All land within the boundaries of the 13 American Colonies, after the ratification of the United States Constitution, came under the control and jurisdiction of the particular state in which the land was situated. Therefore, there was no federal government or so-called public land within that area.
These original lands, together with the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, parts of Ohio, Maine and Vermont, were all described by the then-accepted system of "metes and bounds"—that is, the measurement of land within certain external boundaries or lines limiting the tract on all sides. This system requires a commencement point easily distinguished—usually consisting of some prominent existing object, such as a large rock or stone, a particular type or size of tree, a certain point on a river bank, or anything that would seem to be of more or less a permanent nature. Each tract of land under this system is usually different in size, is described independently of any other tract, except perhaps by reference, and is not connected in any way with any base or starting lines.
As lands were acquired and incorporated within the new country, it became necessary to adopt a more uniform system than "metes and bounds" to survey these new governmental lands. Surveys were necessary to determine tracts for sale to individual citizens or as allotments for specific purposes, and to provide "homestead lands" for settlement by the public.
After some experimenting with the so-called "township system," which is based on a 10-mile square area, and after further study and trial, the system "rectangular survey" was devised in 1784 at the suggestion of Thomas Jefferson. The rectangular survey consists of adjoining contiguous tracts six miles square. Each tract, or township, contains 36 sections. Each "section" is one mile square and is numbered 1 to 36 commencing at the Northeast (NE) Corner and running west to Section 6 then dropping down to 7 and east to 12, and so on to Section 36 in the Southeast Corner of the tract. (See illustration, page 4.)
This rectangular survey system, now in general use in this country, was officially adopted by the government in 1805. It was first used in the area known as the "Northwest Territories," lying west of Pennsylvania, north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi rivers. It also covers practically all of the land west of the Mississippi—the sole large exception being the state of Texas. However, some railroad grants in that state have been re-surveyed into sections on the "rectangular survey" basis. All original surveys of the lands in these expanded areas have been made by the U.S. government under the jurisdiction of the General Land Office.
A section is the smallest subdivision usually surveyed by government surveyors. At each corner is a marker known as a "monument of survey."
The rectangular survey system necessitates the establishment of a "central" point from which all survey lines originate. These lines run as nearly north-south and east-west as it is possible to make them. This system of survey includes all lands lying within a particular area that is to be surveyed, such asstate, territory or district, or a certain part thereof. Some areas were surveyed before particular states were formed, so there are some states that have more than one survey system.
Due to the spherical nature of the earth and the curvature of its surface, all global meridians of longitude, or "great circles," of the earth converge at the poles. It is easy to understand that a flat and "perfect square," or township, could not be formed on the earth’s surface. All these factors must be considered in surveying and in measurements used in determining the location and position of all lands on that surface. Also, although all meridians of longitude pass through the "true" poles of the earth, all surveying methods must consider the presence of the "magnetic" poles. While the "magnetic" poles are separate and apart from the "true poles," all navigational and surveying instruments are based on and controlled by the attractions of the "magnetic" poles.
As a result of the existence of these natural conditions, all north boundary lines of townships under the rectangular survey system must, of necessity, be a trifle shorter than the south boundary lines. To compensate for these discrepancies, each township of 36 sections has 11 "correction" sections along the north and west sides. These sections, 1 through 6, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31, are not exactly a mile square and do not contain exactly 640 acres. The remaining 25 sections are generally a mile square and contain 640 acres.
In putting the "rectangular survey" system into operation in a given area, a north-south principal meridian line and an east-west base line are first established, crossing and running at right angles (90°) to each other. From these first lines additional lines are then established six miles apart. The lines running north-south, parallel to the "meridian line," are commonly designated as "range" lines. Those running east-west, parallel to the "baseline," are commonly called "township" lines. These lines mark off the area into six-mile squares, commonly called "townships." They are also designated by numbers, being north or south of the baseline and east or west of the meridian line, such as Township 10 North (or South), Range 11 East (or West) of the San Bernardino Base Line and Meridian. This concept is further described in "Sectional Property" on the following page.
