Does someone know what this is?

[Yuri Olhovsky]

The house is about 55-60 years old.

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Looks like one of the old "Gold Medallions" they had when homes went all electric. Back in the 60's if I remember right. They made a big deal about homes being all electric and not using any gas. Popular in SoCal, not sure about other areas. Hopefully some of the NY inspectors will know for sure.

[Bruce A. King]

Its an elevation marker, maybe the owner was a surveyor or the house may be in a flood zone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_marker

[mnahrgang]

Originally Posted by bking

Its an elevation marker, maybe the owner was a surveyor or the house may be in a flood zone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_marker

Yep...Never seen on on the side of a house before. Usually you find them in sidewalks, or streets. I've seen them located on iron rods in the middle of the woods, and on the top of skyscrapers (USGS). But never on the side of a house before. Maybe that's because it's a city public works marker.... ?????

[Claude Lawrenson]

Its a geodetic benchmark. We have one on campus.

As noted they are used for surveying indicating an established elevation.

They are often found on public buildings.

[Yuri Olhovsky]

Thanks to everyone. Learning something new on each inspection.

[Vern Mitchinson]

It's a geodetic survey monument # 4 004 and the elevation is 635.956 m above sea level or 2086.4698 feet above sea level.
Dept of public works is the federal DPW. There are fines and jail time for defacing or removal of these monuments. Any Land surveyor would be able to tell you more about the survey system and the subdivision of land. This building must have been a federal building for this monument to have been placed on it. Maybe a post office. All small towns with post office had these monument cast into the foundation.
Go to http://www.geod.nrcan.gc.ca/publicat...cs/index_e.php for a very detailed description of what they are for, how they are built and why they are used. This is one of more then a million markers across North America