ARC CORNER MONUMENT
Go There; Stand There...

To round off your MDP mission, visit the Arc Corner Monument, located .8 miles east of the MD/DE/PA tri-point post. From the "Welcome to Pennsylvania" marker on Rt896, travel south aprx. 1/2 mile to Hopkins Bridge Rd. on the left. Follow this an equal distance to a gated preserve track on the left. Park here. The ACM is across the road in a clearing but somewhat hidden by brush along the road. Reaching it involves a tricky step over a drainage ditch. Pictured is the ACM looking northward where the arc travels in the direction of our van parked across H.B. Rd. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/maps/whiteclaycreek_mini.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Mile_Circle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wedge_%28border%29
http://www.udel.edu/dgs/Publications/pubsonline/info6.html
http://www.destateparks.com/wccsp/index.asp

REVISITING MDP
And getting it right...

The previous post was based on an MDP revisit, that of Greg Weiler. His update included a map showing 3 markers at the tri-point site. "Three?" was my reaction, realizing the need for our own revisit.

Two years ago, we stopped at the first monument encountered (MDP #1, pictured), took pics, and left. Wrong! If we had followed the continuing path, passing a second reference marker (MDP #3), and crossed the bridge, we would have reached the taller, definitive 3Pt post (MDP #2), dated 1849, by the creek (Revisit pic: Diane on bridge. 3Pt monument is upper right).

Greg's directions are from Newark via Rt896. Or: From PA on 896, and aprx.1 1/2 mi. after Kemblesville, look for Chambers Rock Rd. then Morgan Halloway then the obscure, rustic access road, all on left. 896 can be a fast road at times so spying the latter on the first pass can be tricky. There was once an old bar on the west side of the road, now demolished for a new, unknown 2-storey construction.

Three geocaches are within this 3Pt area so try this: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gmnearest.aspx?lat=39.719867&lng=-75.793183 for reference. NGS Data Sheets: http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_radius.prl - enter N394319 & W0754719 & radius = .1 mile (Pic: Garmin Nuvi displaying 3Pt DMS coordinates). Also, see Butler bros. MDP report: http://www.bjbsoftware.com/corners/pointdetail.php3?point=24

MDP TRIPOINT UPDATE

(Maryland/Delaware/Pennsylvania)

From Newark, DE, go NW on route 896 about 3 miles into MD and on to the PA line. 0.2 miles north of the “Welcome to Pennsylvania” sign on route 896 is a driveable dirt track (no sign) on the right. After about 100 feet on the track there is an area wide enough to park 2-3 cars. The track leads across a field, which can be soft and muddy and not advisable for driving. This area is owned by White Clay Preserve which also owns the land at the tri-point. Follow the track S across the field about 500 feet to a grassy area and a path leading into the woods. Part of this route is on private land but it is OK to cross. Take the path into the woods passing USGS reference (arrow) and station (triangle) markers. Cross a footbridge after about 300’ on the path and continue on to the stone tri-point monument, now visible on the right near a creek, in another 40 feet.

In 1760 commissioners and surveyors were appointed to establish the base line and tangent line between MD & DE. This involved the N boundary of DE, which is an arc of a circle having a radius of 12 English statute miles measured from the center of the town of New Castle, DE. After several years of trying to establish these boundaries, the proprietors became discouraged with the delays and sent from England two famous mathematicians, Charles Mason & Jeremiah Dixon, who verified the earlier work and ran the lines between PA & MD, ever since called The Mason & Dixon Line. A resurvey 200 years later showed the location of the NE corner of MD to be in error by only 1.9 seconds of latitude. Arc Corner is 0.8 mile E of the tri-point.

Submitted by Greg Weiler, 12/06.

GOING THAT EXTRA FEW FEET
Ultra rad and totally heroic...

Making split decisions that can save your life...or that of another. This is the stuff of Hollywood action films and Spider-Man fanasty. Wesley Autrey, Harlem construction worker, was the right guy to turn up in a wrong window but perform an heroic act without the benefit of dwelling on "Should I or shouldn't I?" for long.

Hopefully, you've caught this remarkable story from one news source or other. The leading question from his action has been, "What would you have done?" Would you, everyday Joe or Joan, have the "right stuff" - the definitive, perhaps latent, capability of coming to grips should your Wesley Autrey moment suddenly rear to stare you down? Hey, ya make your rad move and hope it's the right one. Many of us will never find out if we share Wesley's selflessness and survive the deed to hear the word "hero."

Try this video. Hope it works: http://us.video.aol.com/?pmmsid=1804630 AOL News pic & video.