What is a typical starting reference point for defining the Major Street Hundred Blocks grid?

• A. The city park as baseline.
• B. The central reference point such as the downtown baseline from which blocks are numbered outward.
• C. The nearest fire station as reference.
• D. The river as baseline.

Answer: (B)

A central reference point is used as the baseline for the Major Street Hundred Blocks grid. This anchor—typically the downtown baseline—provides a single origin from which blocks are numbered outward in all directions, keeping the system consistent and easy to navigate. A downtown baseline is chosen because it’s stable and clearly identifiable, giving a universal reference across the city. Using parks, fire stations, or rivers as baselines isn’t reliable since they can be arbitrary, change over time, or not align with the grid, which can cause confusion. With a downtown baseline, block numbers increase as you move away from the center, organizing the city’s streets into a predictable, navigable pattern.