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Celebrating Our Past: July 14, 2021
old photo
Photo by Linda Lostetter of the Green County Historical Society.

In October of 1934, city officials observed Monroe’s new bench mark placed in Lincoln Park. It is a small round exposed surface and has the inscription: “U.S Coast & Geodetic Survey Bench Mark Elevation of 1098.94 feet above Mean Sea Level. $250 Fine or Imprisonment for Disturbing this Mark.”  

The elevation was stamped in by a federal surveying engineer when he came through later on a survey being made along the Milwaukee road right-of way. The bench mark was forwarded here to be inscribed in connection with that survey and to remain permanently for the information and interest of the public and of surveyors who want to know the official elevation. The bench mark, a 6-foot concrete shaft, tapering from bottom to top was poured underground by city workers and Mayor Charles Kohli sank the small marker in wet concrete at the top. The shaft protruded from the ground level only a few inches and built to withstand frost upheavals so that it will remain as permanently level as possible. The bench mark is located near the west side of the shelter house.