James Rumsey Monument - Shepherdstown, WV
Posted by: 
vhasler
N 39° 25.971 W 077° 47.945
18S E 259087 N 4368551
Ionic column topped with a world globe as monument to James Rumsey who demonstrated a working steamboat on nearby Potomac River.
Waymark Code: WMM86F
Location: West Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 08/08/2014
Views: 4
The column was erected by a group wanting recognize the local achievement in spite the concurrent successful of Robert Fulton. Located on a rocky cliff high above the Potomac River at the end of a quiet street.
The front plaque reads:
In honor of James Rumsey, inventor of the steamboat, who in October, A.D. 1783, on the Potomac River, near the mouth of Sir John's Run, made the first successful application of steam to the practical purposes of navigation; and who on December 3rd, 1787, made a further successful demonstration on the Potomac river at Shepherdstown, Virginia, about three hundred yards above this site. Erected by the State of West Virginia under the auspices of the Rumseyan Society A.D. 1915
Note that the plaque says "Shepherdstown, Virginia" which would been true in 1783-1787 before the commonwealth was split.
Per the Smithsonian art inventory (see also Waymark WMM86E), the monument was built for $15,200 in 1915. Current value of this project would then be $2.1 million based on production worker compensation.