Of course, this still makes up a lot of land, so townships are further divided into sections. Think about two lines running from left to right across this page about an inch apart. The system uses Metes, which are straight lines connecting two points, and Bounds, which are identifiable aspects of a property. 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. The numbering continues directly beneath the sixth section, except that it progresses from left to right on the second tier. For example, you can say the east of section 3. That means the property is 320 acres and located on the east half of that section. [/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 township is the basic unit of measurement in the rectangular survey system. Remember 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. 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. Way in which the U.S. government uses to subdivide public land. The section in the bottom left corner, the southwest corner, is section 36. He is also a real estate investor, board gamer and homebrewer. . 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. The numbering then moves from right to left across that first upper tier. The numbering then moves from right to left across that first upper tier. Although the lines start out the same distance apart, they get closer together as you get near one or the other end of the ball.\r\n\r\nCorrection lines and guide meridians were established to correct this problem in the government survey system. These divisions mean just that. However, the system calculations also have to be adjusted somewhat to account for the curvature of the earth, which required the addition of Guide Meridians and Standard Parallels. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 These principal meridian lines are named or numbered to identify their location. How Do Metes and Bounds Differ From the Rectangular Survey System? 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. - The system, which was adopted in 1785, is also called the U.S. System of Rectangular Surveys or the rectangular method. In the survey method, there has to be the creation of an initial point. The system was created by Thomas Jefferson in 1785. The rectangular survey system is comprised of principal meridian lines that cover most states in the US, running north to south and baselines running east to west. Originally proposed by Thomas Jefferson, the PLSS began shortly after the Revolutionary War, when the Federal government became responsible for large areas west of the thirteen original colonies. So, in the example above, Township 4 South would be T4S. Land is designated as either a base line (East-West) or principal meridian line (North-South). As with most things, there are pros and cons of using the Rectangular Survey System. Imagine trying to draw straight lines on a rubber ball. 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? The legal description includes the state name, the meridian name, the township and range directions, and usually the section number. Quarter sections have an area of 160 acres.\r\n \tHalf 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. The legal description can be further described by indicating which directional half or quadrants of the section, as well. You may be asked to identify sections in the Rectangular Survey System, so remember the order from specific to general. Sections can be further divided into halves and quarters. It can be a quick and relatively straightforward way of dividing large areas of land into manageable, legally identifiable sections from the very large to the fairly small. From this initial . It is a rectangular approach to surveying the land breaking the district down to quadrangles of 24 miles. The Rectangular Survey System is a means of dividing and measuring large areas of land. The rectangular survey system was enacted by the Land Ordinance Act of 1785. The creation of the legal description for the Governmental Survey System is based on special longitude and latitude lines called principal meridians and base lines. You may have math questions on your real estate licensing exam related to this concept. Correction lines occur at every fourth township line or every 24 miles north and south of the baseline. 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. To learn more about these land descriptions, view our Real Estate Principles course, which provides information on ethics of practice, titles to and conveyance of real estate, deeds encumbrances and liens, distinctions between personal and real property, appraisal, finance and regulations, and more. You can think of this system as a gigantic checkerboard, as it has a bunch of intersecting lines that form squares into a grid. (The figure below shows a variety of divisions in a quarter section.). Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. The numbering continues in this manner like a snake, until ending in the far southeast corner with section 36. After six years of aircrew service in the Air Force, he earned his MBA from the University of Phoenix following a BS from the University of Maryland. The system is used to divide public lands into townships, sections, halves, and quarters. Normally, a permanent monument, or marker, is placed at each section corner. 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. When identifying property locations, you will always reference which principal meridian it is located near. Where the two range lines and two township lines intersect, they form a township. Tenancy at Will Laws & Examples | What is an Estate at Will? Land Description Government Rectangular Survey For 2019 | Real Estate Exam Prep. It will serve as the basis for surveys of government in a specified area under its jurisdiction. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. Real Estate License Wizard2009 MacKenzie WaySuite 100Cranberry Twp, PA 16066Phone: (412) 212-3240Email: info [at] realestatelicensewizard.com. The rectangular survey system devised for the PLSS is often credited to Thomas Jefferson. The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. The area created by the intersection of a township line and a range line is a township. For the real estate exam, youll need to know the two primary survey methods. The section in the uppermost northeast corner of a township is section 1. (The figure below shows a variety of divisions in a quarter section. The government survey system legal land description method is the subject of this article. Types of Tenancy in Real Estate | Overview, Leases & Examples, Lien Theory State vs. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. The system was further modified to facilitate the transfer of large quantities of government-owned western lands to . 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 grid is further divided by lines that run parallel to and between the principal meridian lines, called range lines, and lines that run parallel to and between the baselines, called township lines. They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. 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? Concepts will include principal meridians, the PLSS, and how sections of a township are. 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. Principal meridians, baselines, and where they intersect (cross each other) are used as the basis for formulating property descriptions in this system. This system was part of the Land Ordinance enacted in 1785 by President Thomas Jefferson. 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 earliest land surveys in Minnesota were conducted under the jurisdiction of the Surveyor General of Iowa and Wisconsin, headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. Rectangular Government Survey. A township in this system can be both a line and the square of land created by the township lines and range lines. One section is 1 mile or 640 square acres, so it still covers a large piece of land and must be divided again.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'realestatelicensewizard_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_4',690,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-realestatelicensewizard_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Sections are further broken down into half and quarter sections repeatedly until you identify the exact location of a property. Also known as the rectangular survey system or public land survey system, the government survey system refers to a federal land survey system that uses (north and south lines) meridians and (east and west lines) base lines. 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. Also Check: Government To Forgive Student Loan Debt. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. It made sense since it was centrally located. The principal meridians are not located in equal distances from one another. 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. If you want to define smaller properties, we can take the southeast of section 3, which will only be 160 acres. For a government survey to be valid, the official plat must have been approved by the government . Accretion, Avulsion & Reliction: Definition & Effects, Extent of Ownership and Real Property: Air, Surface & Subsurface, Real Property vs. Real Estate | Concepts, Terms & Differences. It isn't used by East Coast states except, Florida, and it also isn't used by Texas. 2021 KnowYourGovernment.netContact us: [emailprotected], Introduction to administration of Web Survey System Part 2, Estimating a weighted average CSR2 in Iowa using the USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey, How To Find Lost Money From The Government, What Is The Interest Rate On Government Student Loans, Local Government Federal Credit Union App, When Is Open Enrollment For Government Healthcare, Government Grants For Commercial Real Estate, Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations, Surveyor General of the Northwest Territory, Energy Efficient Windows Government Grants, Mortgage Loans For Federal Government Employees, Free Government Foreclosure Listings With Pictures. ","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. ","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"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. (The figure below shows a variety of divisions in a quarter section. distinguishing among the various surveys. Townships have an area of 36 square miles, more or less, and are each further divided into 36 sections.\r\n \tSections: The divisions of a township, sections, are one mile square and have an area of one square mile, or 640 acres. Each one square mile section is 640 acres. For instance, a quarter section always contains 160 acres, or a fourth of the total 640 acres in a section. It uses imaginary lines to set land descriptions on thedistance: base lines run east-west and meridians run north-south. Shawn Custer has taught college-level English, composition, and literature for over six years. {"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. You may even see a question or two about the numbering system used for sections. 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. Previous to the Public Land Survey System, land was surveyed using a confusing landmark-based system called metes and bounds. This system divides the country using 37 principal meridians that run north and south and baselines that run east and west. You got it: Tic tac toe. The lot and block survey system is a method used in the United States and Canada to locate and identify land, particularly for lots in densely populated metropolitan areas, suburban areas, and exurbs. Government Survey Systems were originally created by the US Congress in 1785 as a way of identifying land faster and more accurately. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. It is sometimes referred to as the recorded plat survey system, or the recorded map survey system. The states that use the rectangular survey system are:Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, and Florida. So, in the example above, Township 4 South would be T4S. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. Dont Miss: Small Business Loan Government Programs. Discover what the Rectangular Survey System is, where it is usually used, and its main purpose. The guide meridians occur every 24 miles east and west of the principal meridian. The land is then further divided into quadrangles. Definition of "Rectangular survey". Were not done yet. A system of fractional sections and government lots are parts of standard practice to account for these discrepancies. These surveys, completed between 1848 and May 1857 were primarily on land located between the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers or in the southeastern corner of Minnesota. The smallest division in this system is usually 10-acre quarters. Also Check: Government Help With Home Down Payment. The sections are number 1 through 36 starting in the NE corner of the section continuing west along the top row. Using the Fifth Principal Meridian in Missouri, the description would look like this: The W 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 14, Township 2 South, Range 3 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Missouri.
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