A Nevada Historical Marker ... In California?

First off, the "Needles Highway" is a useful backroad for both Nevada and California and is well-marked from SR 163. Nevada has upgraded their portion of Needles Highway to a four-lane boulevard, but things get very different upon crossing the state line. The California portion of road is atrocious complete with potholes and a lack of shoulders and because of the road's huge distance from San Bernardino, the county doesn't consider it a priority. Despite this, traffic may or may not flood this route too. Needles Highway gets crowded very quickly because locals regularly use this route as an alternative to US 95 from Needles and Laughlin. In fact, it's common for motorists to take this narrow, potholed road at 65mph - not only a dangerous venture, but an absolute impossibility as you try to spot this marker!

Here's the kicker. If it wasn't for California signing their version of the Von Schmidt Boundary (SHL 859), you'd never know this marker was here. To make things even more interesting, both markers sit well back from the highway making it nearly impossible to see from the road. For any signage to occur in the future, it would have to be a collaborative effort between NDOT and CalTrans. Marker 188 has never been signed by the SHPO since it's located within California and out of the jurisdiction of Nevada. As such, CalTrans placed this marker far back from the pavement with SHL 859 at a large turnout parking area. Even with this parking area, catching a glimpse of them in the corner of your eye will be a stroke of luck, so don't expect to find them on a first attempt. I missed this one on my first go, and I speak with experience that if I hadn't seen the sign for SHL 859 in my rear mirror I could've easily kept on driving! Here is the view you'll geI will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Just one mile south of the state line keep your eyes peeled for a sign pointing to the AVI Casino. This will be the junction "Aha Macav Parkway." The turnout for Von Schmidt is literally seconds past this junction on the left! The signage for SHL 859 is on the northbound side with nothing at all on the southbound side. In other words if you see the photo above you've already passed this marker. Good luck!

California Historical Marker 859

Exact Description:
This marker commemorates the iron column erected in 1873 at the southernmost tip of the boundary survey line run by Allexey W. Von Schmidt, U.S. astronomer and surveyor. The line dividing Nevada and California was based on preliminary geodetic work by Lieutenant Joseph Christmas Ives. Ives determined the Colorado River end of the proposed oblique California-Nevada boundary. Von Schmidt calculated and ran the first complete survey of the boundary. His solar observations erred slightly--the actual line now being 3/4 mile to the north.

This boundary monument, a cast iron column erected in 1873, marks the southern terminus of the California-Nevada State Boundary established by A.W. Von Schmidt's 1872-73 survey. Von Schmidt's line, the first officially recognized oblique state line between California and Nevada, erred slightly. The boundary was later corrected to the present line, 3/4 mile to the north.

California Registered Historical Landmark No. 859.