The squares created by range and township lines are known as townships and are identified by their location from the baseline and principal meridian lines. Only about half of the state in the U.S. use the rectangular survey system. As we mentioned earlier, two primary survey methods are used in the United States, the Metes and Bounds System, and the Rectangular Survey System. Take for example there is a shared baseline in both Nebraska and Kansas as both states border is at the 40th parallel north. Guide meridians run true north, and the intersecting correction line is shorter than a township line. However, in some areas of the country, a township refers to a legal municipality rather than a geographic area, which can lead to some confusion. Townships are then broken down into sections, which are 36 blocks, each being 1 square mile. Whether it's to pass that big test, qualify for that big promotion or even master that cooking technique; people who rely on dummies, rely on it to learn the critical skills and relevant information necessary for success. Each one square mile section is 640 acres. Sections also are numbered consecutively. 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. 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? Where the two range lines and two township lines intersect, they form a township. The government survey system is known by a few different names. These sections are referred to as fractional sections. The Rectangular Survey System is the basis for the PLSS and is used to survey all public lands in the United States. For example, a Bound could be a road, tree, river, or large rock. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. There are 36 sections in a township, and each section contains one square mile, which is 640 acres. He teaches pre-licensing and continuing education courses for salespeople, brokers, and appraisers.

John A. Yoegel, PhD, is a certified real estate instructor and former board member of the Real Estate Educators Association. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. How Do Metes and Bounds Differ From the Rectangular Survey System? The boundary of each township is 6 miles long, so a township contains 36 square miles and is described as being 6 miles square. They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. Baselines run parallel to the earths equator, from east to west. The section in the bottom left corner, the southwest corner, is section 36. A rectangular survey is read based on the state and meridian line and the property's location, directionally, to that line. You have 80 acres in that plot of land, and that is your answer. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Whenever properties have irregular boundaries, the land may be further described using one of the two other systems described in this section. Dont Miss: Work From Home Government Jobs. For a government survey to be valid, the official plat must have been approved by the government . The rectangular survey system devised for the PLSS is often credited to Thomas Jefferson. 1 Square mile is equal to 640 acres. This system divides the country using 37 principal meridians that run north and south and baselines that run east and west. Surveyors also establish an east-west line from which all measurements originate. (This description refers to a 10-acre parcel of land. Section 16 is located directly in the center of the section and historically was always designated as the school section. Graphic depiction of the Rectangular Survey System. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. These range lines form ranges. Townships are 36 miles square, 6 miles on each side, and are located within quadrangles. Using principal meridians and baselines as points of reference, land areas are divided by two kinds of lines, township lines and range lines. It is considered as one of the most significant subdividing of the United States' mainland. These smaller parcels are identified by their directional location within the section. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. The range and township lines create a 36-square-mile area called a township. Easement Appurtenant Features & Examples | What is an Easement in Real Estate? In the survey method, there has to be the creation of an initial point. 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. So, you can refer to the south (S) 1/2 of the northwest (NW) 1/4 of a section in a township, for example. -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. You may be asked to identify sections in the Rectangular Survey System, so remember the order from specific to general. The grid creates six-mile square townships that can then be further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. Since the earth is not flat like a checkerboard, there needed to be some adjustments made along the way to make sure everything worked out. 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. That means it is 3 townships north of the baseline and 5 townships east of the principal meridian. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. a rectangular system of land survey that divides a district into 24-square mile quadrangles from the meridian (north-south line) and the baseline (east-west line); the tracts are divided into 6-mile-square parts called townships, which are in turn divided into 36 tracts, each 1 mile square, called sections. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. It uses the 37 principal meridian lines that run north to south across the U.S. and baselines that run east to west. Dont Miss: Can The Government Help Me With Rent. Manage Settings Standard parallels run east to west along with the baseline. This process continues, creating a smaller and smaller grid that can be used to identify the specific location of any property. Create your account. Guide meridians and standard parallels form quadrangles. When identifying property locations, you will always reference which principal meridian it is located near. 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. Water & Littoral Rights Concept & Purpose | What are Water Rights? You may even see a question or two about the numbering system used for sections. All township locations are defined by referencing how from they are from the principal meridian and baseline. The government rectangular survey method is a legal description for land. D. Rectangular government survey C Jacob is a developer who purchased 78 acres and had it subdivided into halfacre lots. As mentioned above, basically you can think of the US as a huge checkerboard, with vertical and horizontal lines splitting it up. You may even see a question or two about the numbering system used for sections. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Concepts will include principal meridians, the PLSS, and how sections of a township are. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. This version has a more visual interface, which was optimized to explore the dataset. Townships have an area of 36 square miles, more or less, and are each further divided into 36 sections.\r\n \t