Forget the fence: these are the real markers of the US-Mexico border – in pictures
The 276 monuments marking the US-Mexico border were erected after the Mexican-American war which ended in 1848. David Taylor, an Arizona-based artist and professor, set out to photograph them all in 2007 – a seven-year task that took him from the Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua border to the Pacific Ocean, passing through cities and remote mountainous terrain
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Border Monument No. 65 - 23 Oct 2008
Latitude: 31°19.935’. Longitude: 108°45.388’. Altitude: 2047.2m/6,551ft. Northwest view. San Luis Mountains. Animas Valley in the Distance. Continental Divide. Encountered smugglers for the first time. Southbound heading back into Mexico. Numerous layup sites. -
Border Monument No. 79 - 20 Nov 2008
Latitude: 31°20.045’. Longitude: 109°21.040’. Altitude: 1243.1m/3,977.9ft. NE Northeast view. Near the Perilla Mountains. South of Geronimo Road. -
Border Monument No. 84 - 21 Nov 2008
Latitude: 31°20.045’. Longitude: 109°30.943’. Altitude: 1265m/4,048ft. Northwest view. East of Agua Prieta, Sonora - Douglas, Arizona. Smuggler in a ghillie suit crossing back in to Mexico. -
Border Monument No. 90 - 21 Nov 2008
Latitude: 31°20.050’. Longitude: 109°49.143’. Altitude 1394.3m. South view. Mule Mountains. Cross-border gas pipeline station adjacent to the monument. -
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Border Monument No. 220A - 29 Jun 2009
Latitude: 32°39.885’. Longitude: 115°29.775’. Altitude: 2.5m. West view. Calexico West Port of Entry. -
Border Monument No. 222 30 Jun 2009
Latitude: 32°39.527’. Longitude: 115°34.855’. Altitude: 1.6m. Northwest view. Near Centinela, Mexicali, Baja California. The family who lived adjacent to the monument in 2009 was no longer there when I returned to give them a book. A neighbor, also in the photograph, thought that they were from Central America and may have been deported. -
Border Monument No. 244 - 9 Aug 2009
Latitude: 32°34.625’. Longitude: 116°37.213’. Altitude: 562.5m. East view. Tecate Tecate, Baja California. -
Border Monument No. 123 - 16 May 2010
Latitude: 31°19.962’. Longitude: 110°57.710’. Altitude: 1255.8m/4,018.6ft. North view. East of the Nogales Mariposa Port of Entry. When climbing over the fence crossers step on the metal bar in the razor wire to avoid being cut. -
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Border Monument No. 241 - 2 Aug 2010
Latitude: 32°35.223’. Longitude: 116°29.883’. Altitude: 924.4m/2,958.1ft West view. West of Campo, California.Photograph: David Taylor
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Border Monument No. 176 - 10 Jan 2012
Latitude: 31°59.759’. Longitude: 113°11.864’. Altitude 327m. Northwest view. Agua Dulce Mountains. -
Border Monument No. 153 - 6 Apr 2012
Latitude: 31°41.536’. Longitude: 112°12.522’. Altitude: 781.4m. Southeast view. Sierra la Alesna. Monument located on a precipitous ridge. Class 5 climbing required. Three separate attempts to reach the monument. Mexican soldiers threatened to arrest us on the second attempt. Ben Nadler in the picture. -
Border Monument No. 2 - 3 Nov 2012
Latitude: 31°47.032’. Longitude: 106°32.239’. Altitude: 1299.1m/4,157.1ft. Northeast view. Mount Cristo Rey. Franklin mountains in the distance. Tore a calf muscle in my left leg while hiking back from the monument. View of west El Paso and the Franklin Mountains. -
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Border Monument No. 122A - 16 Dec 2012
Latitude: 31°19.965’. Longitude: 110°56.841’. Altitude: 1144.3m. South view. Overlooking Fundó Legal Heroica neighborhood central Nogales. Monument is located on a high concrete retaining wall about 30 feet above the road. New steel fencing behind me as I photographed.
