Hello, Fellow Waymarkers!


icon-waymarking-largeFor those not familiar with waymarking, it is an activity in which people can locate and log interesting locations around the world, usually with a GPS receiver and a digital camera. Waymarking differs from geocashing in that there is in that there is no physical container to locate at the given coordinates. Waymarking identifies points of interest for GPS users. There are many categories of waymarks, and the Keystone Markers are among the newest but most recognizable in our Commonwealth.  See the Keystone Marker category page onwww.waymarking.com.

We are only just beginning to catalogue the latitude and longitude points for the markers.  As some towns retain multiple markers, identifying the exact text (particularly the “distance to next town” information) and the latitude and longitude information is critical.

We encourage Waymarkers and others to help us catalogue the information below to update our database.  As the database becomes more complete, it will serve as a great resource for future Waymarkers!  Note that latitude and longitude currently listed in our database by and large is only approximate.  The Keystone Markers of Pennsylvania have their own category page on Waymarking.com as well.

Your Help Needed!

Information Needed–Help, Waymarkers!!!

We are missing information for markers we have listed and those that may be out there we don’t know about:

  • Latitude/Longitude (note most towns had multiple markers, though the “distance to the next town” information on the top part of most keystones make each marker unique.  Lat/Long info in the database currently is only approximate).
  • Condition:  Is it the marker missing?  Is it damaged or leaning?  Has the original pole been replaced or the marker moved?
  • Pole and Sign Types (see Keystone Marker Variety page)
  • Recent photos
  • What other markers existed historically?
  • What other markers exist that we don’t have listed?
    1. What towns/creeks/rivers/boroughs, etc., have markers we don’t have listed?
    2. Many towns had multiple markers—help us to identify each marker for each town

Please print out the marker update form to take with you when you’re on the road.  You can use this form to add or update our marker data online, or send an email to ncg1@cornell.edu.

Understanding the Database of Markers:

  • In the database of markers, locations shown on the map keyed to each marker are approximate. As we gather more specific latitude and longitude information for each marker, the locations will be more accurate.  Please help in gathering this information!
  • Every individual marker has its own page. Thus, if a town had four markers, there will be four individual pages for that town.  Each marker page should provide at least one photo, and information in the categories of ‘latitude and longitude,” “county,” “named for,”  “founded,” “distance to next,” “description/condition,” “shape,” “pole,” and “manufacturer.”
  • If information is not listed in a given category, it means we still need that information and welcome your help.

Some explanation of the categories:

  • Named For” lists the line of text of the town markers just below the name of the town, which includes information about why the town is called what it is.
  • Founded’ is the date the town was founded. This information is found in the base of the keystone in the town markers.
  •  “Distance to Next” is the information provided at the top of the keystone sign on town markers.  It is the distance to the next town.  Not all markers had this information.  In cases where a town had multiple markers, it was this information that distinguished each marker.
  • Description/Condition” is a section used to include miscellaneous information, most importantly about the present condition of the marker. Is it the marker missing?  Is it damaged or leaning?  Has the original pole been replaced or the marker moved? Any other items of note are listed here.
  •  “Shape” refers to the shape of the keystone sign.  Please see Keystone Marker Variants page.
  •  “Pole” refers to pole types. Note there are only two original pole types (see Keystone Marker Variants page).  Round pieces of pipe are not original and if they are present should be noted in the condition page.
  •  “Manufacturer” refers to who produced the signs.  Carlisle Foundry of Carlisle, PA (CFC); (2) Geiser Manufacturing Co. of Waynesboro, PA (GMC)