Mystery Marker

[ndembowski]

A member sent in this photo and asked if anyone knew what this stone marker is.  It is located on the north side of W. 232nd Street west of Independence Avenue in Seton Park.

A group of us saw this marker while on the geology walking tour and were wondering about it as well.  It is across the street from 740 W. 232nd Street.

[jbakerjonathan]

Could it possibly be a surveyor’s monument?

[Thomas Casey]

The size is unknown and the distance into the park from the road is unknown. and the distance from the front door of 740 W. 232nd is unknown also.  but it was located on the Seton Hospital property.  Map of 1914 is attached.

[Thomas Casey]

Or the lot marker #54

[COGGINSS]

It might be a lot marker for the Douglas Estate, as it not far from the Raoul Wallenberg Forest where the Douglas House once stood.

[jbakerjonathan]

Would there be a way to superimpose a current map with the map showing lot #54 to give an idea of the relationship of the lot map with current streets?  I don’t have that skill.

[ndembowski]

Good idea.  Here is a link to the superimposed map (use the blue bar in the upper right corner to adjust the opacity of the 1872 map and zoom on the top left): https://kingsbridgehistoricalsociety.org/images/stone%20marker%20map/openlayers.html

I think it could very well be a property marker of some kind but it is not lot 54 in Hudson Park as shown in the map Tom found, which was apparently north of 236th Street.  This marker on W. 232nd seems to be on the property boundary between Judge Whiting’s property and James Hayden’s property.

We discussed Whiting a little in this thread: https://kingsbridgehistoricalsociety.org/forums/topic/the-hudson-river-and-railroad-illustrated/

[Thomas Casey]

The lot marker could have been moved from the Lots at 236th or its possible the lots on west 232nd were assigned similar lot numbers.

[Thomas Casey]

If you are walking North up Palisades Ave, you can enter Riverdale Park at W.247th Street.   As you continue walking north and 1 block before you can see the turn going up the hill on Spalding Lane, you will find a Marker that is not a Mystery.  Jim Vogt sent me the “Mystery Marker”  image.    

[Thomas Casey]

Plate No. 52, Part of Ward 24, E. Belcher Hyde Map 1901   –   MARKER  J.  D.   ( Joseph Delafield  )

[jbakerjonathan]

Thank you, Nick, for the superimposition of the maps.   It gives a good understanding of the relationship of the earlier map with today’s reality.  Monument #54 is well-separated from lot 54 and remains a puzzlement.

Could there be government records of early surveying in the area of interest that might reveal the purpose of the monument?  Perhaps the survey of 740 W 232nd street might show something.  Streets appearing, moving, being truncated would need surveying I would think.  I wonder if  survey maps drawn when the Seton Hall grounds were repurposed would show the monument. Actually this sounds like a lot of work to uncover the provenance of a wayward monument.

[ndembowski]

I think it has to be a property marker.  It looks very similar to the one Tom posted for the Delafield property.  And I can’t think of anything else it could be.

[jbakerjonathan]

I agree with you, Nick.  I’m unfamiliar with surveying methods; are monuments numbered when there are many of them placed in order to easily identify them on a survey map?  I can see how that would be helpful.  Perhaps there exists a map with such a reference.  It would be nice to “nail” this down, so to speak. lol

[Thomas Casey]

It is great when you have any of the original survey maps, that I found at the Huntington Free Library, 9 Westchester Square.  We also wondered what that granite block was that we uncovered on our property.  Back in 1880 when the executors of the Van Schaick Estate ( his will ordered a Library built to honor his predeceased wife ) were assembling the various lots to be purchased  from the Adee Estate, the monument is labeled on the lot line corner.  When I find the picture of the monument buried in the ground, just like the others, I will post it.

[jbakerjonathan]

Thomas, thank you for posting this picture.  However, I’m confused as to what it represents.  Could you explain?

[Thomas Casey]

The red circle is the location the HFL  intersection of property lines and the location of a granite monument.  It is in fact labeled  ” Monument “

[jbakerjonathan]

Thank Thomas.  The is a survey of which property?  The notations are too fuzzy to read.  Where is this property located?

[Thomas Casey]

the original survey maps, that I found at the Huntington Free Library, 9 Westchester Square.  ( read above)

[Author]

Posts