Surveys of the United States
Land Surveys are used to subdivide large areas of land and are used in the legal
description of land parcels. A number of different survey methodologies and systems
have been used in the US, but the Public Land Survey System is the most widely used.
Public Land Survey System (PLSS)
The Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance of 1787 called for a systematic
survey of public land using a rectangular grid system. The result is the Public
Land Survey System (PLSS) which was used to survey and describe the land in all
or part of 35 states.
The land in these states is not covered by a single survey, but rather a collection
of 37 separate surveys. Each survey is defined by an origin or reference point and
two reference lines running through the reference point, one running North-South
called the principal meridian, and the other running East-West called the baseline.
Each of the principal meridians are named and an individual survey is referred to
by the name of the meridian (such as the Black Hills Meridian).
Townships
The major subdivision within a survey is the township, a square area with each side
6 miles long (36 square miles). Townships are laid out in rows and columns and each
township is identified by a township and range designation. For example, the township
identified as Township 3 North, Range 2 West is 3 rows north of the Baseline and
2 columns west of the Pricipal Meridian for the survey. Due to the curvature of
the Earth (and errors in surveying), townships are not always exactly six miles
on a side.
Sections
The area within a township is further subdivided into 36 sections, each one mile
square. Sections are numbered 1 to 36 in the pattern shown at the right. As with
townships, sections can vary from their nominal 1 mile by 1 mile size.
Section Fractions
Sections are typically further subdivided into quarters or halves. Quarters are
designated as NE, NW, SE or SW while halves are designated as N, S, E or W (see
figures at right). Those subdivision can be further subdivided by the same means,
for example the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 is 1/16 of the section.
Availability on Histopolis
Until recently, Histopolis did not support sections as places or the mapping of sections.
In November 2015 we introduced sections with initial support limited to the State of Nebraska.
We expect to expand support of sections to additional states and areas based on user interest and feedback.
If you would like to request section support for a specific area, please contact the
webmaster.
Surveys and States Covered
Histopolis currently supports the following 37 PLSS Surveys.
Some surveys cover more than one state while some states are covered by several surveys.
Survey | States |
Black Hills Meridian |
South Dakota
|
Boise Meridian |
Idaho
|
Chickasaw Meridian |
Mississippi
|
Choctaw Meridian |
Mississippi
|
Cimarron Meridian |
Oklahoma
|
Copper River Meridian |
Alaska
|
Fairbanks Meridian |
Alaska
|
Fifth Principal Meridian |
Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota
|
First Principal Meridian |
Indiana, Ohio
|
Fourth Principal Extended Meridian |
Minnesota, Wisconsin
|
Fourth Principal Meridian |
Illinois
|
Gila and Salt River Meridian |
Arizona
|
Humboldt Meridian |
California
|
Huntsville Meridian |
Alabama, Mississippi
|
Indian Meridian |
Oklahoma
|
Kateel River Meridian |
Alaska
|
Louisiana Meridian |
Louisiana
|
Michigan Meridian |
Michigan, Ohio
|
Mount Diablo Meridian |
California, Nevada
|
Navajo Meridian |
Arizona
|
New Mexico Principal Meridian |
Colorado, New Mexico
|
Principal Meridian |
Montana
|
Saint Helena Meridian |
Louisiana
|
Saint Stephens Meridian |
Alabama, Mississippi
|
Salt Lake Meridian |
Utah
|
San Bernardino Meridian |
California
|
Second Principal Meridian |
Illinois, Indiana
|
Seward Meridian |
Alaska
|
Sixth Principal Meridian |
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska (sections supported), South Dakota, Wyoming
|
Tallahassee Meridian |
Alabama, Florida
|
Third Principal Meridian |
Illinois
|
Uintah Meridian |
Utah
|
Umiat Principal Meridian |
Alaska
|
Ute Principal Meridian |
Colorado
|
Washington Meridian |
Mississippi
|
Willamette Meridian |
Oregon, Washington
|
Wind River Meridian |
Wyoming
|
States and Corresponding Surveys
Histopolis currently supports Survey Areas in 30 states.
Some states are covered by more than one survey but they do not overlap.
State | Surveys |
Alabama |
Huntsville Meridian, Saint Stephens Meridian, Tallahassee Meridian |
Alaska |
Copper River Meridian, Fairbanks Meridian, Kateel River Meridian, Seward Meridian, Umiat Principal Meridian |
Arizona |
Gila and Salt River Meridian, Navajo Meridian |
Arkansas |
Fifth Principal Meridian |
California |
Humboldt Meridian, Mount Diablo Meridian, San Bernardino Meridian |
Colorado |
New Mexico Principal Meridian, Sixth Principal Meridian, Ute Principal Meridian |
Connecticut |
(none)
|
Delaware |
(none)
|
District of Columbia |
(none)
|
Florida |
Tallahassee Meridian |
Georgia |
(none)
|
Hawaii |
(none)
|
Idaho |
Boise Meridian |
Illinois |
Fourth Principal Meridian, Second Principal Meridian, Third Principal Meridian |
Indiana |
First Principal Meridian, Second Principal Meridian |
Iowa |
Fifth Principal Meridian |
Kansas |
Sixth Principal Meridian |
Kentucky |
(none)
|
Louisiana |
Louisiana Meridian, Saint Helena Meridian |
Maine |
(none)
|
Maryland |
(none)
|
Massachusetts |
(none)
|
Michigan |
Michigan Meridian |
Minnesota |
Fifth Principal Meridian, Fourth Principal Extended Meridian |
Mississippi |
Chickasaw Meridian, Choctaw Meridian, Huntsville Meridian, Saint Stephens Meridian, Washington Meridian |
Missouri |
Fifth Principal Meridian |
Montana |
Principal Meridian |
Nebraska |
Sixth Principal Meridian (sections supported) |
Nevada |
Mount Diablo Meridian |
New Hampshire |
(none)
|
New Jersey |
(none)
|
New Mexico |
New Mexico Principal Meridian |
New York |
(none)
|
North Carolina |
(none)
|
North Dakota |
Fifth Principal Meridian |
Ohio |
First Principal Meridian, Michigan Meridian |
Oklahoma |
Cimarron Meridian, Indian Meridian |
Oregon |
Willamette Meridian |
Pennsylvania |
(none)
|
Rhode Island |
(none)
|
South Carolina |
(none)
|
South Dakota |
Black Hills Meridian, Fifth Principal Meridian, Sixth Principal Meridian |
Tennessee |
(none)
|
Texas |
(none)
|
Utah |
Salt Lake Meridian, Uintah Meridian |
Vermont |
(none)
|
Virginia |
(none)
|
Washington |
Willamette Meridian |
West Virginia |
(none)
|
Wisconsin |
Fourth Principal Extended Meridian |
Wyoming |
Sixth Principal Meridian, Wind River Meridian |