Saint Stephens meridian, Principal meridian in Mount Vernon, Alabama, US
Saint Stephens meridian is a principal meridian in Alabama running north from Mobile Bay and serving as a surveying baseline across southern Alabama and into southeastern Mississippi. The initial point sits at coordinates 88 degrees 02 minutes west longitude and 33 degrees 06 minutes 20 seconds north latitude.
The meridian was established in 1805 as a formal survey line, building on boundary work that began in 1798 to separate Spanish Florida from American territory. The Ellicott Stone marked the initial point and remains the physical anchor for this surveying system.
The marker displays English text honoring the survey work that divided Spanish and American lands in the region. Local residents and surveyors recognize it as a physical reminder of colonial border disputes that shaped the area.
Visitors can find the marker in a designated park with a fenced enclosure protecting the original stone and concrete reinforcement. The site has minimal facilities, so planning ahead to understand parking and access routes makes the visit easier.
The Ellicott Stone dates to an era when European powers used precise survey lines to claim and control new lands. This modest monument marks one of the key points where the United States and Spain formally defined their territorial claims in the Southeast.
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