t s c h i e f w e a k n e s s l a y i n t h e
f a c t t h a t a t e a c h l o o p o f t h e 1 0 0 l i n k s t h e r e w a s a p o i n t o f f r i c t i o n a n d
t h e r e f o r e i t w a s s u b j e c t t o w e a r a n d c o n s e q u e n t l e n g t h e n i n g o f t h e t o t a l
c h a i n a f t e r u s e o v e r a n y l e n g t h o f t i m e .
T o o v e r c o m e t h i s w e a k n e s s t h e C o a s t S u r v e y h a d i n e f f e c t d r o p p e d b a c k
t o a m o r e a n c i e n t m e t h o d o f m e a s u r e m e n t ; n a m e l y t u b e s o f m e t a l , s i x
m e t e r s l o n g a n d t i p p e d w i t h a g a t e t o c i r c u m v e n t w e a r o n t h e e n d s .
. t 7 " R e m a r k s o n t h e T w o B a s e L i n e s , " p . 2 4 0 .
I s " K e y B i s c a y n e B a s e . A b s t r a c t o f J o u r n a l , " 1 8 5 5 , R e c o r d G r o t t o 2 3 , p p . 8 7 - 9 6 .
ARVA M. PARKS 13
Two of these tubes were used in the actual measurement but in order to
keep control over their length, a standard bar was kept at the camp, care-
fully padded and protected in a long wooden box. A very stable bench or
trestle was set up in camp and by a rather complicated set of clamps,
mirrors and screws, a great number of comparisons were made between
the standard and the tubes used in the field. Temperatures were vital to
these comparisons as well as to the actual measurements in the field since
the tubes, being made of metal, were subject to expansion and con-
traction.' 9
When the comparisons were completed the measuring apparatus was
put on board the schooner Bowditch and taken to anchorage off the site of
the North Base Marker. A path was cleared from the shore line to the site
and preparation for setting the North Base Monument began.
A line was celared from signal to signal for a width of sixteen feet,
eleven to the west of the chained line and five to the east. A four foot
section, two feet on each side of the line was carefully grubbed and graded.
On Monday, April 9, 1855 with chaining completed and the North Base
Monument in place, measurement began.
The actual measurement began at the North Base and was in all respects
a major operation. The tubes were laid on movable trestles, carefully butted
one against the other, clamped and alternately moved forward down the
line, each movement forward entailed moving rear trestle and tube for-
ward. In addition to moving tubes and trestles, a straight line had to be
maintained with an instrument, levels taken at each butting of the tubes
and temperatures recorded for each tube length. When moving a tube for-
ward extreme care was necessary to not bump the trestle or tube remaining
in place or the whole operation was in trouble.
At breakfast and dinner time and at the end of a day's work, solid stakes
were driven under the ends of the last three tube lengths to give three
points to start the operation again. Under this system any accidents in
operation would entail the loss of a half -day maximum.
In order to control the operation and get all men working as a team a
quasi -military set of commands was devised by which all operations were
done "by the numbers."20
Thirteen men were employed in the actual measurement of the base.
Four men were tube bearers, four trestle and plate bearers, four assisting
14 TEQUEST A
in the leveling and arranging of advance trestles and one keeping the plate
frame in line and preparing the ground with a hoe for the plates.
The average workday began at 5:00 A.M. with a break for breakfast at
abount 8:30 and "dinner" about 1:00 P.M. There was between seven and
eight hours of work a day. The temperature ranged from a low of 55° to
a high of 86°, the latter being described as "quite oppressive." At one point
Mr. Boutelle succumbed to the heat and had to go back to camp to recover.
The topography of the island was carefully recorded as each day's
measurement progressed. It consisted mostly of either sandy soil or low
marsh. The vegetation on the path was almost exclusively dwarf palmetto,
mangrove and sea grape —except for a few coconut trees surrounding the
light keeper's dwelling that he had planted.
On Wednesday, April 18th at 5:45 P.M. the South Base signal was
reached. Nine hundred sixty-five tubes had been used for a distance of
3.597 miles between the two points.21 On the following day the South Base
Monument was put into place. A detailed description of this procedure
was recorded but there is no similar record for the North Base Monument.
However, the two monuments were exactly alike so it can be assumed that
the North Base Monument was put in place in the same manner.
After the South Base Mark was verified the old pieces of concrete that
served as the old monument were removed and a hole dug six feet wide by
two feet deep. With the old marker removed two sectors were carefully
centered over the points in the copper bolts north and west of the line and
a plumb line suspended from a movable tripod was made to coincide with
the intersection of the lines of sight.
A hole about two feet deep was dug to receive the granite post that
would mark the station below the surface. A half barrel was fixed in the
hole and the five inch square twenty inch long granite post was placed in
its center and the space around it filled with sand and rammed tight.
After this was set nine inches of sand were put on top of it to serve as
support for the heavy granite blocks that would support the monument.
The existing scaffolding placed there was strengthened, a tackle rigged
and the two heavy granite blocks were lowered into the bed of sand. Each
stone was forty inches long, 38.5 inches wide and fifteen inches thick.
The next day when the stones had settled a hole was drilled and a copper
bolt inserted thus marking the south end of the base. Upon the dressed
2°)bid.
19James C. Frazier, Field Survey Supervisor, Metropolitan Dade County, Public Works
DepartmenL
21"Key Biscayne Base. Abstract of Journal," pp. 100-108.
22"Key Biscayne Base. Setting of the Monument, South End," 1855, Record Group, 27,
pp. 61-65.
ARVA M. PARKS 15
surface of the upper stone they placed the pyramidal block.2
With most of the work completed at Key Biscayne many of the men
left for the next order of business —the measurement of the Cape Sable
Base. A few remained to finish marking the three mile posts of granite that
were 21 feet long and nine inches square, dressed down to a square of
six inches on top.
The day the measurement was completed, the officers from Ft. Dallas,
located on the north bank of the Miami River visited the scene. Before he
left, Bache, Lieutenant Totten and Mr. Rogers visited "Miami" —pre-
sumably the garrison at Ft. Dallas.23
By Sunday, April 22, lighthouse keeper Dr. Fletcher and his family had
the island back to themselves. One month later Charles Baron became
lighthouse keeper and the Fletchers moved permanently to the south bank
of the Miami River where Dr. Fletcher opened a store.24 A short time
later however, Lieutenant Totten returned to measure the angles resulting
from the new base line.
It is somewhat ironic that Gerdes' warning about the inadvisability of
the heavy granite marker at the North Base because of the unstable con-
ditions of the ground could prove to be so incorrect. It was the site selec-
tion of the South Base Marker that proved to be a mistake. As early as
1883 when a coast survey team was again in the area for re -triangulation,
the South Base Marker was already in three feet of water, three feet off
shore. At this time the North Base Marker was still in good condition.25
The discovery of the North Base Marker has given South Florida an-
other tangible piece of evidence to prove the considerable activity that did
occur in the area before the coming of the railroad in 1896. Next to the
lighthouse, the North Base Marker is the oldest documented man-made
object in its original location in the Miami area.
23"Key Biscayne Base. Abstract of Journal," pp. 109-110. Ft. Dallas which was established
in 1336 was re -opened on January 3, 1855 because of the impending outbreak of war
with the Seminoles for the third time. Scouting parties operated from Ft. Dallas before
the tctual beginnin_t of the war in December, 1855. (The initial period of occupation was
1836-41. It was briefly re -opened in 1849-50) At the same time the Coast Survey was
taking place on Key Biscayne the troops at the Miami River were likewise engaged in
fe''erish activity. Between February and July, 1855 the two stone buildings started by
William English in the 1840's were completed by the Army. One of these buildings has
been moved and is preserved in Miami's Lummus Park. (Letter, St. Lewis Morris to
Quartermaster General U.S., Major General, Jesup, Washington, D.C., July 1, 1855,
Record Group 698.)
July 1, 1855, Record Group 698.
2/Mrs. A. C. Richards, "Reminiscences," circa 1903, Clippings. Dr. Fletcher and his family
played an active role in the development of Miami in this era. Their home was located
next to the present Miami Ave. bridge where they operated a store and boat to Key West.
2sLetter, J. E. Hilgard, Superintendent to O. H. Tatman, Assistant, February 28, 1883,
Record Croon 23.
16 TEQ UEST4
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The National Archives
Record Group 23
Census of the United States. Florida, Dade County, 1850.
"Coast Survey Correspondence with Civil Assistants, Extra Observers and
Superintendents Party," Vol. 3, 1849.
"Correspondence, Reports, Sketches of Gerdes Relating to the Measure-
ment of the Florida Bases at Cape Sable and Cape Florida," 1855.
"Extract from the Report of Assistant F. H. Gerdes to the Superintendent
of the Coast Survey on the Reconnaisance of the Florida Keys," 1850.
"From the St. Mary's River to St. Joseph's Bay, Coast of Folrida and In-
cluding the Florida Reef and Keys," 1850.
"Horizontal Control Data, Special Publicatiop No. 227," (Revised 1957)
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1961.
"Key Biscayne Base. Abstract of Journal," 1855.
"Key Biscayne Base. Setting of the Monument, South End," 1855.
Notes on the Coast of the United States (Washington: 1861), A. D. Bache,
Supervisor.
"Registration of Record Group 23, Records of the Coast and Geodetic
Survey," (Mimeographed), May 6, 1968.
"Remarks on the Two Base Lines for the U.S. Coast Survey in Florida
at Cape Florida and Cape Sable," 1851.
Interviews
Dr. James C. Covington
James C. Frazier
Letters
J. E. Hilgard, Superintendent to 0. H. Titttnan, Assistant, February
28, 1883.
St. Lewis Morris to Quartermaster General U.S., Major General Jesup,
Washington, D.C., July 1, 1855, Record Group 698.
Books
Johnson, Allen, ed. "Alexander Dallas Bache." Dictionary of American
Biography. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1928.
Maps
U.S. Coast Survey, Key Biscayne, Florida. Topography by the party under
the command of Hull Adams, U.S.C.S., 1851.
Topographical Sketch of Key Biscaine [sic.] with the Cape Florida Base
Line, circa, 1851.
Clippings
Richards, Mrs. A. C. "Reminiscences." Circa, 1903.
1
Thursday, April 20, 2000
t tit ISLANUtH
Archeologists uncover 145 -year -old
survey marker in Crandon Park
By JOHN LABRIOLA
A bit of history was made on Key
Biscayne this week when archaeologists
unearthed an 1855 survey marker in Crandon
Park on the 145th anniversary of its creation.
Miami Circle discoverer T.L. Riggs and
county archaeologist John Ricisak made the
archaeological find in the Crandon Park
Quiet Gardens on Monday morning. Using
modern global positioning satellite technol-
ogy and some old survey notes, they were
able to pinpoint the marker's location. They
then excavated a 2 -foot trench and found it
exactly where they expected.
The 21/ -foot granite pillar was one of three
markers that were placed at precise one -mile
intervals along a 31/2 -mile -long survey
baseline of triangulation that was used to
create the first reliable maps of the upper
and lower Keys.
The inspiration for locating the marker
came four months ago during the restora-
tion of the baseline's northern marker in what
is now the Crandon Park Golf Course. While
working on that project, Riggs came across
some old survey notes on the three mile
markers.
"We knew they existed and thought it
would be an interesting project to find and
preserve them, and we proceeded to use what
information we had from the original notes,
modern technology and intuition - and there
it is," Riggs said.
The first of the three markers was found
in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on
April 6 under five feet of dirt.
Both markers will be reburied and
mounted with replicas and descriptive signs.
Aerial photos indicate that the middle of
the three markers now lies near the Beach
Club, but it won't be excavated because it
sits on private property.
Riggs said his next project will take him
to Sands Key, where he hopes to unearth the
monument forming the corner of another
19th century survey triangle.
JOHN LABRIOLA / The Islander News
T.L. Riggs, right, and county archaelogist John Ricisak take measurements after
une rthina an 1 FI55 survey marker in Crandon Park