Southeast Corner of New Mexico (1912) - Jal, NM - U.S. Historic Survey Stones and Monuments on Waymarking.com

This marker is set at the southeast corner of New Mexico, and it has an interesting history.

The point was first surveyed by John H. Clark, as reported to the U.S. Government in a report entitled "Boundary between Texas and New Mexico - Report of Commissioner - relative to the 32° of latitude and the 103rd Meridian between the 32nd and 33rd degree of latitude - Survey commenced September 1858 - Report made September 1861." That is quite a title but the report itself is relatively brief. He did comment that he traced the 103rd Meridian up to the 33rd Parallel but he and his mules consumed all of the water that they had in the process. A glance at the coordinates of this waymark indicates that Clark was a few miles west of the 103rd Meridian. However, the law stated that the borders of the states, once set by the surveyors, would not be altered even if errors were discovered.

The location was revisited in 1911 as the date for New Mexico statehood approached, by a team led by surveyors Francis M. Cockrell and Sam R. Scott. They found the iron pipe that had been set by Clark's party and constructed a more substantial monument. As described by Cockrell in his report of April 18, 1911: “At the point occupied by said iron pipe I construct a concrete monument having a cubical base 30 ins. square, set 30 ins. into the ground, and a superstructure in the form of a frustum of a cone, incased in galvanized iron, with a lower diameter of 24 ins., an upper diameter of 18 ins., and projecting 30 ins. above ground; in the top of which there is embedded a brass plate, 6 ins. dia., marked, “CLARK BOUNDARY 1859”, in the north half, “GENERAL LAND OFFICE RESESTABLISHMENT 1911 UNITED STATES BOUNDARY COMMISSION”, in the south half and in the center (an east/west – north/south right angle line with the words NEW MEXICO on the upper left and TEXAS on the lower right)."

Over a century later a team of surveyors from New Mexico and Texas gathered here; they found the remnants of the Cockrell/Scott monument and set a new one in its place, which one can view today. A hole in the center of the new monument is directly above the remnants of the 1911 marker.

In summary - this point was first surveyed and marked in 1861, re-visited in 1911 at which time a new marker was set, and re-visited again in 2015 for yet another marker. This new marker has a hole in the middle directly above the remnants of the 1911 marker, so it is still (barely) visible. One can read an interesting article about this point at the link below. This marker is not in the NGS database, so I am guessing that these surveyors set the witness post that is currently in place.

Monumentation Type: other (not included below) Monumentation Type (if other): Metal Plate Monument Category: State boundary marker Accessible to general public: yes Historical significance: State Boundary Marker Monument Website: [Web Link] County: Lea County, NM Approximate date of monument: 01/01/1911 Monument Category (if other): Not listed Explain Non-Public access: Not listed USGS Quad: Not listed NGS PID: Not listed Other Coordinates: Not Listed Other Coordinates details: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
1. A closeup photo of the monument is required.
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2. A 'distant' photo including the monument in the view is highly recommended. Include the compass direction you faced when you took the picture.

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