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Regional Boards => Northeast => Topic started by: dave1013 on April 14, 2015, 08:08:54 AM

Title: Pennsylvania Highway Dept. Mason-Dixon Line monumentation
Post by: dave1013 on April 14, 2015, 08:08:54 AM
A native Yorker now residing in Alaska who, when visiting home and driving up from the south, likes to exit I-83 at Parkton and drive the rest of the way on the former US 111.

Upon crossing the Maryland-Pennsylvania line, there is a monument on the east side of the road denoting the Mason-Dixon Line.  These were erected by PDH way back in the day at state and US highway border crossings.  Some are still in place.  I've always been fascinated by them.  This particular one was restored in 1985 as part of an Eagle Scout project.  Note the pavement surface change seemingly north of the line.  Maybe a small gift from MSHA?   :-D

I searched to see if this topic had been covered earlier but couldn't find a reference.  I didn't want to duplicate.  My apologies if I didn't look hard enough! 

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1260.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fii561%2Ffaarunnerboy%2FIMG_3290.jpg&hash=7b5c4be80ecd2c367fbbcf1efb4ed61a544984b4)
Title: Re: Pennsylvania Highway Dept. Mason-Dixon Line monumentation
Post by: KEVIN_224 on April 14, 2015, 09:24:11 AM
Wow! I haven't seen a marker that big before! I certainly saw nothing crossing from the Elkton/Fair Hills, MD area into Franklin, Chester County, Pennsylvania last June...except for a shit ton of fields and farmland. There was only one tiny blue "WELCOME TO PENNSYLVANIA" sign and that was it.

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F60vRdOl.jpg&hash=8cba09aa9c9388984ce58a5da945d9db3aeefdcd)
Title: Re: Pennsylvania Highway Dept. Mason-Dixon Line monumentation
Post by: ixnay on April 14, 2015, 09:12:03 PM
dave, at least that one is stone.  Where MD 213 becomes PA 841 makes do with a flimsy wooden obelisk. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.722072,-75.875067,3a,77.3y,150.57h,59.5t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sUg7fRtgWcxtQMkluIBdz2g!2e0

ixnay
Title: Re: Pennsylvania Highway Dept. Mason-Dixon Line monumentation
Post by: KEVIN_224 on April 14, 2015, 10:35:34 PM
My crossing was (I believe) Appleton Road in Elkton/Fair Hills, MD to the east. You can see "my" crossing only had that one blue sign and no fancy markers.
Title: Re: Pennsylvania Highway Dept. Mason-Dixon Line monumentation
Post by: dave1013 on April 15, 2015, 06:05:00 AM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on April 14, 2015, 09:24:11 AM
Wow! I haven't seen a marker that big before! I certainly saw nothing crossing from the Elkton/Fair Hills, MD area into Franklin, Chester County, Pennsylvania last June...except for a shit ton of fields and farmland. There was only one tiny blue "WELCOME TO PENNSYLVANIA" sign and that was it.

Yes, unfortunately some have not survived this long.  I think, but don't know, that the only reason the one on the Susquehanna Trail is still around is because a prospective Eagle Scout made it his business to restore this piece of history.
Title: Re: Pennsylvania Highway Dept. Mason-Dixon Line monumentation
Post by: Bitmapped on April 16, 2015, 10:19:10 PM
These actually seem to be on all state borders, not just the Mason-Dixon Line.  There is a marker on PA 21/WV 891 on the border between Greene County, PA and Marshall County in WV's Northern Panhandle. Google Street View: http://goo.gl/maps/OIcDj
Title: Re: Pennsylvania Highway Dept. Mason-Dixon Line monumentation
Post by: ixnay on April 18, 2015, 07:49:42 AM
Quote from: Bitmapped on April 16, 2015, 10:19:10 PM
These actually seem to be on all state borders, not just the Mason-Dixon Line.  There is a marker on PA 21/WV 891 on the border between Greene County, PA and Marshall County in WV's Northern Panhandle. Google Street View: http://goo.gl/maps/OIcDj

There is one on PA 261/DE 261 that could use a little help from that Eagle Scout wannabe.  I drove or rode by it many times when I lived in Boothwyn.

ixnay