Lafayette, LA – Donovan Ducote, Party Chief for C. H. Fenstermaker & Associates’ Surveying & Mapping Division, and his crew member Chris Pedigo recently had the privilege of surveying a piece of history. Working on well locations in Arkansas approximately 45 miles west of Memphis, Ducote and Pedigo surveyed the initial point of the Fifth Meridian in order to set up section reconstruction for the firm’s Arkansas projects.
According to Ducote, “It was an experience that I will never forget. The monument sits in a swamp that looks like south Louisiana so it was like working back home. Where the monument is located is now a state park called The Louisiana Purchase Historic State Park and there is a boardwalk through the swamp that takes you to the monument. We actually tied the monument in on the original west line that was surveyed back in the 1800’s.”
The Fifth Principle Meridian was established in 1815 when President Madison ordered the official survey of the Louisiana Territory. The survey was to establish a system for distributing land as payment to veterans of the War of 1812. The United States Government commissioned Prospect K. Robbins and Joseph C. Brown to establish an “initial point” in eastern Arkansas from which other surveys would originate.
About C.H. Fenstermaker
C.H. Fenstermaker is a multidisciplinary consulting firm founded in 1950. The company’s expertise includes engineering, environmental consulting, and surveying & mapping. Fenstermaker’s offices are located in Lafayette, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport, Louisiana and Houston, Texas.