Zero Milestone on the Ellipse and the 'official' mile zero myth

The Zero Milestone, located on the Ellipse south of the White House, was dedicated after World War I and intended as a point from which road distances in the United States could be measured. Although often described in popular accounts as the nation's official 'mile zero,' it was never widely adopted as the standard reference point for highway distances. The marker remains a visible feature in President's Park and is frequently cited in discussions of Washington‑center myths.