This is an introductory course to the general concepts that begin the development and creation of the U.S. Public Land System. It is a helpful inquiry into the system for those preparing for the NCEES exams. It should be noted for those considering the practice of land surveying, if it is a “public lands” state, much more local information will be required, and of much greater complexity as there are sometimes major and sometimes minor deviations from the description included here. The general concepts of the initial point, principal meridian, baseline, standard parallels, guide meridians, township, and range lines are covered here. Also covered are the basic method by which the 36 sections in a township were surveyed and the special cases that may apply to the sections in the northern row and western column of each township. The standard ways in how “of” descriptions for the aliquot parts of a section are determined are also covered. The course concludes with tips on finding evidence, researching, and retracing these lines. Running time 49 minutes.
You will learn…
- A little bit of the history and development of the U.S. Public Land Survey System (USPLSS)
- The basic structure from the initial point to standard parallels and guide meridians
- The further breakdown into townships and sections
- A little bit about the issues with surveying fractional sections in the northern row and western tier of each township
- How sections are “broken” down
- The basics of finding evidence, researching, and retracing these lines.
