Drawing the Line: How Mason and Dixon Surveyed the Most Famous Border in America

Now more accessible than ever, the second edition of Drawing the Line: How Mason and Dixon Surveyed the Most Famous Border in America features a wealth of revisions based on recently–discovered documents and new archival research about one of the most famous pairs of surveyors in history – who performed one of the greatest scientific achievements of their time.

This edition of Drawing the Line includes new information on the starting point of English surveyors Charles Mason s and Jeremiah Dixon s famous line; the actual location of their observatory in Embreeville, Pennsylvania; and the surveyors sea voyages to the Americas and South Africa journeys which had an enormous impact on their future work. Author Edwin Danson also puts forward a new, original theory on why colonial America s mile length was longer than the mile measurement of other geographical regions a measurement difference that has baffled scientists.

In addition to updated research, the second edition features new illustrations of the complex surveying and astronomical methods used by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, in a special appendix that explores their surveying methods in detail. Comprehensive, detailed, and full of adventure, Drawing the Line explores the full partnership of two English surveyors who battled against seemingly insurmountable odds to create a border line that endures to the present day, and has become an enduring cultural symbol of the United States.

Edwin Danson is a geodetic surveyor with over 45 years of experience working on assignments in many countries, including the United States. He is a Chartered Surveyor of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors. He has made many contributions to professional journals and books and is a prominent authority in his field. He lives near Bristol, England.