Capitol Square Tour - Allegan St.
Take a right near the corner of Capitol Ave. and Allegan St.
Astronomical Post
While it was called the “mystery stone” for many years, this stone post was actually installed by the U.S. Lake Survey in 1875. Called an astronomical post (left), served as a fixed reference point for surveyors mapping the interior of the state. A tool called a transit would be set up over cross hairs in the post’s surface to take measurements during mapping. A second stone called an azimuth (right), located in the northeast quadrant of Capitol Square, allowed mapping without a transit.
The GAR Monument is located near the Allegan St. sidewalk.
Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Boulder
This boulder is a memorial to the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization for Union veterans of the Civil War. The GAR provided assistance and advocacy for veterans and their families and played a significant role in U.S. politics in the late 19th century. The female auxiliary of the GAR, the Department of Michigan Women’s Relief Corps, erected this monument in 1924.