Learn About Our Nation’s Capital Boundary Stones.
Stephen Powers documents America’s first federal monument, the original 10-mile square boundary of the District of Columbia.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS + NIKE CONSULTS WITH DC STONES
Wizards’ City Edition uniforms
inspired by DC Boundary Stones
Super Fan of Both the Boundary Stones and the Wizards!
Stephen Powers, civil engineer and amateur historian, has been a die-hard Wizards fan his entire life and became a season ticket holder in 2014.
Hunter Lochmann, history nerd and chief marketing officer of Monumental Sports happens to live a block away from one of the boundary stones in Arlington, Virginia.
When Hunter got the idea to use the Boundary Stones as a concept for the City Edition uniforms, he sought input from DC Stones and the rest is magic.
Read the full story: Scott Allen’s article in the Washington Post.
The Wizards' “City Edition” uniforms are inspired by D.C.'s boundary stones. (photo courtesy of the Washington Wizards)
1791~1792 › Origin of the Boundary Stones
The first time the stones spoke was through Andrew Ellicott, the surveyor from Ellicott City, MD, who was hired to establish the Federal City boundaries that would forever change how this land would grow and develop.
At the April 15, 1791 South Cornerstone Ceremony, the stakeholders there met and spoke these words to initiate the Aquia Creek sandstone sentry’s task…
DC was outlined by 40 surveying stones laid in 1791 and 1792; 36 still remain.
Stone (No. 3 NW) in Joe D’Emidio’s backyard.
The oldest federal monuments in the U.S.
Forty stones from the 1790s are in or near their original locations, including all fourteen in the land that was returned to Virginia in the 1846-1847 retrocession. Three other locations have substitute stones (SW2, SE4, and SE8), and one location (NE1) is marked by a plaque.
Stephen Powers takes WUSA9’s Scott Rensberger to the hard-to-find DC boundary stones.
In April 2024, Stephen received a call about a missing boundary stone near Southern Ave and South Capitol Street SE. It turned out that SE7 had been hit by a car. Stephen cleared away the debris, located the stone, and ensured it was safe.
Stephen tells WUSA9’s Rafael Sanchez-Cruz about rescuing the damaged boundary stone in southeast DC.
“May the stone which we about to place in the ground remain an immovable monument of the wisdom and unanimity of North America.”
— Andrew Ellicott
1891~2021 › Preservation of the Boundary Stones
D.C.'s historic boundary stones are being preserved and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.
East Corner Boundary Stone 101st Fence Rededication. The last time such a ceremony was held was in 1916.
Every spring, Stephen Powers documents the site conditions as well as takes photos of all four sides of the stone itself.
Documenting the 232-year-old monuments for 18 years.
Stephen Powers’ passion for working with the boundary stones started with his daughter’s elementary school project about Arlington County trivia and a lifelong interest in Washington, DC history.
Take a photo tour through the last 18 years with Stephen, how the environment around the stones has changed as well as the stones themselves.