Townships are subdivided into 36 one-mile- square sections. Townships have an area of 36 square miles, more or less, and are each further divided into 36 sections.\r\n \t

  • Sections: The divisions of a township, sections, are one mile square and have an area of one square mile, or 640 acres. 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. 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. 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. When identifying property locations, you will always reference which principal meridian it is located near. Range lines run parallel to the principal meridian and determine how far east and west the township is of that meridian.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'realestatelicensewizard_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',689,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realestatelicensewizard_com-banner-1-0'); All township locations are defined by referencing how from they are from the principal meridian and baseline. There is more than one type of legal description you must know for your exam. In reality, because of this earth curvature issue, many sections and townships vary from their exact area measurements. (This description refers to a 10-acre parcel of land. They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. For instance, a quarter section always contains 160 acres, or a fourth of the total 640 acres in a section. Guide meridians and standard parallels form quadrangles. Types of Tenancy in Real Estate | Overview, Leases & Examples, Lien Theory State vs. For example, a Bound could be a road, tree, river, or large rock. The rectangular survey system is the method of forming specific plots, used commonly in the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) in America. Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The system uses Metes, which are straight lines connecting two points, and Bounds, which are identifiable aspects of a property. In the survey method, there has to be the creation of an initial point. Sections also are numbered consecutively. 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. For example, a legal description of Missouri, Fifth Principal Meridian, T4S, R7E, sec 23 indicates a property that is 4 townships south and 7 townships east of the Fifth Principal Meridian in Missouri. (The figure below shows a variety of divisions in a quarter section. 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. So how does the system describe land? Note that the more detailed legal descriptions usually begin with the smallest area and work to the largest. True of False - When land is mapped on the rectangular survey system, you locate the parcel by reading the directions from left to right. 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. You got it: Tic tac toe. This process continues, creating a smaller and smaller grid that can be used to identify the specific location of any property. Remember, there are 36 square miles in a township, and each section is 1 square mile. There are two separate and distinct systems of land surveys in the United States: System of metes and bounds in which each parcel of land is . Furthermore, how well individual surveying parties actually met the requirements or recommendations at the time, also varied. Also Check: When Is Open Enrollment For Government Healthcare. )

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    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. Easement Appurtenant Features & Examples | What is an Easement in Real Estate? Land Description Government Rectangular Survey For 2019 | Real Estate Exam Prep. The first sets of lines respectively are called principal meridians, which run north and south, and baselines, which run east and west. 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? 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. According to historian Matthew Dennis, this rectangular survey system allowed the leaders of the young government to apply their "nationalistic, scientific, and engineering mentality in transforming the continental landscape of North America, reconceptualizing its space, subduing and organizing it, and distributing it to white yeoman farmers in Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. Legal descriptions under the Rectangular Survey System include the state, the principal meridian, the township designated by number and direction, and the section number. Township lines run parallel to the baseline, from east to west, defining how far north and south of the baseline a township is located. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Each township is further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each, or 640 acres, by horizontal and vertical section lines. The legal description includes the state name, the meridian name, the township and range directions, and usually the section number. The rectangular survey system was developed in an effort to try and describe all of the land in our country. The numbering continues in this manner like a snake, until ending in the far southeast corner with section 36. Where the two range lines and two township lines intersect, they form a township.\r\n\r\nNow, the way it really works is for this page to be filled with the lines going up and down and right to left so that you have many townships. The earths curvature led to the creation of additional lines called Guide Meridians that is perpendicular to the baseline. As each territory or state opened new public lands, the government identified a meridian (running north and south) and a base line (running east and west) to guide all future land surveys in that area. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. Base lines 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. It is considered as one of the most significant subdividing of the United States' mainland. This system utilizes a system of rectangular coordinates to create a map of a parcel of land. For example, a Bound could be a road, tree, river, or large rock. The guide meridians occur every 24 miles east and west of the principal meridian. It references principal meridians and baselines designated throughout the 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. This system was part of the Land Ordinance enacted in 1785 by President Thomas Jefferson. The Rectangular Survey System can be thought of as a grid that covers the U.S. Monuments are also placed at quarter-section corners and at other important points, such as the corners of government lots. You may even see a question or two about the numbering system used for sections. It will serve as the basis for surveys of government in a specified area under its jurisdiction. 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. Then the numbering drops down to 13 and goes right to left again and so forth:

    \r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274749\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"532\"]\"townships\" Townships are divided into 36 sections numbered consecutively. They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. Also Check: Government To Forgive Student Loan Debt. Of course, this still makes up a lot of land, so townships are further divided into sections. 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. He decided to install sewer and underground electric for the entire subdivision, because he thinks that he will easily recoup his initial infrastructure investment. Think about two lines running from left to right across this page about an inch apart. The range lines run north and south parallel to the principal meridians. This indicates that the property is between the baseline and the first township line to the north and between the first and second range lines to the east of the fifth principal meridian. There are various issues with the names on the very small land parcels in several states. The section in the uppermost northeast corner of a township is section 1. He teaches pre-licensing and continuing education courses for salespeople, brokers, and appraisers. Sections also are numbered consecutively. distinguishing among the various surveys. The rectangular survey system may just be a giant grid covering the United States, but understanding how it is used can seem a little complex, so stick with us while we cover the basic definitions. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. You got it: Tic tac toe. The sections are number 1 through 36 starting in the NE corner of the section continuing west along the top row. . Since the lines that create them are six miles apart, they are 24 miles around and include an area of 36 square miles, which is 23,040 acres. The area is further divided into six-mile segments using range lines that run parallel to the principal meridian and township lines that run parallel to the baselines. The government survey system is known by a few different names. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. The second row down continues being numbered west to east or left to right. . Baselines run parallel to the earths equator, from east to west. The grid creates six-mile square townships that can then be further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. You may be asked to identify sections in the Rectangular Survey System, so remember the order from specific to general. 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? A government check represents an area that measures 576 square miles. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. The rectangular survey system was enacted by the Land Ordinance Act of 1785. The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. This system created a checkerboard of identical squares using longitude lines and latitude lines . Townships are then broken down into sections, which are 36 blocks, each being 1 square mile. It made sense since it was centrally located. Every fourth township line is called a correction line, and every fourth range line is called a guide meridian. Marketable Title Overview & Importance | What is a Marketable Title? Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. We know that there are 640 acres in one section, and we are taking a 1/4 of a 1/2 section. The numbering then moves from right to left across that first upper tier. Quarter sections have an area of 160 acres.
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  • Half sections: Half section is a description of any two abutting quarter sections within a section, usually accompanied by a directional notation indicating the half of the section in which the two quarter sections are located. You can drill down by clicking on the land map, but you need to click the calc button to get the latitude and longitude. Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Different Types of Estates in Real Estate, Legal Description of Property: Definition, Importance & Example, What is a Land Survey? So, there can be the north, south, east, or west half section.
    • \r\n\r\nBecause of the curvature of the earth, the lines in the government survey system are only theoretically straight. What Is Chattel in Real Estate and Property? [/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 PLSS is actually a series of surveys that divide land into townships that are six miles. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. You have 80 acres in that plot of land, and that is your answer. Township lines, which run east and west, parallel to baselines, are horizontal parallel lines that form township tiers.\r\n\r\nThink about two lines running from left to right across this page about an inch apart. There are 36 sections in a township, and each section contains one square mile, which is 640 acres. The township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. Lines that are parallel to the Base Line are called the standard parallels which run at 24-mile intervals north and south of the Base Line. Metes and Bounds surveys are still used in many states; however, they differ from the Public Land Survey System as they are not based on any grid but instead identify objects on the land, measurements, and compass directions. Explain. 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. The Rectangular Survey Method established a standard measurement and origin point for all properties to follow using a grid system. How Do You Use the Rectangular Survey System?

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