Find where the town was measured from
A stone plinth on the square's northeast corner marks where a survey pin was driven in 1810 to lay out Fayetteville. Find it, then pace the square.
- Who
- Families, Kids
- Ages
- 5+
- Time
- 5 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- When
- Any time of year
- Show up
- On the square.
How to do it
- Go to the northeast corner of the square and look for the stone plinth (our tour Stop 1, citing Fayetteville Main Street).
- Stand next to it: this is the spot the town was measured from.
- Walk one side of the square and count your steps. Have each person guess first.
Grown-ups’ part
Come along, keep it short and fun, and let the kids lead the looking and asking. You handle anything that involves calling, sending or sharing.
Think about it
Before maps on phones, how would you lay out a whole town with just a pin and a measuring chain?
Safety and respect
A grown-up comes along. The square is ringed by U.S. 64 (College St.) and U.S. 431 (Main Ave.): use crosswalks and watch for traffic.
Why it matters
Make history fun for families & kidsExploration & critical thinkingHistorical context
Related
- Our walking tour (each stop lists its own sources)
- History Explorer badges
- Find the date on three markers
- Draw the square: 1886 and today
- Ask a grandparent: what was on the square?
- All 150 things to do together
Sources
Know better? If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us.
Did it? Send us your photo or story. We print kids’ first names, faces or photos only with a parent’s OK.