Ask your average American to name the oldest monuments in Washington, and chances are he or she will come up short. That's because the boundary stones -- i.e., the 40 stone markers placed in 1791 to mark off the federal territory that later became D.C. -- have pretty much been forgotten.
In the early 1900s, the Daughters of the American Revolution fenced off each stone for protection, but today the stones that haven't disappeared or been destroyed are in a state of disrepair. Rebecca Sheir spends a day with volunteers from the Boundary Stone Restoration Project, who tend to the stones twice a year, and hope the stones will be made national historic landmarks so the federal government will care for these historic, eroding treasures.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
Ask your average American to name the oldest monuments in Washington, and chances are he or she will come up short. That's because the boundary stones -- i.e., the 40 stone markers placed in 1791 to mark off the federal territory that later became D.C. -- have pretty much been forgotten.
In the early 1900s, the Daughters of the American Revolution fenced off each stone for protection, but today the stones that haven't disappeared or been destroyed are in a state of disrepair. Rebecca Sheir spends a day with volunteers from the Boundary Stone Restoration Project, who tend to the stones twice a year, and hope the stones will be made national historic landmarks so the federal government will care for these historic, eroding treasures.
Broadcast History
A version of this piece originally aired on WAMU 88.5's "Metro Connection," on 05-25-12.
Intro and Outro
INTRO: OUTRO:Rebecca Sheir is the host of "Metro Connection," on W-A-M-U 88-5 in Washington, D-C.
Related Website
