Jeff's Stone: A Quirky Historical Gem Hidden in DC's Concrete Jungle

Jefferson Pier, commonly known as Jeff's Stone, is a weather-beaten gem that stands tall in the heart of Washington D.C. Nestled approximately due south of the White House center, almost due west of Capitol Hill, and roughly 119 meters WNW of the Washington Monument center, this stone, though neglected by official proclamations or Congress, remains a silent sentinel of a historical fact undeniable: the second prime meridian of the United States. Standing at 3 feet (0.9 meters) high and 2.25 feet (0.7 meters) across each side, it flaunts latitudinal and longitudinal lines etched on its upper surface, along with an inscription that reads: 'PIER ERECTED DEC 18, 1804.

RECOVERED AND RE-ERECTED DEC 2, 1889. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. INSCRIBES A PRIME MERIDIAN. You see, an oversight led the grounds nearby the Washington Monument to be inundated, leading to the stone's relocation to drier grounds. It was moved on December 2, 1889, and repositioned above the recovered foundation of the original Jefferson Pier.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons