Peirce Geodetic Monument, Educational sculpture at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, United States.
The Peirce Geodetic Monument is a cylindrical brass and granite sculpture located on the Indianapolis campus. The structure houses precise latitude, longitude, and altitude measurements on its metal top, which surveyors and engineers use as a reference point.
The monument was installed in 1987 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to honor philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce's work in science. This placement represents a significant point in the region's surveying and measurement history.
Indiana University maintains the Peirce Edition Project since 1976, publishing manuscripts that demonstrate the relationship between philosophy and scientific measurements.
The monument sits on campus and is freely accessible to visitors interested in surveying and scientific reference points. Informational plaques beside the structure explain its function and significance for cartographers and scientists.
Two informative plaques accompany the monument: one on its side commemorating Peirce, another on a concrete bench explaining its geodetic function.
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