rectangular government survey rectangular government survey

John A. Yoegel, PhD, is a certified real estate instructor and former board member of the Real Estate Educators Association. . The townships are consecutively numbered by their location within the intersection of multiple range lines and township lines. The real estate exam probably wont ask you what states use the Metes and Bounds system or the Rectangular Survey System, but they may ask you which system your state uses. The grid is divided into smaller sections known as quadrangles, townships, sections, half-sections, and quarter-sections used to describe property boundaries in most of the United States. Townships are then broken down into sections, which are 36 blocks, each being 1 square mile. Those states are: An error occurred trying to load this video. Additionally, the terms used in the Rectangular Survey System can have different meanings under other systems of measurement and governmental designations. 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. The rectangular survey or government survey describes. The principal meridians are not located in equal distances from one another. Rectangular Government Survey. The township and range definition of a parcel of land, then, is its location in relation to the township and range lines. It is primarily used throughout the United States with the exception of the thirteen colonies, which was surveyed by the metes and bound method . 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. Also Check: When Is Open Enrollment For Government Healthcare. The townships are consecutively numbered by their location within the intersection of multiple range lines and township lines. A section of ground is one mile on all sides, which means it is a one-mile square. This system was part of the Land Ordinance enacted in 1785 by President Thomas Jefferson. The Rectangular Survey System is a grid system of townships and sections that is used to divide the land into manageable units. However, rivers can be moved, and trees can die, so as you can see, this method is wildly inaccurate over time. A system of fractional sections and government lots are parts of standard practice to account for these discrepancies.\r\n\r\nSo how does the system describe land? -also known as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), because it was originally, used to survey federally owned blocks of land-is regulated by the, The rectangular government survey system is used in 30 western and southern states. Shawn Custer has taught college-level English, composition, and literature for over six years. Range lines are equally located six miles apart, and the columns of land they create are known as ranges. Each one square mile section is 640 acres. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. The earliest land surveys in Minnesota were conducted under the jurisdiction of the Surveyor General of Iowa and Wisconsin, headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. There are 16 townships in each quadrangle. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Standard parallels run east to west along with the baseline. The boundary of each township is 6 miles long, so a township contains 36 square miles and is described as being 6 miles square. The system was further modified to facilitate the transfer of large quantities of government-owned western lands to . Also Check: Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations. Real Estate License Wizard2009 MacKenzie WaySuite 100Cranberry Twp, PA 16066Phone: (412) 212-3240Email: info [at] realestatelicensewizard.com. Using the land noted on the image, a parcel could be defined as the West half of the Southeast quarter of Section 14 of Township 2 South, Range 3 West. The Rectangular Survey Method established a standard measurement and origin point for all properties to follow using a grid system. The rectangular survey system, often referred to as the government survey system, is based on a system of lines that form rectangles and squares throughout the United States. Sections can be further divided into halves and quarters. Townships are further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. Only about half of the states in the United States still use the Rectangular Survey System. Because the rectangular or government survey system was instituted when the United States was a new country, it was used to describe most of the land west of the original 13 colonies, so most of you are likely to see some questions about this system.\r\n\r\nLongitude and latitude are imaginary lines that divide the earth through the north and south poles (longitude) and run parallel with the equator (latitude). The Public Land Survey System is the surveying method developed and used in the United States to plat, or divide, real property for sale and settling. The boundary of each township is 6 miles long, so a township contains 36 square miles and is described as being 6 miles square. Other survey systems include the metes and bounds system and the lot and block system. Running east to west every six miles between the baselines are the township lines. It is also known as the rectangular survey system and geodetic survey system. So, you can refer to the south (S) 1/2 of the northwest (NW) 1/4 of a section in a township, for example. The numbering changes directions in the third tier from right to left. )

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. The largest grid comprises of two types of lines, principal meridians, and baselines. \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n