Peirce Geodetic Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peirce Geodetic Monument |
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| Year | 1987 |
| Type | Brass, Black Granite. |
| Dimensions | 91 cm (3 ft); 46 cm diameter (1.5 ft); 180 cm (6 ft) diameter grating |
| Location | Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States |
The Peirce Geodetic Monument is a special marker that honors an important American thinker named Charles Sanders Peirce (say "purse"). You can find it on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. National Geodetic Survey put it there.
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What is the Peirce Geodetic Monument?
The Peirce Geodetic Monument is made from shiny brass and dark black granite. It is shaped like a cylinder, which is like a can. The monument stands about 3 feet (0.91 m) tall and is 1.5 feet (0.46 m) wide. Its top gets narrower and ends in a point with a metal disc.
A metal grating that is 6 feet (1.8 m) wide goes around the bottom of the monument. This grating is split into two parts.
What Information Does the Monument Hold?
On the side of the monument, there is a special plaque. This plaque remembers Charles Sanders Peirce. Another plaque is on a concrete bench right behind the monument. This second plaque explains how the monument works as a geodetic marker.
The metal top of the monument has important numbers carved into it. These numbers show the exact latitude, longitude, and altitude of that spot. This information is very helpful for people who create maps. It also helps architects, landscapers, engineers, and scientists. There are other markers in Indianapolis, but the Peirce marker is special because it helps measure both up-and-down and side-to-side positions.
History of the Monument
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. National Geodetic Survey gave this marker to the IUPUI campus. They wanted to honor Charles Sanders Peirce because he helped in many different areas of study. They also wanted to recognize IUPUI's work. The university has been collecting and organizing his writings.
The Peirce Edition Project
The Peirce Edition Project at IUPUI started in 1976. This project aims to publish all of Charles Sanders Peirce's handwritten notes and put them in the correct order. By April 2010, six of the planned thirty books had been published. We do not know who designed or built the monument itself.
The IUPUI Peirce Monument is the third marker that NOAA has placed to honor Peirce. The monument's top shows the year 1987, and it was put in place on June 30, 1987. Today, you can find it on the southeast corner of the main quadrangle at IUPUI. This area is surrounded by the education building, the lecture hall, and the old library.
Protecting Outdoor Art
Recently, students in a Museum Studies class at IUPUI studied 40 outdoor sculptures on their campus. The Peirce Geodetic Monument was one of the sculptures they looked at. This project was inspired by a successful campaign called Save Outdoor Sculpture!. This campaign started in 1989. It was organized by Heritage Preservation and the Smithsonian Institution.
Throughout the 1990s, over 7,000 volunteers across the United States helped with this project. They listed and checked the condition of more than 30,000 public statues, monuments, and sculptures. These artworks are displayed outdoors for everyone to see.
