rectangular government survey

Figuring out the size of a piece of property, which sometimes is called a parcel, is simple, if you keep in mind that youre always dealing with a section of 640 acres. For example, how many acres are there if you take the North East of the South 1/2 of section 3 in township 8 North and range 5 west? Congress created it in 1785 as a more straightforward, faster and more accurate way to identify land. I feel like its a lifeline. This system created a checkerboard of identical squares using longitude lines and latitude lines . The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) or the Government Survey System, is a way of measuring and establishing boundary lines for large areas of. The numbering then moves from right to left across that first upper tier. Guide meridians and standard parallels form quadrangles. [/caption]\r\n\r\nEach section of 640 acres can be divided into halves and quarters called, get this, half sections and quarter sections. | 16 The townships are consecutively numbered by their location within the intersection of multiple range lines and township lines. These townships are not the same as political subdivisions.\r\n

Each township is further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each, or 640 acres, by horizontal and vertical section lines. Using those lines for references, quadrangles are formed, which are smaller squares identifiable by where they are located near the principal meridian and baseline. The Rectangular Survey System is a grid system of townships and sections that is used to divide the land into manageable units. The range lines run north and south parallel to the principal meridians. The system is based on the principle of surveying the land from a fixed point, called a baseline, and . The image does not specifically designate which meridian or state, but as they are all divided and labeled the same, this could represent any section of land along any meridian that would be identified in the legal description. Imagine trying to draw straight lines on a rubber ball. In reality, because of this earth curvature issue, many sections and townships vary from their exact area measurements. The rectangular survey system was developed in an effort to try and describe all of the land in our country. Note that the more detailed legal descriptions usually begin with the smallest area and work to the largest. One section is 1 mile or 640 square acres, so it still covers a large piece of land and must be divided again.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'realestatelicensewizard_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_4',690,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realestatelicensewizard_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Sections are further broken down into half and quarter sections repeatedly until you identify the exact location of a property. However, the system calculations also have to be adjusted somewhat to account for the curvature of the earth, which required the addition of Guide Meridians and Standard Parallels. A Metes and Bounds survey may read something like commencing from the large apple tree 1 mile to the north, west along the river bed. However, rivers can be moved, and trees can die, so as you can see, this method is wildly inaccurate over time. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. are further subdivided into 36 one-mile-square, (each section is one square mile or 640 acres), then into quarter sections, quarter-quarter sections, or irregular, Beginning at an initial point, townships are surveyed in all directions. Shawn Custer has taught college-level English, composition, and literature for over six years. Figuring out the size of a piece of property, which sometimes is called a parcel, is simple, if you keep in mind that youre always dealing with a section of 640 acres. A system established in 1785 by the federal government, providing for surveying and describing land by reference to principal meridians. The Rectangular Survey Method established a standard measurement and origin point for all properties to follow using a grid system. You can think of this system as a gigantic checkerboard, as it has a bunch of intersecting lines that form squares into a grid. The north-south line that runs through the initial point is a, ). Its worth noting; quadrangles are not used when identifying land with the rectangular survey method, only the principal meridians, baselines, and townships and sections. Each section is numbered, starting at the top right corner and going back and forth, left to right, in a serpentine pattern. Townships are subdivided into 36 one-mile- square sections. An area bounded on two sides by guide meridians and on the other two sides by correction lines is called a government check, check, or quadrangle, which is 24 miles square, meaning each of its boundaries is 24 miles long. The Rectangular Survey System is a method of surveying designed to divide the real property into specified plots. Also known as the Rectangular Survey System, it was created by the Land Ordinance of 1785 to survey land ceded to the United States by the Treaty of Paris in 1783, following the end of the American Revolution. [/caption]\r\n\r\nA full rectangular survey system property description might read:\r\n

The SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 6, Township 4 South, Range 5, East of the Third Principal Meridian. The description is abbreviated as T1N, R2E. This system was part of the Land Ordinance enacted in 1785 by President Thomas Jefferson. A section of ground is one mile on all sides, which means it is a one-mile square. A township in this system can be both a line and the square of land created by the township lines and range lines. Townships are 36 miles square, 6 miles on each side, and are located within quadrangles. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. Using the Fifth Principal Meridian in Missouri, the description would look like this: The W 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 14, Township 2 South, Range 3 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Missouri. . The range lines run north and south parallel to the principal meridians. Although the lines start out the same distance apart, they get closer together as you get near one or the other end of the ball.\r\n\r\nCorrection lines and guide meridians were established to correct this problem in the government survey system. 2021 KnowYourGovernment.netContact us: [emailprotected], Introduction to administration of Web Survey System Part 2, Estimating a weighted average CSR2 in Iowa using the USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey, How To Find Lost Money From The Government, What Is The Interest Rate On Government Student Loans, Local Government Federal Credit Union App, When Is Open Enrollment For Government Healthcare, Government Grants For Commercial Real Estate, Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations, Surveyor General of the Northwest Territory, Energy Efficient Windows Government Grants, Mortgage Loans For Federal Government Employees, Free Government Foreclosure Listings With Pictures. 27 chapters | Think about two lines running from left to right across this page about an inch apart. The township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. You may have math questions on your real estate licensing exam related to this concept. The guide meridians occur every 24 miles east and west of the principal meridian. This is not merely the address of the property but is a legal description. The rectangular survey or government survey describes land by reference to a. The Metes and bounds system dates back centuries to the original 13 colonies, while the rectangular survey method was established in 1785 and used in all 36 states formed after that point. The Rectangular Survey System is a means of dividing and measuring large areas of land. Legal descriptions under the Rectangular Survey System include the state, the principal meridian, the township designated by number and direction, and the section number. Adding that to the description results in a more specific parcel of land: The NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 18, Township 5 South, Range 4 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Missouri. He teaches pre-licensing and continuing education courses for salespeople, brokers, and appraisers.

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John A. Yoegel, PhD, is a certified real estate instructor and former board member of the Real Estate Educators Association. Section 16 is located directly in the center of the section and historically was always designated as the school section. There are few subdivisions beyond the sections and quarter sections. She has a Masters in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor's in English from Thomas Edison State University. The largest grid comprises of two types of lines, principal meridians, and baselines. Base lines Baselines run parallel to the earths equator, from east to west. In reality, because of this earth curvature issue, many sections and townships vary from their exact area measurements. The rectangular survey system devised for the PLSS is often credited to Thomas Jefferson. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. )

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