The Badlands Chapter of the North Dakota Society of Professional Land Surveyors (NDSPLS) recently received a quartzite boundary marker from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that had been disturbed from its original position.

From 1891 to 1892, the markers were set along the entire North Dakota and South Dakota Border, every half mile. During that time, Surveyor Charles H. Bates surveyed and marked the border between the two states setting 720 of these 800-pound stone monuments. The boundary became known as the “quartzite border.”

The BLM only gives these historical monuments to qualified recipients, such as land surveyor societies or historical societies. The monument given to the Badlands Chapter of the NDSPLS was set in the Prairie Outpost Park in Dickinson on October 8, as a historical tribute to the land surveyors of North Dakota. Bob Procive, from our Dickinson team, was involved with planning and funding for the project. Interstate Engineering is proud to help support and contribute to this monumental moment.