Kilo stone
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by
Stork
'9th Kilo stone' in the 2nd paragraph- might that be what I've always known as a 'mile marker?' A stone placed at the side of the road with a '9' on it, with 8 others one kilometer apart, with decreasing numbers, leading to a town, and maybe more after this 9th one with increasing numbers going away from the town. A few years ago I saw a picture of one on a road made by the ancient Romans, maybe it was the Appian Way.
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Article on Kilo Road Markers
Also: The historical term milestone is still used today, even though the "stones" are typically metal highway location markers and in most countries are based on metric rather than imperial units of measure. Also found today are more closely spaced signs containing fractional numbers, and signs along railways, beaches and canals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milestone#Byzantine_Empire
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by
cyngast
moderator
The diaries do sometimes refer to the kilo stones marking distances. They also have an interesting mix of distances given in miles and kilometers. I suppose if they were marking distances marched, it might be easier to use kilometers if there were clearly marked kilo markers along the road.
Marie, I like all the photos in the article you linked to. I hadn't realized there were stone markers in the eastern US, but it makes sense. I just never thought about it. Nowadays, there all metal mile markers.
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Another kind of milestone from another war, the second world war, starting in Sainte-Mère Eglise. . https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voie_de_la_Liberté#/media/File:Photos_Flo_18-02-08_006.jpg
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by
ral104
moderator, scientist
My French is very bad, but does it say the first of these markers was inaugurated in 1946?
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Road markers Sainte-Mère Eglise.
Part of an article saying:
“Outside the Town Hall is a pink marker stone of "Kilometre Zero". These markers were placed by the French Government in 1946, each Kilometre along the route taken by General Leclerc’s Free French 2nd division, they can be seen from North Africa to the town of Bastogne the last town in Europe to be liberated. The town war memorial is situated behind the marker and plaques commemorate the liberation of the town”.
Link: http://www.normandy1944.org.uk/ste_mere_eglise.htm
Also Images of Road markers Sainte-Mère Eglise.
These impressive road markers are certainly large enough not to miss.
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cyngast
moderator
in response to ral104's comment.
Yes, it does. The article is about the markers that were installed to commemorate the route taken by the US 3rd Army under General Patton after D-Day in 1944. The first one was installed in 1946.
There seems to be some confusion between the two articles Marie linked to, as the second refers to the French 2nd Division and mentions North Africa. So perhaps there are several routes marked by these types of markers?
The Wikipedia article also says that every two years since 1986, so even-numbered years, there is a bicycle ride along the route beginning in Sainte-Mere-Eglise.
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Ral mentioned the year 1946 re markers. The 1st link mentions that these markers were placed by the French Government in 1946
The 2nd link shows the images of the road markers Sainte-Mère Eglise. Also Erik mentioned Sainte-Mère Eglise
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