 In 2009 this issue was again brought to the forefront due to American media reports that the monument was placed 2 @.@ 5 miles ( 4 @.@ 0 km ) west of its intended location . These reports were quickly corrected after it was discovered that sources had forgotten that when the initial surveys were conducted that the Washington meridian was used . This meridian has an offset from the modern reference , the Prime Meridian , which has been used in the United States since 1912 . This offset is often missed by those not familiar with the history of American surveying . 
