Thanks for your recent coverage of the National Museum of Surveying (Newsline, April 2011). All surveyors need to be reminded that they have a national museum that is dedicated to their profession and its noble and illustrious history.

Thanks for your recent coverage of the National Museum of Surveying (Newsline, April 2011). All surveyors need to be reminded that they have a national museum that is dedicated to their profession and its noble and illustrious history.

The story of surveying is, in many ways, the story of America. From the laying out of the original colonial boundaries, roads and railroads to the western expansion that inspired the unique Public Land Survey System, land surveyors were at the forefront of a developing and pioneering nation. Surveying has a very rich historical heritage in America, and as we well know, a number of our presidents and statesmen were also surveyors at one point in their careers. It is a fitting tribute for this profession to have a national museum that honors all surveyors, both past and present.

It is also fitting that this museum be located in Springfield, Ill., near the center of the nation and in the hometown of one of our famous surveyor-presidents, Abraham Lincoln. The museum complements the other Lincoln attractions and sites, including The Lincoln Home National Historic Site, The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library, New Salem State Historic Site (where Lincoln learned his surveying skills), and many others. The sites tell a critically important story in the history of the United States leading up to and beyond the Civil War and the abolition of slavery.

I encourage all surveyors to put a visit to Springfield on their travel "to do" list. I'm sure they will not be disappointed. I would also encourage all surveyors to support their National Museum in any way they can. It's an undertaking that's worthy of their support.

--Marc Anderson, past president, Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association