Existing comment:
The Mason-Dixon stone marked the border between the estates of William Penn (Pennsylvania) and the Calvert family (Maryland) as determined by English surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon. The north-facing side is carved with the crest of the Penn family. The south-facing Calvert crest is surmounted by a crown. The crown marked the land as the dominion of the English kind and English law.
The idea of scientifically determining boundaries for the sake of claiming ownership came to Maryland with the European settlers. |