rectangular government survey

Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. The Base Line in United States Rectangular Survey System meets its principal meridian at the point of origin, or initial point, for the survey of the land. For example, a piece of property that is located one township north of a baseline and two townships east of the fifth principal meridian in the state of Missouri would be identified as Missouri, Fifth Principal Meridian, Township 1 North, Range 2 East. 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. 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). That means it is 3 townships north of the baseline and 5 townships east of the principal meridian. Simply multiply 640 by or 0.25, which equals 160, then multiply 160 by 1/2 or 0.5, which equals 80. Putting the above description into words is half of a quarter section. ","description":"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. It uses the 37 principal meridian lines that run north to south across the U.S. and baselines that run east to west. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. The townships are consecutively numbered by their location within the intersection of multiple range lines and township lines. The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. The range lines run north and south parallel to the principal meridians. )\r\nThe description probably would include the state and county in which the property is located and use abbreviations. The rectangular survey or government survey describes land by reference to a. The Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Government Survey System or Public Land Survey System, is a method of plotting land boundaries in the United States using a large grid made up of rectangles. It is known that Jefferson proposed a rectangular survey system, although his system was based on the decimal system -- townships 10 miles by 10 miles. 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. Principal meridians, baselines, and where they intersect (cross each other) are used as the basis for formulating property descriptions in this system. 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. Because of the curvature of the earth, correction lines and guide meridians are used to compensate. Other survey systems include the metes and bounds system and the lot and block system. The Rectangular Survey System is a method of surveying designed to divide the real property into specified plots. The Surveyor General was later merged with the General Land Office, which later became a part of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management . Land is designated as either a base line (East-West) or principal meridian line (North-South). How Do Metes and Bounds Differ From the Rectangular Survey System? Novation in Real Estate | Novation of Contract. Rectangular Survey System - Divides land into rectangles - The system is based on two sets of lines - Principal Meridians and Base Lines Principal Meridians - Vertical lines, crossing base line. Government Survey System or Public Land Survey System functions just like a mailing label on an envelope. The Rectangular Survey System is used for surveying land for sale and settling, along with the Metes and Bounds survey method. The smallest division in this system is usually 10-acre quarters. Which States 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. 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. 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). Finally, sections can be further divided into halves or quarters that are named for their direction within the section: the east half, the west half, the north half, the south half, the northwest quarter, the northeast quarter, the southwest quarter, and the southeast quarter. The principal meridians and baselines are based respectively on lines of longitude and latitude.\r\n\r\nYoure likely to see at least a few questions on the on calculating the area of part of a section, and youll also see questions about terminology and some of the measurements that the rectangular survey system uses. These principal meridian lines are named or numbered to identify their location. Now known as the Public Land Survey System, this system divided the western lands into grid-shaped townships and sections. There are 16 townships in each quadrangle. Townships are identified based on their location to the point of origin where the principal meridian line meets the baseline. This system, sometimes called the Public Land Survey System, was created in 1785 to plat or divide real property into squares and rectangles for sale and settling. The grid creates six-mile square townships that can then be further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. TRID Guidelines & Compliance Checklist | What is TRID? The numbering continues in this manner like a snake, until ending in the far southeast corner with section 36. Specific directional references are needed in the actual description to locate a particular piece of property, but for finding out how large a particular piece of property is, only the fractions matter.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274747\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"] Sections can be divided in a variety of ways, including quarters and smaller sections. The land can be further divided into even smaller sections by dividing the halves or quarters into smaller halves or quarters. 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? Understand its process through the given examples. The earliest land surveys in Minnesota were conducted under the jurisdiction of the Surveyor General of Iowa and Wisconsin, headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. In legal documents, such as a lien, deed, trust deed, mortgage, and sales contract, courts require an exact description of where a piece of land is located. However, rivers can be moved, and trees can die, so as you can see, this method is wildly inaccurate over time. For instance, a quarter section always contains 160 acres, or a fourth of the total 640 acres in a section. It is considered as one of the most significant subdividing of the United States' mainland. Government Rectangular Survey System (GRSS) And Torrens System Government Rectangular Survey System (GRSM) Land survey system primarily used throughout the US but not within the original 13 colonies which are based upon the Meters & Bounds Theory Based upon the longitude and latitude lines and then ultimately upon the meridian (vertical . The rectangular survey system devised for the PLSS is often credited to Thomas Jefferson. Since townships are six miles north to south and six miles east to west, each township is 36 square miles. Section 1 within any township is always located at the upper right or northeast corner of the township. Correction lines occur at every fourth township line or every 24 miles north and south of the baseline. You have 80 acres in that plot of land, and that is your answer. This system created a checkerboard of identical squares using longitude lines and latitude lines . Where a baseline meets a principal meridian is called a point of origin. For example, you would say, it is in township 3 north, range 5 east, to identify a property. Furthermore, how well individual surveying parties actually met the requirements or recommendations at the time, also varied. 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. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. The numbering changes directions in the third tier from right to left. The first sets of lines respectively are called principal meridians, which run north and south, and baselines, which run east and west. Correction lines occur at every fourth township line or every 24 miles north and south of the baseline. Government Survey Systems were originally created by the US Congress in 1785 as a way of identifying land faster and more accurately. The second row down continues being numbered west to east or left to right. Townships are further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. It uses imaginary lines to set land descriptions on thedistance: base lines run east-west and meridians run north-south. {"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2020-12-02T18:41:21+00:00","modifiedTime":"2021-03-11T20:17:19+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:17:55+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Study Skills & Test Prep","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33772"},"slug":"study-skills-test-prep","categoryId":33772},{"name":"Real Estate Licensure Exam","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33793"},"slug":"real-estate-licensure-exam","categoryId":33793}],"title":"Real Estate License Exam: The Rectangular Survey System","strippedTitle":"real estate license exam: the rectangular survey system","slug":"real-estate-license-exam-the-rectangular-survey-system","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn about the rectangular survey system and how land is broken up into quadrangles, sections, and townships in the United States. He teaches pre-licensing and continuing education courses for salespeople, brokers, and appraisers. Remember, there are 36 square miles in a township, and each section is 1 square mile. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. The government survey system legal land description method is the subject of this article. 27 chapters | You got it: Tic tac toe. That could be further divided into quarters, such as the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 18 of a township would be 40 acres. Section information is added to the property description as such: Missouri, Fifth Principal Meridian, T5S, R4W, sec 24. 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. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. [/caption]\r\n

Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. There are various issues with the names on the very small land parcels in several states. 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. [2] A government check represents an area that measures 576 square miles.\r\n\r\nRemember that although these correction lines and guide meridians are the way the government deals with the issue of the earths curvature, it isnt the way the government survey system describes land. You can drill down by clicking on the land map, but you need to click the calc button to get the latitude and longitude. Annexation in Real Estate: Method & Laws | What is Annexation? (The figure below shows a variety of divisions in a quarter section. 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. Also Check: Government Help With Home Down Payment. 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. How many rows in a survey of sections of a township? Putting the above description into words is half of a quarter section. The following is a list of helpful terms: Correction lines and guide meridians were established to correct this problem in the government survey system. Before the Rectangular Survey System was established, the Metes and Bounds survey was the only way of identifying who owned what land. The Rectangular Survey System is a grid system of townships and sections that is used to divide the land into manageable units. The three legal real estate land descriptions are important information that all real estate agents and brokers must understand to pass their real estate exam and receive their license. So, there can be the north, south, east, or west half section.