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Howard Carpenter arrived here on June 20, 1901, probably in late morning. Here’s how he described the event:
Are the tumbled boulders the remnants of Carpenter’s mound of stones raised on June 20, 1901? He was in the middle of a very productive day, having started at Mile 227 and completing another seven mile posts after this one. And, being apparently indefatigable, the following morning he was observing Polaris at 1:28 AM. With bright sun, clear air, and temperature in the mid 70s— optimal conditions for untroubled surveying— it’s easy to imagine Carpenter proceeding briskly, partly to shepherd his water supply across the dry expanse for his horses and crew of 22. Working at this pace, pits were definitely impracticable. 123 years later, we’d agree that vegetation was scanty. But we don’t know why the carefully-marked 3 1/2 foot sandstone column was missing and the mound of stones was torn apart.
Footnote
1https://www.az.blm.gov/surveys/Rectangular_Survey_Field_Notes/AZR2628.pdf