Zero Milestone – Washington, D.C.

Zero Milestone of Washington is based upon The Roman Empire’s Golden Milestone. The Zero Milestone was initially intended to be the place from which all distances in America were measured. The idea was proposed by advocate Dr. S. M. Johnson. It was officially approved on June 7, 1919. He was inspired by this idea by the Forum's Golden Milestone in ancient Rome. A strong supporter of the Good Roads Movement, which advocated for better roads throughout the U.S. in the late 19th and early twentieth centuries, Johnson also saw the Forum as a source of inspiration.

Mile Marker Zero

Milestone Memorials — Zero mile is a temporary marker that was dedicated to the Zero Milestone on the Ellipse south side of the White House on July 7, 1919. This was during the ceremonies that launched the Army's first attempt at sending a convoy with military vehicles across the country from the United States to San Francisco, California. The current monument of zero milestone Washington DC was authorized by Congress to be erected by the Secretary of War on June 5, 1920. The design would have to be approved and installed at no cost to the government. Dr Johnson was responsible for all details and raised funds to pay for construction and design. On June 4, 1923, the permanent Zero Milestone was dedicated to a ceremony.

Zero Mile Mark

Ground zero Washington DC — Milestone Washington DC is located in President's Park, just south of the White House. The monument's top is a bronze 16 point compass rose, with a small, worn-down pyramid at the centre. Benchmark milestone serves as a National Geodetic Survey benchmark. The monolith was designed by Horace W. Peaslee (Washington architect) and measures approximately 2 feet in square and 4 feet tall. Zero milestone in Washington DC is made from Precambrian Milford granite, Milford, Massachusetts. Mile zero marker is light pinkish to greenish, with spots of biotite mica. Point zero USA - The bronze disc on the top of this milestone is an adaptation of ancient portolan charts, so-called wind roses and compass roses. These points extended radial lines to all known parts of the world at the time. This was the prototype for the modern mariner's compass.

Mile marker 0 sign

Zero Milestone DC - The Zero Milestone at Washington was never to be the American equivalent to Rome's Golden Milestone. It is still there today, confusing tourists. They use it primarily as a place to store their belongings while taking photographs of one another in front of The White House. It is mostly forgotten. This mini Washington monument is occasionally threatened by the National Park Service when it examines revitalizing Ellipse. For historians, however, the Zero Milestone is the site where "a new age" began.

Image credit Kim Davies