Jefferson Pier (Tidal Basin)

The Jefferson Pier (sometimes called the Jefferson Stone) is a small stone pier placed on the Tidal Basin shoreline to mark the meridian point associated with Thomas Jefferson’s survey and his vision for the federal capital. The stone dates to the early 19th century and is located just west of the Jefferson Memorial; it has been documented in historical surveys as marking Jefferson’s intended meridian for the city. Historians note some debate about the exact intent and original placement over time, but the stone is a well-documented physical marker tied to Jefferson and the early federal city survey. The pier remains a mapped and visited marker within West Potomac Park.