Understanding Property Boundaries and Land Surveys in the United States

2. Early Land Descriptions Used natural objects Easy to identify Changed Relied mainly on memory. As land value increased so did importance of permanent markers and official records.

3. Property Boundaries Now transferred by documents called deeds. Deeds contain legal description of property boundaries. Sources for boundary descriptions Deeds Official Plots Notes of Original Surveys

4. Property Boundaries Records of land transfers are kept in: Town Clerks Office or County Registry of Deeds Exact copies are kept in Deeds Books Free to be examined by anyone.

5. Rectangular System of Land Survey Townships are located with reference to a true north-south line called a principle meridian and an east west line true parallel of latitude called a base line. Where a principal crosses the base line it is called the initial point.

6. Rectangular System of Land Survey The united states is divided into 35 regions for survey purposes. Each region has an initial point serving as the origin for all public land surveys. The various initial points base lines and principle meridians are designated by a name assigned to the principle meridian.

7. Rectangular System of Land Development Principal meridians located in California- Humboldt Mt. Diablo San Bernardino

8. Land Subdivision The next step in land subdivision is the placement of standard parallels and guide meridians. Standard parallels Spaced every 24 miles north and south of baseline. Are designed in relationship to the baseline. ie: first standard parallel north second standard parallel north

9. Land Subdivision Guide Meridians Spaced every 24 miles east and west of principle meridian. Are also designed in relation to principle meridian. ie: first guide meridian east

10. Land Subdivision Townships Each 24 square mile tract is divided into 16 townships by locating “range” lines every 6 miles and “tier” lines every 6 miles in parallel with the latitude lines A series of townships running east and west is called a Tier. A series of townships running north and south is called a Range.

11. Townships Tiers are consecutively numbered north and south of the baseline. Ranges are likewise numbered east and west of the principle meridian. Therefore townships are designated by the serial number of its tier and north and south and by the range serial number east or west. ie: T3N R3W Tier 3 north of base line range 3 west of principle meridian.

12. Section A section is one township divided into one square mile sections (640 acres) Sections are numbered 1-36 starting in the northeast corner of the township.

13. Section Sections then can be divided into as many smaller tracts as necessary. Legal descriptions always begin with the smallest unit. Ie: the SW1/4. NE1/4, SW1/4, Section 9, township 3N range 3 west, of the Humbolt Meridian.

14. Homework…