Difference between revisions of "Category:Four Corners"
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'''Four Corners''' is a region of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_United_States Southwestern United States] consisting of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Colorado southwestern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado Colorado], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_County,_Utah southeastern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah Utah], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Arizona northeastern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona Arizona], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_New_Mexico northwestern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico New Mexico]. The Four Corners region is part of a larger region known as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Plateau Colorado Plateau] and is mostly rural, rugged, and arid. | '''Four Corners''' is a region of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_United_States Southwestern United States] consisting of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Colorado southwestern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado Colorado], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_County,_Utah southeastern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah Utah], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Arizona northeastern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona Arizona], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_New_Mexico northwestern corner] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico New Mexico]. The Four Corners region is part of a larger region known as the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Plateau Colorado Plateau] and is mostly rural, rugged, and arid. | ||
| − | The Four Corners area is named after the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/quadripoint quadripoint] at the intersection of approximately 37° north latitude with 109° 03′ west longitude, where the boundaries of the four states meet, and are marked by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Corners_Monument Four Corners Monument]. It is the only location in the United States where four states meet. Notable areas within Four Corners include [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_Valley Monument Valley], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesa_Verde_National_Park Mesa Verde], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaco_Culture_National_Historical_Park Chaco Canyon | + | The Four Corners area is named after the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/quadripoint quadripoint] at the intersection of approximately 37° north latitude with 109° 03′ west longitude, where the boundaries of the four states meet, and are marked by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Corners_Monument Four Corners Monument]. It is the only location in the United States where four states meet. Notable areas within Four Corners include [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_Valley Monument Valley], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesa_Verde_National_Park Mesa Verde], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaco_Culture_National_Historical_Park Chaco Canyon]. |
==History== | ==History== | ||
The United States acquired the four corners region from Mexico after the end of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican-American_War Mexican–American War] in 1848. In 1863 Congress created the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Territory Arizona Territory] from the western part of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico_Territory New Mexico Territory]. The boundary was legally defined as a line running due south from the southwest corner of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Territory Colorado Territory], which had been created in 1861. This was an unusual act of Congress, which almost always defined the boundaries of new territories as lines of latitude or longitude, or following rivers, but seldom as extensions of other boundaries. | The United States acquired the four corners region from Mexico after the end of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican-American_War Mexican–American War] in 1848. In 1863 Congress created the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Territory Arizona Territory] from the western part of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico_Territory New Mexico Territory]. The boundary was legally defined as a line running due south from the southwest corner of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Territory Colorado Territory], which had been created in 1861. This was an unusual act of Congress, which almost always defined the boundaries of new territories as lines of latitude or longitude, or following rivers, but seldom as extensions of other boundaries. | ||
| − | By defining one boundary as starting at the corner of another, Congress ensured the eventual creation of four states meeting at a point, regardless of the inevitable errors of boundary surveying. The area was first surveyed by the U.S. Government in 1868 as part of an effort to make Colorado Territory into a state, the first of the Four Corners states formed. While the US Congress in 1863 intended the corners of Colorado to be placed at the intersections of lines of specific latitude and longitude, due to a "standard" survey error of the time, the originally surveyed location of the "Four Corners" point, along with the corresponding survey marker, was unintentionally placed by its initial surveyor | + | By defining one boundary as starting at the corner of another, Congress ensured the eventual creation of four states meeting at a point, regardless of the inevitable errors of boundary surveying. The area was first surveyed by the U.S. Government in 1868 as part of an effort to make Colorado Territory into a state, the first of the Four Corners states formed. While the US Congress in 1863 intended the corners of Colorado to be placed at the intersections of lines of specific latitude and longitude, due to a "standard" survey error of the time, the originally surveyed location of the "Four Corners" point, along with the corresponding survey marker, was unintentionally placed by its initial surveyor 1,821 feet (555 m) east of the intended location. |
==Geography== | ==Geography== | ||
| − | The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Corners_Monument Four Corners Monument] is located at | + | The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Corners_Monument Four Corners Monument] is located at 36°59′56.3″N 109°02′42.6″W. |
The Four Corners is part of the high [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Plateau Colorado Plateau]. This makes it a center for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/weather_system weather system]s, which stabilize on the plateau then proceed eastward through Colorado and into the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest central states]. This weather system creates snow- and rainfall over the central United States. | The Four Corners is part of the high [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Plateau Colorado Plateau]. This makes it a center for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/weather_system weather system]s, which stabilize on the plateau then proceed eastward through Colorado and into the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest central states]. This weather system creates snow- and rainfall over the central United States. | ||
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==Transportation== | ==Transportation== | ||
| − | The main line of the [ | + | The main line of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atchison,_Topeka_and_Santa_Fe_Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway], now operated by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF_Railway BNSF Railway], passes along the southern edge of Four Corners. The area is home to remnants of through railroads that are now [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/heritage_railways heritage railways]. These include the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durango_and_Silverton_Narrow_Gauge_Railroad Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbres_and_Toltec_Scenic_Railroad Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad]. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Mesa_and_Lake_Powell_Railroad Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad], comes near the Four Corners. |
[[Category:Old West-The Debt]][[Category:Locations (OWTD)]] | [[Category:Old West-The Debt]][[Category:Locations (OWTD)]] | ||
Latest revision as of 00:54, 5 September 2024
Four Corners is a region of the Southwestern United States consisting of the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona, and northwestern corner of New Mexico. The Four Corners region is part of a larger region known as the Colorado Plateau and is mostly rural, rugged, and arid.
The Four Corners area is named after the quadripoint at the intersection of approximately 37° north latitude with 109° 03′ west longitude, where the boundaries of the four states meet, and are marked by the Four Corners Monument. It is the only location in the United States where four states meet. Notable areas within Four Corners include Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon.
Contents
History
The United States acquired the four corners region from Mexico after the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848. In 1863 Congress created the Arizona Territory from the western part of New Mexico Territory. The boundary was legally defined as a line running due south from the southwest corner of Colorado Territory, which had been created in 1861. This was an unusual act of Congress, which almost always defined the boundaries of new territories as lines of latitude or longitude, or following rivers, but seldom as extensions of other boundaries.
By defining one boundary as starting at the corner of another, Congress ensured the eventual creation of four states meeting at a point, regardless of the inevitable errors of boundary surveying. The area was first surveyed by the U.S. Government in 1868 as part of an effort to make Colorado Territory into a state, the first of the Four Corners states formed. While the US Congress in 1863 intended the corners of Colorado to be placed at the intersections of lines of specific latitude and longitude, due to a "standard" survey error of the time, the originally surveyed location of the "Four Corners" point, along with the corresponding survey marker, was unintentionally placed by its initial surveyor 1,821 feet (555 m) east of the intended location.
Geography
The Four Corners Monument is located at 36°59′56.3″N 109°02′42.6″W.
The Four Corners is part of the high Colorado Plateau. This makes it a center for weather systems, which stabilize on the plateau then proceed eastward through Colorado and into the central states. This weather system creates snow- and rainfall over the central United States.
Cities
The Four Corners region is mostly rural. The economic hub, largest city, and only metropolitan area] in the region is Farmington, New Mexico. The populated settlement closest to the center of Four Corners is Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. Other cities in the region include Cortez and Durango in Colorado; Monticello and Blanding in Utah; Kayenta and Chinle in Arizona; and Mexico Shiprock], Mexico Aztec], and Bloomfield in New Mexico.
Transportation
The main line of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, now operated by the BNSF Railway, passes along the southern edge of Four Corners. The area is home to remnants of through railroads that are now heritage railways. These include the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. The Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad, comes near the Four Corners.
