Why This Stone Was Meant to Be the Center of the World | America’s Forgotten Meridian

Hidden just steps from the Washington Monument lies a granite marker most people overlook—but this modest stone was once meant to become the center of the world. The Jefferson Pier Stone, placed in 1804, was part of a bold plan by Thomas Jefferson to sever the United States from European dominance by creating a new prime meridian through Washington, D.C.

But Jefferson’s dream quietly faded. The stone, lost and later rediscovered, now sits half-forgotten on the National Mall—an echo of America’s ambition to define its own place in the world. In this episode, we explore the forgotten history of the Jefferson Pier, the political defiance behind its placement, and how it was nearly erased from public memory.