United States Meridian Base | Temple Square’s Historic Marker

 
This stone monument marks the U.S. Meridian Base of 1869, the official starting point for the Salt Lake Meridian, the survey reference line that defines the addressing system for the entire state of Utah! 

It sits on Temple Square grounds, just north of the Salt Lake Temple, precisely at 40°46′13″ N, 111°54′00″ W. Every street, property line, and land survey in Utah traces back to this exact spot.
 
Its Story
 
- The Survey Begins (1869): The U.S. Coast Survey established this marker to define the principal meridian and base line for the Utah Territory. It was placed here because Temple Square was already the geographic and cultural center of the city, and the temple site was the most accurately surveyed location in the region.
​
- How It Works: All east–west addresses in Salt Lake City are measured from Main Street (the meridian line), and all north–south addresses are measured from South Temple Street (the base line) — with this marker as the zero point. That’s why the street numbering is so orderly! 
​
- The Stone’s Shape: The distinctive notch at the top is the survey instrument designed so a surveyor’s transit or theodolite could be set directly over the exact geodetic point.
 
Why It Matters
 
This unassuming stone is the geographic heart of Utah. Every map, every property deed, every street address in the state originates right here, beside the House of the Lord. It’s a beautiful reminder that Zion was built with both spiritual and temporal order, faith and practicality, revelation and precision, hand in hand. 
 
From this point, the whole state was laid out, a foundation of order, just as the temple is a foundation of faith.


✍️ 7 September 2026 · A Page from Our Family Journal


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