Nantucket’s Meridian Stones are two historic monument and they are in danger of being destroyed. Careless drivers have repeatedly dented and knocked over the stones. Sadly the southern stone was hit just this week. Please see attached pictures.

In 1840 the Astronomer William Mitchell had two Meridian Stones erected in the Town of Nantucket. The stones are currently thought to be compass stones which once aided land surveyors in monitoring the Earth's local magnetic field variations and thereby accounted for deviations of their compass needles when surveying Nantucket Island. A recent examination of William Mitchell's astronomical journals and his personal correspondences suggests the Meridian Stones may well have been compass stones, however, they also served a far broader and more diverse function. The stones establish the meridian line of Mitchell’s nautical observatory and were likely used as meridian markers. By establishing the meridian line for Mitchell's nautical observatory the Meridian Stones aided him not only in surveying the land but also the sky. They define the baseline from which William Mitchell performed countless observations to determine Nantucket Mean Time. Obtaining this precise local time aided William in rating chronometers more accurately. Furthermore, by forming the astronomic baseline for Mitchell’s observations the Meridian Stones were the defining reference markers that Mitchell relied on to determine Nantucket’s true geographic location and thus they contributed to putting Nantucket Island in its rightful latitudinal and longitudinal Atlantic position on the maps. Finally they assisted the Coast Survey in accurately maping the treacherous shale surrounding Nantucket Island and thereby saved a countless number is sailors lives.

It is time to take steps to protect Nantucket’s Meridian Stones. 

Please sign this petition to show your support!

If you would like to learn more about Nantucket’s Meridian Stones click here!