Witness Posts

Caitlin Dempsey

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Witness posts are markers placed near survey monuments or boundary markers to indicate their location. These posts are usually brightly colored and made from durable materials like metal or plastic, ensuring they stand out in various environments.

What is the purpose of a witness post?

The primary purpose of a witness post is to protect and highlight the nearby survey marker, which could be a metal rod, a concrete monument, or another type of boundary marker embedded in the ground.

A way finder for survey markers

Survey markers, often small and at ground level, can be hard to find, especially in vegetated areas. Survey markers are typically inconspicuous, making them difficult to spot, especially in dense vegetation or cluttered environments.

A bronze colored survey marker embedded in concrete.
A survey marker on the ground in a grassland area in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Photo: Caitlin Dempsey.

Witness posts, often tall and brightly colored, significantly enhance the visibility of these markers. This increased visibility ensures that survey markers can be easily located when needed, whether for land surveys, property assessments, or legal purposes.

A white sign with black writing indicating it's a witness post.
A witness post. Photo: Caitlin Dempsey.

Witness posts are typically placed in areas where the survey marker would be hard to find

Since the main function of the witness post is to help guide a person to the location of the survey marker, they tend to be found in locations where vegetation and other obstructions might make locating the marker difficult.

This witness post in Pall Alto’s Bayland Nature Preserve identifies that a survey marker is nearby in a wetland area.

A metal post that save witness post.
A witness post in the wetland area of Palo Alto. Photo: Caitlin Dempsey.
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About the author
Caitlin Dempsey
Caitlin Dempsey is the editor of Geography Realm and holds a master's degree in Geography from UCLA as well as a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from SJSU.