Rectangular Survey System

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 August 2023 03:24 Written by Chris Griswold Wednesday, 7 September 2011 06:20

This cool weather is a welcome change (I’m glad the “gas chamber” heat is behind us).  Now that we’re interested in getting back outside again, have you ever wondered how the great outdoors (i.e., the land) is broken down and how our rectangular survey system works?  These are commonly asked questions that I often receive.  Today we’re going to quickly get a handle on these concepts.  Read more below (and don’t forget to click on my Facebook or YouTube links below to also see my short video on this material).

Rectangular Survey System

The following hand drawn diagram shows how our rectangular survey system breaks land down into Township “X,” Range “Y” (which consists of 36 square miles) and how Township “X,” Range “Y” is further subdivided into 36 Sections (each Section being 1 square mile and containing 640 acres) and how Sections #1-7, 18, 19, 30 and 31 have “correction lots” to correct for the curvature of the Earth.  In particular, Section #6 uniquely has 7 correction lots, lots #1-4 across the top and #5-7 down the left-hand side.  All other Sections with correction lots just have lots #1-4 (vertical or horizontal) and the other Sections in Township “X,” Range “Y,” other than the riparian acreage, have no lots.  Important Note: each correction lot will have more or less than 40 acres.  The diagram is as follows:

Some other terms related to surveying (which you’ve probably heard before but may not fully understand) can be quickly summarized as follows:

1 Link = 7.92 inches
1 Rod = 16.5 feet
5.5 yards = 25 Links
1 Chain = 66 feet = 4 Rods = 100 Links
1 Furlong = 660 feet = 40 Rods
1 Mile (5,280 feet)  = 8 Furlongs = 320 Rods = 80 Chains
1 square Rod =   272.25 sq.ft. = 30.25 sq.yards
1 Acre =   43,560 sq.ft. = 160 square Rods (which can be 8 Rods by 20 Rods or any other 2 numbers whose product = 160)

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