Zero Milestone facts for kids
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The Zero Milestone is a special stone monument in Washington, D.C.. It was built to be the starting point for measuring all road distances across the United States. Today, it's mainly used for measuring distances on roads just around Washington, D.C.
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Where to Find the Zero Milestone
This monument is located in Washington, D.C.. You can find it just south of the White House. It stands on the northern edge of The Ellipse, which is part of President's Park.
On top of the monument, there is a bronze compass. This compass has 16 points, like a star. In its very center, there's a tiny, worn-down pyramid. The top of this pyramid is a special marker. It helps the U.S. National Geodetic Survey measure exact locations.
What the Zero Milestone Looks Like
The Zero Milestone was designed by an architect named Horace W. Peaslee. It is a single block of stone, about 2 feet wide and 4 feet tall. The stone is called Milford granite. It comes from Milford, Massachusetts. The stone is light pink or greenish-gray. It also has small black spots from a mineral called biotite mica.
The bronze compass on top is very old-fashioned. It looks like the "wind roses" or "compass roses" from old maps. These maps were called portolan charts. From the points of these compasses, lines would stretch out. These lines showed directions to all parts of the world known at that time. It was like an early version of today's compasses used by sailors.
Messages on the Stone
The monument has words carved into each of its four sides:
- North side: Zero Milestone
- East side: Starting point of Second Transcontinental Motor Convoy over the Bankhead Highway, June 14, 1920
- South side: Point for the measurement of distances from Washington on highways of the United States
- West side: Starting point of First Transcontinental Motor Convoy over the Lincoln Highway, July 7, 1919
There is also a special brass plate. It is placed on the ground near the north side of the monument.
This plate says:
- The U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey determined the latitude, longitude and elevation of the Zero Milestone authorized by Act of Congress June 5, 1920 dedicated June 4, 1923
History of the Zero Milestone
The idea for a central measuring point in Washington, D.C., is quite old. When Pierre L'Enfant first planned the city, he wanted a column. This column would be about one mile east of the Capitol. From this spot, all distances across the country would be measured.
However, a different marker was placed in 1804. It was called the Jefferson Stone or Jefferson Pier. This stone was put west of the Capitol. It marked a specific line of longitude, which is like an imaginary line running north and south.
The idea for the current Zero Milestone came from Dr. S. M. Johnson. He was a supporter of the Good Roads Movement. This movement wanted to improve roads across the country. Dr. Johnson was inspired by an ancient Roman monument. It was called the Milliarium Aureum, or Golden Milestone. This Roman milestone was in the Roman Forum.
On July 7, 1919, a temporary marker was set up. It was placed on the Ellipse, south of the White House. This happened during a special event. It was the start of the Army's first attempt to drive military vehicles across the country. They drove all the way to San Francisco, California.
On June 5, 1920, the Congress approved building the permanent monument. Dr. Johnson was in charge of the project. He raised money from donations to pay for its design and construction. The permanent Zero Milestone was officially dedicated on June 4, 1923.
Images for kids
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Zero Milestone, showing its northwest side (2010)
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Compass rose on top of the monument (2014)
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Zero Milestone in 1923. This side is the monument's south face
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Zero Milestone. Words on the brass plate on the ground near the monument
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The west side of the Jefferson Pier in April 2011, with the Washington Monument behind it
See also
In Spanish: Milla cero para niños
