The Pynchon-l Post Mark'd West

[Matthew P Wiener]

>Yesterday, as my gaze was occupied in just such a fashion at the corner
>of Lee Highway and Main Street, it occurred to me that there might be
>such a marker at the location of the Post Mark'd West. [...]

Yes, there is such a marker.  It was set up in the 1950s.  See William
T Mahoney "The Post Marked West on the Mason-Dixon Survey" DELAWARE
HISTORY, Sept 1955, for the story of a modern search for its location
and the putting up of a new permanent post and directions on How To
Get There, plus photographs.

It reads:
                           SITE OF
                            POST
                           MARK'D
                            WEST
                          SET UP BY
                            MASON
                             AND
                            DIXON
                           JUNE 12
                            1764

The original post mark'd west had been made of wood.  It did not last
long.  Evenly spaced locations along the Line itself were marked with
special stones, which are still along the border--although many have
also been replaced.  Curiously enough, the location on the Harland's
farm was marked in stone, and so of course it is still there.  This,
the "Star-Gazer's Stone" is very easy to locate if you drive anywhere
near it, as highway signs make sure you can find it.

So far as I can tell (reported in previous e-mail here), the "South-
ernmost Point of Philadelphia", where it all began, is completely
unmarked.  You'll have to settle for visiting Larry Fine's childhood
home.  Nyuck nyuck nyuck, I suppose.
--
-Matthew P Wiener (weemba at sagi.wistar.upenn.edu)