LAWS RELATING TO PUBLIC-LAND SURVEYS Beginning with an ordinance passed by the Continental Congress in May, 1785 (which provided for townships 6 miles square, each containing 36 sections 1 mile square), laws regulating the surveying, marketing and disposal of the public lands of the United States have from time to time been enacted by Congress. Following are the provisions of the Public Land in which the surveyor is principally interested. 1. All responsibility for the surveying and sale of the public lands of the United States is placed

in the hands of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, who under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to carry into execution every part of the Public Land Laws not otherwise specially provided for.

2. When the surveys and records of a state are completed, all the field notes, maps, and records

pertaining to land titles are delivered o the Secretary of State of that state. 3. Any agent of the United States, acting upon the authority of the Commissioner of the General

Land Office, has free access to public records delivered to any state, but no transfer of such records is made to any state until the state has enacted legislation providing for the safekeeping of such records and for the allowance of free access thereto by authorities of the United States.

4. It is requested that all surveys and resurveys of public lands under the supervision of the

Commissioner of the General land Office are to be made by surveyors selected by the General Land Office. (Prior to 1910, surveys were made by contract). The field work is now performed by a permanent corps of engineers under civil-service regulations.

5. It is provided that resurveys may be made by the Government under certain conditions. 6. Boundaries of public lands, when established by duly authorized surveyors and when

approved by the Commissioner, are unchangeable. 7. The original corners established by the surveyors stand as the true corners they were intended

to represent, whether in the place shown by the field notes or not. 8. The unit of length is the 66 foot Gunter's chain divided into 100 links. 9. Quarter-quarter-section corners not established by the original surveys are to be on the line

joining the section and quarter-section corners and midway between them, except in the northern and western half miles of the township.

10. The center lines of sections are to be straight between opposite quarter-section corners. 11. In a fractional section where no opposite quarter-section corner has been or can be

established, the center line of such section is to be run from the proper quarter-section

corners as nearly in a cardinal direction as due parallelism with section lines will permit to the meander line, reservation, or other boundary of such fractional section.

12. Lost or obliterated corners of the approval surveys are to be restored to their original

location, if possible.

ALLOWABLE LIMITS OF ERROR The maximum allowable error of closure prescribed for the United States rectangular surveys is 1/452, provided the error of closure in either latitude or departure does not exceed 1/640. Where a survey qualifies under the latter limit, the former is bound to be satisfied. It is equivalent to a systematic error of 12½ links, in either latitude or departure, per mile of perimeter. On this basis both the latitudes and the departures for the exterior lines of a normal township should close within 3 chains; of a normal range or tier of sections within 1 ¾ chains; or of a normal section within ½ chain. The general requirement is applied as a test of the accuracy of the angular and linear measurements incidental to all classes of lines embraced in the division of the public lands. Whenever a closure is effected, the latitudes, departures, and error of closure of the lines composing the figure (quadrangle, township, section, meander, etc.) must be calculated, and corrective steps must be taken whenever the test discloses an error in excess of the allowable value. In addition to the foregoing general requirement, township exteriors must be so established that the rectangular limits of township subdivisions, as discussed in the following article, are not exceeded. Normally the boundaries of a township are considered to be established within satisfactory governing limits form which to control the subdivisional surveys when the calculated position of the section lines may be theoretically projected from the township boundaries without invading the danger zone in respect to the rectangular line. RECTANGULAR LIMITS OF ERROR Before considering further the methods employed in the subdivision of townships, the legal requirement relative to the rectangular surveys of the public land should be stated. Of the 36 sections in each normal township, 25 are returned as containing 640 acres each; 10 adjacent to the north and west boundaries (comprising sections 1-5, 7, 18, 19, 30 and 31) each contain regular aliquot parts totaling 480 acres and 4 additional fractional lots each containing 40 acres plus or minus definite differences to be determined in the survey; and one section (section 6) in the northwest corner contains regular aliquot parts totaling 360 acres with 7 additional fractional lots each containing 40 acres plus or minus certain definite differences to be determined in the survey. The aliquot parts of 640 acres, called the regular subdivisions of a section, are the quarter section (½ mile square), the half-quarter of eighth section (¼ by ½ mile), and the quarter-quarter or sixteenth section (¼ mile square), the last containing 40 acres and being the legal minimum for purposes of disposal under the general land laws. CORNERS In the subdivision of the public lands as described in the preceding articles, it is required that the United States surveyors shall permanently mark the location of the township, section, exterior quarter-section, and meander corners, as well as such quarter-quarter-section corners as it is necessary to establish in connection with the subdivision of fractional sections. For this purpose are employed monuments of a character specified by regulations of the General Land Office. The

location of every such corner monument is, in accordance with definite rule, referred to such nearby objects as are available and suitable for this purpose; and where the corner itself cannot be marked in the ordinary manner an appropriate witness corner is established. At the appropriate place in the field notes of the survey a record of each established monument is introduced, this record including the character and dimensions of the monument itself, the manner in which it is placed, the significance of it location, its markings, and the nature of the objects to which reference measurements are taken, together with these measurements. CORNER ACCESSORIES When a corner is referred by direction and distance to some other more or less permanent object, and the operation becomes a matter of record, it is possible to relocate the corner with respect to the object. In land surveying a recorded measurement of this kind is often called a connection, and the object thus located is called a corner accessory. It is specified that the United States surveyors in the survey of the public lands shall employ at least one accessory for every corner established, the character of the accessories to fall within the following groups: (a) bearing trees, or other natural objects such as notable cliffs and boulders; permanent improvements; and memorials; (b) mounds of stone; and (c) pits. Corners called standard corners are established on the base line and standard parallels at intervals of 40 chains; these standard corners govern the meridional subdivision of the land lying between each standard parallel and the next standard parallel to the north. Other corners called correction corners or closing corners are later established on the base line and standard parallels during the process of subdivision; these corners fall at the intersection of the base line or standard parallel either with the meridional lines projected from the standard township corners of the next standard parallel to the south (see Fig. 454b) or with the intermediate section and quarter section lines. Standard parallels are also called correction lines. MEANDERING In the process of surveying the public lands, all navigable bodies of water and other important river and lakes below the line of mean high-water are segregated from the lands which are open to private ownership. In the process of subdivision, the regular section lines are run to an intersection with the mean high-water mark of such a body of water, at which intersection corners called meander corners are established. The traverse which is run between meander corners, approximately following the margin of a permanent body of water, is called a meander line, and the process of establishing such lines is called meandering. The mean high-water mark is taken as the line along which vegetation ceases. The fact that an irregular line must be run in tracing the boundary of a reservation does not entitle such a line to be called a meander line except where it follows closely the shore of a lake or the bank of a stream. Meander lines are not boundaries but are lines which are run for the purpose of locating the water boundaries approximately, and although the official plats show fractional lots as bounded in part by meander lines, it is an established principle that ownership does not stop at such boundaries.

Meander lines are run in surveying fractional portions of the public lands bordering on navigable rivers, not as boundaries of the tract, but for the purpose of defining the sinuosities of the banks of the stream and as the means of ascertaining the quantity of land in the fraction subject to sale, which is to be paid for by the purchaser. In preparing the official plat from the field notes, the meander line is represented as the border line of the stream, and illustrates that the water-course, and not the meander line as actually run on the land, is the boundary. In running a meander line, the surveyor begins at a meander corner and follows the bank or shore line, as closely as convenience permits, to the next meander corner, the traverse being a succession of straight lines. The true length and bearing of each of the courses of the meander line are observed with precision, but for convenience in platting and computing areas the intermediate courses are laid off to the exact quarter degree and each intermediate transit station is placed a whole number of chains, or at least a multiple of 10 links, from the preceding station. In as much as meander liens are not true boundaries, this procedure defines the sinuosities of the mean high-water line with sufficient accuracy. When a meander line is "closed" on a second meander corner, the latitudes and departures of the courses bounding the fractional lot are computed and the error of closure is determined. If this exceeds the allowable value, the line is rerun until an error in bearing or distance is discovered which will bring the closure within the specified limits (maximum error in either latitude or departure 1/640). a. Rivers Proceeding downstream, the bank on the left hand is termed the left bank

and that on the right hand the right bank. Navigable rivers and bayous as well as all rivers not embraced in the class denominated "navigable", the right-angle width of which is 3 chains and upward, are meandered on both banks, at the ordinary mean high-water mark, by taking the general courses and distances of their sinuosities.

b. Lakes Regulations provide for the meandering of all lakes having an area of 25

acres or greater, the procedure being the same as for the meandering of streams. In case the lake lies entirely within a section there will be obviously no regular meander corners, and a special meander corner is established at the intersection of the shore of the lake with a line run from one of the quarter-section corners on a theoretical course to connect with the opposite quarter-section corner, the distance from the quarter-section corner to the special meander corner measured. The lake is then meandered by a line beginning and ending at the special meander corner. If a meanderable lake is found to lie entirely within a quarter-section, an auxiliary meander corner is placed at any convenient place on its margin, and this is connected by traverse with one of the regular corners established on the boundary of the section.

c. Islands In the progress of the regular surveys, every island of any meanderable

body of water, except those islands which have formed in navigable streams since the admission of a state to the union, is located with respect to regular corners on section boundaries and is meandered and shown

upon the official plat. Also in the survey of land fronting on any non-navigable body of water, any island opposite such lands is subject to survey.

Handout #1

LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS DEFINITIONS Arc - a continuous portion of a circle. Base Line - a survey line running due east and west through the initial point of

a principal meridian from which township lines are established by the government survey.

Bearing - the degree reading which gives the direction of lines in a

description. Boundary - a line or object indicating the limit or furthest extent of a tract of

land or territory. Center - of the circle. Central Angle - the angle between the two radii which end at the PT and the PC. Chord - any line-segment terminated both ways by the circumference. Circle - a plane figure bounded by a curved line called a circumference,

every point of which is equally distant from the point within called the center. Contains 360 degrees and is divided into quadrants of 90 degrees each.

Circumference - is the bounding line of a circle. Civil Township - boundaries of a municipality established politically. May or may

not coincide with the congressional township boundaries. Congressional Township - formed by the intersection of township and range lines and

measuring six miles square. Identified by its town and range coordinates.

Degree - 1 degree equals 60 minutes. Diameter - a line segment drawn through the center and terminated both

ways by the circumference. Geodetic Surveying - the type of surveying which takes into account the shape of the

earth (an oblate spheroid). Gunter's Chain - surveyor's chain 66 feet in length, it consists of 100 links, each

7.92 inches long. Initial Point - the point of origin through which the principal axis pass.

Handout #1

Meander Corners - the intersection of a regular section line with the mean high-water

mark of a body of water.

Handout #1

Meander Line - a line run between meander corners which approximately follows the margin of a permanent body of water. (Not a legal boundary for description of property).

Measurements - Rod - 16½ feet Link - 7.92 inches Furlong - 660 feet Mile - 5,280 feet, 80 chains Chain - 66 feet, 100 links 1 Acre - 43,560 square feet Metes & Bounds - a description of a parcel of land by reference to the courses and

distances of each straight line which forms its boundary with one of the corners tied to an established point.

Monuments - used to mark the position of the quarter-section, section, township

and meander corners. (The Bureau of Land Management has adopted a regulation post for monumenting the public surveys, which is generally used unless exceptional circumstances warrant the use of other material.

Point of Beginning (POB)- point from which the legal description of a property begins and

ends. Point of Curvature - the point where the tangent ends and the curve begins (PC). Point of Intersection - the point where the tangents to the arc at PC and PT meet. Point of Tangency - the point where the curve ends and the tangent begins (PT). Primary Direction - is always the first direction given. Principal Axis - intersection of true meridian (Principal Meridian) and true parallel

of latitude (base line). Principal Meridian - the north-south axis that is a true meridian. Radius - a line segment extending from the center of the circle to the

circumference. Range Lines - true north and south lines, extended form the base line at

intervals of six miles east and west of the principal meridian. These lines terminate at the intersection with the standard parallels. Ranges are counted east and west.

Rectangular Survey System - a method created for dividing lands purchased by the United

Handout #1

States. The division of land is based upon the intersection of true north and south lines and true east and west lines so as to form townships six miles square. The townships are divided into thirty-six sections, each one mile square and containing 640 acres as nearly as may be.

Handout #1

Secondary Direction - is always the last direction given. Sections - each township is divided into thirty-six sections, each one mile

square and containing 640 acres as nearly as may be. (The number of acres and actual size of a section can vary depending upon measurement errors and the factor of convergence.)

Standard Parallels - (also called correction lines) are extended east and west from the

principal meridian at intervals of 60 miles north of the base line (in Wisconsin) and intervals of 24 miles in other states.

Tangent - a line that touches the circumference in but one point, however far

the line is prolonged. Township Line (Tiers) - true east and west lines, extended from the principal meridian at

intervals of six miles, parallel to base line. Tiers are counted north and south.

Wisconsin Initial Point - intersection of the Fourth Principal Meridian and the 42º

(approximate) line of latitude (the state boundary line separating Wisconsin and Illinois).

Handout #2

EXAMPLE OF A POOR METES AND BOUNDS LEGAL DESCRIPTION The following description, taken from the Hartford, Connecticut Probate Court records for 1812 will illustrate what is often encountered.

"147 acres, 3 rods, and 19 rods after deducting whatever swamp, water, rock and road areas there may be included therein and all other lands of little or no value, the same being part of said deceased's 1280 acres colony grant, and the portion hereby set off being known as near to and on the other side of Black Oak Ridge, bounded and described more in particular as follows, to wit: Commencing at a heap of stone, about a stone's throw from a certain high part of said ridge; thence, by a straight line to a certain marked white birch tree, about two or three times as far from a jog in a fence going around a ledge nearby; thence, by another straight line in a different direction, around said ledge and the Great Swamp, so called; thence, in a line of said lot in part and in part by another piece of fence which joins on to said line, and by an extension of the general run of said fence to a heap of stone near a surface rock; thence, as aforesaid, to the 'Horn,' so called, and from thence to a squarish sort of a jog in another fence, and so on to a marked black oak tree with stones piled around it, thence, by another straight line in about a contrary direction and somewhere about parallel with the line around by the ledge and the Great Swamp to a stake and stone bounds not far off from the Old Indian Trail; thence by another straight line on a course diagonally parallel, or nearly so, with 'Fox Hollow Run,' so called, to a certain marked red cedar tree out on a sandy sort of a plain; thence, by another straight line, in a different direction, to a certain marked yellow oak tree on the off side of a knoll with a flat stone laid against it; thence, after turning around in another direction, and by a sloping straight line to a certain heap of stone which is by pacing, just 18 rods and about one half a rod more from the stump of the big hemlock tree where Philo Blake killed the bear; thence, to the corner begun at by two straight lines of about equal length, which are to be run by some skilled and competent surveyor, so as to include the area and acreage as herein before set forth."

Handout #2A

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Handout #2A

Meridians and Base Lines of the United States Rectangular Surveys

Governing Surveys (wholly or

Meridian Adopted in part) in States of Black Hills 1878 South Dakota Boise 1867 Idaho Chickasaw 1833 Mississippi Choctaw 1821 do Cimarron 1881 Oklahoma Copper River 1905 Alaska Fairbanks 1910 do Fifth Principal 1815 Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota,

Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota

First Principal 1819 Ohio and Indiana Fourth Principal 1815 Illinois do 1831 Minnesota and Wisconsin Gila and Salt River 1865 Arizona Humboldt 1853 California Huntsville 1807 Alabama and Mississippi Indian 1870 Oklahoma Kateel River 1956 Alaska Louisiana 1807 Louisiana Michigan 1815 Michigan and Ohio Mount Diablo 1851 California and Nevada Navajo 1869 Arizona New Mexico Principal 1855 Colorado and New Mexico Principal 1867 Montana Salt Lake 1855 Utah San Bernardino 1852 California Second Principal 1805 Illinois and Indiana Seward 1911 Alaska Sixth Principal 1855 Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska,

South Dakota, and Wyoming St. Helena 1819 Louisiana St. Stephens 1805 Alabama and Mississippi Tallahassee 1824 Florida and Alabama Third Principal 1805 Illinois Uintah 1875 Utah Umiat 1956 Alaska Ute 1880 Colorado Washington 1803 Mississippi Willamette 1851 Oregon and Washington Wind River 1875 Wyoming

Handout #2A

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cloud/TX/LandInfo/Rect-Points.htm

Handout #3

This diagram refers to the initial point of the Wisconsin public land survey. Mark beside the phrase below the number which corresponds to the figure. Closing Corner Township Line Base Line T7N R6W Range Line 4th Principal Meridian Section 34 1st Standard Parallel North Standard Corner

5

6

1

8

Initial Point 7 4

3

9

2

Handout #4

PUBLIC LAND SURVEY - WORK PROBLEM Circle the best answer: 1. The Principal Meridian governing rectangular surveys in the State of Wisconsin is the

A. First Principal Meridian B. Illinois-Wisconsin Principal Meridian C. Forth Principal Meridian D. Wisconsin Principal Meridian

2. The standards of parallel (standard parallels) are

A. North-South lines B. Six miles apart C. Sixty miles apart in Wisconsin D. True North lines

3. Townships are

A. Subdivided into tiers and ranges B. Twenty-four by twenty-four miles in size C. Subdivided into thirty-six sections D. One square mile in size

4. The basic unit of length in the public-land survey is

A. The Gunter's "chain" of 66 feet or 100 links B. The meter C. The square root D. The square mile

5. The initial point of the Wisconsin public-land survey is

A. Junction point of the Mississippi River and the Wisconsin-Illinois line B. Junction point of Wisconsin-Illinois line and Lake Michigan C. Junction of four section corners found under the State Capitol Building in Madison D. Junction point of the 4th Principal Meridian and Wisconsin-Illinois boundary

6. In the rectangular government survey townships and sections are located with respect to

A. The plane coordinate system B. The national triangulation net C. The principal meridian and base line

Handout #4

D. The meander line of fractional parallelism

Handout #4

7. The E-W axis of a government land survey is called A. Principal meridian B. Base line C. Section line D. Line of longitude

8. Each township established by the public-land surveys is divided into

A. Four sections B. Thirty-six sections C. Assessors plats D. Coordinate grid systems

9. Completed public-land surveys of a state are on file in the office of the

A. Department of Natural Resources B. Supervisor of Assessments C. County Clerk D. Secretary of State

10. The N-S axis of a government land survey establishing an initial point is called

A. Section line B. Base line C. Principal meridian D. Line of latitude

11. Fractional sections caused by the curvature of the earth and correction of errors of

measurement are located on the and borders of the township.

A. North and South B. North and East C. North and West D. East and West

Handout #5

Section 10, T5N R4E

NORTH Give the legal description and the number of acres for each number marked on the section. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. List the corners being identified by the following numbers: 9. 11.

1

8

43

56

7

10

12

11

2

9

Handout #5

10. 12.

Handout #6

T16N R14E

Write legal descriptions for all of the parcels located in Section 24 and list the number of acres in each parcel. Henry Moffit Henry Smithson Thomas Reitch Gerald Moore Curtis Wiltch Richard Winslow

Richard WinslowCurtis

Wiltch

Gerald Moore

Henry Smithson

Thomas Reitch

Henry Moffit

Mrs. Lillian Emery

Handout #6

Lilian Emery

Handout #7

ERIN MEADOWS

SW1/4—SE1/4 Sec. 22, T9N—R18E & NE, NW, SW, SE 1/4's—NE 1/4 Sec. 27, T9N—R18E

Town of Erin, Washington Co., Wisconsin 1" = 200'

Diagram the following legal descriptions using the above plat: 1. All of lot 12, Block 6 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington County, Wisconsin. 2. All of lot 8, Block 4 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington County, Wisconsin. 3. The E 185.5' of the N 95' of Lot 9, Block 4 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington County,

Wisconsin. 4. The W one-quarter of the S one-half of Lot 5, Block 5 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington

County, Wisconsin. 5. All of lot 9, Block 6 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington County, Wisconsin, except the E one-

half of the N 87.5'.

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Handout #8

Sections Located in Town 20N, Range 7W Scale: 2" = 1 mile

Diagram on the above drawing the Point of Beginning (P.O.B.) for each of the following: 1. Commencing at the NW corner of Sec. 21, thence due east 2640', thence due south 2640' to

the P.O.B. 2. Commencing at the east quarter corner of Section 29, thence due north 660', thence due west

3,960' to the P.O.B. 3. Commencing at the SW corner of Sec. 16, thence due west 1,320', thence due north 2,640',

thence due east 660' to the P.O.B. 4. Commencing at the south quarter corner of Sec. 10, thence due south 1,320', thence due west

660' to the P.O.B.

27

17 16 15

20 21 22

29 28

Handout #9

LIST THE BEARING FOR EACH LINE

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Handout #10

List the bearing for each line listed below: LINE AB LINE DE BC EF CA FA AC AF CB FE BA ED AD DA

Handout #11

ABBREVIATIONS An index of the ordinary markings common to all classes of monuments and corner accessories is given below. Abbr. To Indicate Abbr. To Indicate A M Amended monument R Range A M C Auxiliary meander corner R M Reference monument A P Angle point S Section B O Bearing object S South B T Bearing tree S C Standard corner C Center SE Southeast C C Closing corner S P C Special meander corner E East SW South west E C Electronic control T Township L M Location monument T R Tract M Mile W West M C Meander corner W C Witness corner N North W P Witness point NE Northeast 1/4 Quarter section NW Northwest 1/16 Sixteenth section The following abbreviations, especially suited to filed notes of surveys, are permitted in the final transcript record and are used where repetitions in the form of the record and the expressions used are such as to make the abbreviations readily understood. Abbr. To Indicate Abbr. To Indicate A acres ft. foot, feet alt. altitude frac. fractional a.m. forenoon Gr. Greenwich Am amended GM guide meridian app. noon apparent noon hor. horizontal app. t. apparent time h hour, hours asc. ascend h. a. hour angle BM bench mark in., ins. inch, inches bet. between lat. latitude bdy., bdrs. boundary, boundaries lk., lks. link, links ch., chs. chain, chains l. m. noon local mean noon cor., cors. corner, corners l. m. t. local mean time corr. correction log. logarithmic function decl. declination long. longitude dep. departure l. c. lower culmination desc. descend m. minute, minutes, (time) diam. diameter meas. measurement dir. direct mer. meridian

Handout #11

dist. distance, or distant Mi. Cor. mile corner e. e. eastern elongation mkd. marked elev. elevation MS mineral survey

Handout #11

Abbr. To Indicate Abbr. To Indicate No. number sq. square obs. observe Stan. Par. standard parallel obsn. observation st. station orig. original temp. temporary p.m. afternoon t. time pt. point t., tp., tps. township, townships Prin. Mer. principal meridian u. c. upper culmination R., Rs. range, ranges USLM United States Location Monument red. reduction USMM United States Mineral Monument rev. reverse vert. vertical s. second, seconds (time) w. e. western elongation sec., secs. section, sections x separating dimension values

Other Abbreviations Used in Legal Descriptions (Not inclusive)

Abbr. To Indicate alg. Along BLC Bearing Long Chord cen Center Com/Comm/Comg Commencing CTH County Truck Highway cur Curve Ln Line LF Left R Range Rad Radius STH State Highway th Thence wh Which

Handout #12

List the Bearing for each line listed below: LINE AB LINE AE BC ED CD DC DE CB EA BA

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Handout #13

ABBREVIATIONS IN DESCRIPTIONS Description: All that part of the Southeast one-quarter of Section 26, Town 9 North, Range 3 East, Town of Spring Green, Sauk County, Wisconsin, bounded and described as follows:

Commencing at the Southwest corner of section 26, thence North along the section line, 150 feet to the place of beginning of the parcel hereinafter described; thence North 37º West, 250 feet; thence 422 feet along the arc of a curve to the left, radius of 252 feet, the center of which lies to the Southwest, whose bearing long chord is North 85º West, 385 feet; thence South 48º West, 250 feet; thence South 88º East, 400 feet; thence North 86º East, 330 feet to the place of beginning.

Abbreviation of the Description: Comg at SE cor of Sec. 26. — T9N — R3E; th N alg the Sec. Ln, 150' to POB; th N 37º W, 250'; th 422' alg the arc of a cur to the Lt, Rad of 252', the cen of wh lies to the SW, and whose BLC is N 85º W, 385'; th S 48º W, 250'; th S 88º E, 400'; th N 86º E, 330' to POB

Handout #14

Write the legal description for the following diagram.

In What Section, Town and Range is this parcel located?

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Handout #15

Write the legal description of the following diagram:

In what Section, Town and Range is this parcel located?

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Handout #15

Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the SE corner of Section 29, T5N, R1E, thence S01ºE 100', thence S89ºE 150' to the P.O.B., thence S01ºW 300', thence N88ºE 400', thence N01ºE 450', thence S88º W 400', thence due south 150' to P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100' SE Cor. of Sec 29 T5N R1E ● In what Section, Town and Range is this parcel located and how many acres does it

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Handout #15

contain.

Handout #17 Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the SW corner of Section 36, T20N, R3W, thence due east 5 chains to the P.O.B., thence continuing due east 4 chains, thence S01ºW 6 chains, thence due west 8 chains, thence N01ºE 3 chains, thence due east 4 chains, thence in a northerly direction 3 chains to the P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100' SW Cor. of Sec 36 T20N R3W

● In what Section, Town and Range is this parcel located and as nearly as possible, how many acres does it contain?

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Handout #18 Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the SE corner, Section 26, T9N, R3E, thence due north 100' to P.O.B., N44ºW 218' to the point of curvature, thence 275' along the arc of a curve to the point of tangency, whose radius is 287.5', the center of which lies to the southwest and which has a chord bearing due West 275', thence S42ºW 225', thence S86ºE 385', thence N84ºE 195' to the P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100'

●

SE Cor. Sec. 26 T9N R3E

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Handout #19 Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the NW corner of Section 10, T31N, R15E, thence due east 200' to the P.O.B., thence S37ºE 555', thence due west 200' to the point of curvature, thence 215' along the arc of the curve to the point of tangency, whose radius is 135', the center of which lies to the northeast and which has a chord bearing N45ºW 195', thence in a northerly direction 310' to the P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100'

NW corner Sec. 10 T31N R15E

●

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Handout #20 LEGAL DESCRIPTION - QUIZ

True or False 1. ______ The Government Lot number given to a piece of land is the legal description of

that tract of land when given with the section, town and range.

2. ______ The meander line of a river is the legal boundary of the property.

3. ______ In a duly recorded subdivision, the lots in the plat shall be described by the name of the plat and the lot and block in the plat.

4. ______ The title to the bed of a natural, navigable lake belong to the state.

5. ______ T 10N, R 6E is 30 miles North and 18 miles East of the Initial Point. 6. ______ Bearings are read from the East - West line.

7. ______ "The NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 15, a 40 acre parcel." Is a valid legal

description.

8. ______ Metes and bounds descriptions always are tied into a known point.

9. ______ In the proposed parcel numbering system, the NW 1/4 is designated as number 3.

10. ______ Metes and bounds must be read from the beginning and followed through while the rectangular survey descriptions are read backwards.

Insert the proper letter in front of the phrase which best applies. 11. ______ Code used to expedite the location

of a land ownership unit and aid reference to the unit

12. ______ A map of a subdivision of land

13. ______ Partial sections of land along lakes or rivers

A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

Plat Metes and Bounds Parcel Number Meander Rectangular Survey System Bearing Government Lot

14. ______ A means of describing land by starting from a known point and following the outside boundaries of the parcel

15. ______ The degree reading which gives the direction of lines in a description

Part 1 - Unit 2

Review Exercise 1

Define (in your own words) the following: 1. Metes and Bounds System

2. Rectangular Survey System

3. Principal Meridian

4. Range Lines

5. Township Lines

6. Meander Lines

7. Base Lines

8. Standard Parallels

9. Congressional Township

10. Initial Point

Fill in the blanks 11. Following the normal plan for subdividing townships with regular boundaries, the first

section to be established would be section number . 12. A township located approximately 90 miles north and 48 miles west of the initial point,

would be Town North, and Range West. 13. Lines which run east and west, parallel with and six miles from the base line and each other,

would be called . 14. Meander lines are not boundaries, but are lines which are run for the purpose of

. 15. Define the following legal abbreviations:

a. ALG b. BEG c. CEN d. COM e. ELY f. OL g. POB h. QCD i. ROW j. SD

16. The section located in the southwest corner of a congressional township would be section

. 17. Certified surveys are recorded where?

18. Certified surveys can divide land into a maximum of how many parcels?

19. Draw the following description: Commencing at the NW Cor of Section 17 T3N, R5E of the 4th PM; TH due N 200'; TH N 71ºE 150' to P.O.B., TH N 36ºE 538'; TH S 38º E 325'; TH S 70ºW 538' to P.O.B. 1/2" = 100' (scale)

20. In the above problem, how many acres are described and in which section is the parcel

located? 21. (True - False) The bed of a navigable river or stream is owned by the shoreline owner, but

controlled by the state.

↑N

Handout #3

This diagram refers to the initial point of the Wisconsin public land survey. Mark beside the phrase below the number which corresponds to the figure. 7 Closing Corner 9 Township Line 4 Base Line 6 T7N R6W 3 Range Line 2 4th Principal Meridian 1 Section 34 5 1st Standard Parallel North 8 Standard Corner

5

6

1

8

Initial Point 7 4

3

9

2

Handout #4

PUBLIC LAND SURVEY - WORK PROBLEM Circle the best answer: 1. The Principal Meridian governing rectangular surveys in the State of Wisconsin is the

A. First Principal Meridian B. Illinois-Wisconsin Principal Meridian C. Forth Principal Meridian D. Wisconsin Principal Meridian

2. The standards of parallel (standard parallels) are

A. North-South lines B. Six miles apart C. Sixty miles apart in Wisconsin D. True North lines

3. Townships are

A. Subdivided into tiers and ranges B. Twenty-four by twenty-four miles in size C. Subdivided into thirty-six sections D. One square mile in size

4. The basic unit of length in the public-land survey is

A. The Gunter's "chain" of 66 feet or 100 links B. The meter C. The square root D. The square mile

5. The initial point of the Wisconsin public-land survey is

A. Junction point of the Mississippi River and the Wisconsin-Illinois line B. Junction point of Wisconsin-Illinois line and Lake Michigan C. Junction of four section corners found under the State Capitol Building in Madison D. Junction point of the 4th Principal Meridian and Wisconsin-Illinois boundary

6. In the rectangular government survey townships and sections are located with respect to

A. The plane coordinate system B. The national triangulation net C. The principal meridian and base line D. The meander line of fractional parallelism

Handout #4

7. The E-W axis of a government land survey is called A. Principal meridian B. Base line C. Section line D. Line of longitude

8. Each township established by the public-land surveys is divided into

A. Four sections B. Thirty-six sections C. Assessors plats D. Coordinate grid systems

9. Completed public-land surveys of a state are on file in the office of the

A. Department of Natural Resources B. Supervisor of Assessments C. County Clerk D. Secretary of State

10. The N-S axis of a government land survey establishing an initial point is called

A. Section line B. Base line C. Principal meridian D. Line of latitude

11. Fractional sections caused by the curvature of the earth and correction of errors of

measurement are located on the and borders of the township.

A. North and South B. North and East C. North and West D. East and West

Handout #5

Section 10, T5N R4E

NORTH

Give the legal description and the number of acres for each number marked on the section. 1. Section 10, T5N, R4E NW1/4 - 160 Acres 2. Section 10, T5N, R4E W1/2 NE1/4 - 80 Acres 3. Section 10, T5N, R4E S 1/2 NW1/4 SW1/4 - 20 Acres 4. Section 10, T5N, R4E NE1/4 SE1/4 - 40 Acres 5. Section 10, T5N, R4E S1/2 NW1/4 SW1/4 SW1/4 - 5 Acres 6. Section 10, T5N, R4E E1/2 NE1/4 SW1/4 SW1/4 - 5 Acres 7. Section 10, T5N, R4E SE1/4 SE1/4 SW1/4 - 10 Acres 8. Section 10, T5N, R4E SE1/2 SE1/4 SE1/4 - 20 Acres List the corners being identified by the following numbers: 9. E1/4 Corner 11. Center Corner 10. NW Corner 12. W1/4 Corner

1

8

43

56

7

10

12

11

2

9

Handout #6

T16N R14E Write legal descriptions for all of the parcels located in Section 24 and list the number of acres in each parcel. Henry Moffit Section 24, T16N, R14E, W1/2 NE1/4 and NE1/4 NE1/4 - 120 Acres Henry Smithson Section 24, T16N, R14E, NE1/4 NW1/4 - 40 Acres Thomas Reitch Section 24, T16N, R14E, W1/2 NW1/4 - 80 Acres Gerald Moore Section 24, T16N, R14E, N1/2 SW1/4 and SE1/4 NW1/4 and NW1/4 SW1/4 SW 1/4 - 130 Acres Curtis Wiltch Section 24, T16N, R14E, S1/2 SW1/4 SW1/4 and NE1/4 SW1/4 SW1/4 - 30 Acres Richard Winslow Section 24, T16N, R14E, S1/2 SE1/4 and SE1/4 SW1/4 - 120 Acres Lilian Emery Section 24, T16N, R14E, SE 1/4 NE1/4 and N1/2 SE1/4

Richard WinslowCurtis

Wiltch

Gerald Moore

Henry Smithson

Thomas Reitch

Henry Moffit

Mrs. Lillian Emery

Handout #7

ERIN MEADOWS

SW1/4—SE1/4 Sec. 22, T9N—R18E & NE, NW, SW, SE 1/4's—NE 1/4 Sec. 27, T9N—R18E

Town of Erin, Washington Co., Wisconsin 1" = 200'

Diagram the following legal descriptions using the above plat: 1. All of lot 12, Block 6 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington County, Wisconsin. 2. All of lot 8, Block 4 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington County, Wisconsin. 3. The E 185.5' of the N 95' of Lot 9, Block 4 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington

County, Wisconsin. 4. The W one-quarter of the S one-half of Lot 5, Block 5 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin,

Washington County, Wisconsin. 5. All of lot 9, Block 6 of the recorded plat of Erin Meadows in the Town of Erin, Washington County, Wisconsin, except

the E one-half of the N 87.5'.

↑N

Handout #8

Sections Located in Town 20N, Range 7W Scale: 2" = 1 mile

Diagram on the above drawing the Point of Beginning (P.O.B.) for each of the following: 1. Commencing at the NW corner of Sec. 21, thence due east 2640', thence due south 2640' to

the P.O.B. 2. Commencing at the east quarter corner of Section 29, thence due north 660', thence due

west 3,960' to the P.O.B. 3. Commencing at the SW corner of Sec. 16, thence due west 1,320', thence due north 2,640',

thence due east 660' to the P.O.B. 4. Commencing at the south quarter corner of Sec. 10, thence due south 1,320', thence due

west 660' to the P.O.B.

Handout #9

LIST THE BEARING FOR EACH LINE

Handout #10

List the bearing for each line listed below: LINE AB N 40º East LINE DE S 30º East BC S 81º West EF N 45º East CA S 55º East FA N 30º West AC N 56º West AF S 30º East CB N 80º East FE S 45º West BA S 40º West ED N 30º West AD S 73º West DA N 73º East

Handout #12

List the Bearing for each line listed below: LINE AB N 17º East LINE AE N 78º West BC N 31º West ED N 31º West CD S 59º West DC N 59º East DE S 31º East CB S 31º East EA S 78º East BA S 17º West

Handout #14

Commencing at the NW Cor. of Sec. 4 T5N R6E of the 4th P.M., thence due north 300' to the P.O.B., thence N 84º E 437.5' to a point, thence N 34º E 187.5' to a point, thence N 46º W 87.5' to a point, thence N 83º W 337.5' to a point, thence S 53º W 181.25' to a point, thence due south 187.5' to the P.O.B.

6

31

5

32

4

33

3

34

2

35

1

36 T6N

T5N

Handout #15

Commencing at the East Corner of Sec. 1 T15N R12E of the 4th P.M., thence S 34º E 418.75' to the P.O.B., thence S 71º E 362.50' to a point, thence N 3º W 612.50' to a point, thence S 73º W 243.75' to a point, thence S 14º W 331.25' to the P.O.B.

11

2

12

1

7

6

T16N

T15N

R13E R12E

Handout #16

Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the SE corner of Section 29, T5N, R1E, thence S01ºE 100', thence S89ºE 150' to the P.O.B., thence S01ºW 300', thence N88ºE 400', thence N01ºE 450', thence S88º W 400', thence due south 150' to P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100'

In what Section, Town and Range is this parcel located and how many acres does it contain.

SE CornerSection 29T5N R1E

100’

150’

150’

300’

400’

400’

450’P.O.B.

↑N

Section 29

Section 32 Section 33

Section 28

Handout #17

Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the SW corner of Section 36, T20N, R3W, thence due east 5 chains to the P.O.B., thence continuing due east 4 chains, thence S01ºW 6 chains, thence due west 8 chains, thence N01ºE 3 chains, thence due east 4 chains, thence in a northerly direction 3 chains to the P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100'

In what Section, Town and Range is this parcel located and as nearly as possible, how many acres does it contain?

↑N

SW CornerSection 36T20N R3W

P.O.B.330’

198’

264’

198’

528’

396’

264’

Section 35

Section 2

Section 36

T20N R3W

Section 1

T19N R3W

Handout #18

Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the SE corner, Section 26, T9N, R3E, thence due north 100' to P.O.B., N44ºW 218' to the point of curvature, thence 275' along the arc of a curve to the point of tangency, whose radius is 287.5', the center of which lies to the southwest and which has a chord bearing due West 275', thence S42ºW 225', thence S86ºE 385', thence N84ºE 195' to the P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100'

↑N

SE Corner

P.O.B.

PCPT

Handout #19

Diagram the following legal description: Commencing at the NW corner of Section 10, T31N, R15E, thence due east 200' to the P.O.B., thence S37ºE 555', thence due west 200' to the point of curvature, thence 215' along the arc of the curve to the point of tangency, whose radius is 135', the center of which lies to the northeast and which has a chord bearing N45ºW 195', thence in a northerly direction 310' to the P.O.B.

Scale: 1" = 100'

↑N

NW CornerSec 10 T31N, R15E

200’

310’ 555’

200’215’

135’

195’

37°

90°

Handout #20

LEGAL DESCRIPTION - QUIZ True or False 1. True The Government Lot number given to a piece of land is the legal description of

that tract of land when given with the section, town and range.

2. False The meander line of a river is the legal boundary of the property.

3. True In a duly recorded subdivision, the lots in the plat shall be described by the name of the plat and the lot and block in the plat.

4. True The title to the bed of a natural, navigable lake belong to the state.

5. False T 10N, R 6E is 30 miles North and 18 miles East of the Initial Point.

6. False Bearings are read from the East - West line.

7. False "The NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 15, a 40 acre parcel." Is a valid legal description.

8. True Metes and bounds descriptions always are tied into a known point.

9. False In the proposed parcel numbering system, the NW 1/4 is designated as number 3.

10. True Metes and bounds must be read from the beginning and followed through while the rectangular survey descriptions are read backwards.

Insert the proper letter in front of the phrase which best applies. 11. ___C._ Code used to expedite the location

of a land ownership unit and aid reference to the unit

A. B. C. D.

Plat Metes and Bounds Parcel Number Meander

12. ___A._ A map of a subdivision of land

13. ___G._ Partial sections of land along lakes or rivers

E. F. G.

Rectangular Survey System Bearing Government Lot

14. ___B._ A means of describing land by starting from a known point and following the outside boundaries of the parcel

15. ___F._ The degree reading which gives the direction of lines in a description

Part 1 - Unit 2

Review Exercise 1 Define (in your own words) the following: 1. Metes and Bounds System - Begin at know point/description must close

2. Rectangular Survey System - Town and Range system

3. Principal Meridian - North/South axis; true meridian

4. Range Lines - Longitudinal Lines (North-South)

5. Township Lines - Latitudinal Lines (East-West)

6. Meander Lines - Line between meander corners; mean high water mark; not a boundary

7. Base Lines - E-W axis; starting at initial point; on true parallel of latitude

8. Standard Parallels - At intervals of 24 miles; N & S of base line; correction lines

9. Congressional Township - Formed by intersection of town & range lines; measuring 6 miles

square; ID'd by town and range lines

10. Initial Point - Pt. At which the survey of a particular area could start; true meridian runs

through pt. (N-S line); then E-W line extends through initial point (base line)

Fill in the blanks 11. Following the normal plan for subdividing townships with regular boundaries, the first section

to be established would be section number 36 . 12. A township located approximately 90 miles north and 48 miles west of the initial point, would

be Town 15 North, and Range 8 West. 13. Lines which run east and west, parallel with and six miles from the base line and each other,

would be called township lines . 14. Meander lines are not boundaries, but are lines which are run for the purpose of

establishing high water boundaries of nav. waterways. 15. Define the following legal abbreviations:

a. ALG along b. BEG beginning c. CEN center d. COM commencing e. ELY easterly f. OL outlot g. POB point of beginning h. QCD quit claim deed i. ROW right of way j. SD said

16. The section located in the southwest corner of a congressional township would be section 31 .

17. Certified surveys are recorded where? - Register of Deeds Office

18. Certified surveys can divide land into a maximum of how many parcels? - Four

19. Draw the following description: Commencing at the NW Cor of Section 17 T3N, R5E of the 4th PM; TH due N 200'; TH N 71ºE 150' to P.O.B., TH N 36ºE 538'; TH S 38º E 325'; TH S 70ºW 538' to P.O.B. 1/2" = 100' (scale)

20. In the above problem, how many acres are described and in which section is the parcel

located? - 2.007 Acres, Section 8 (538/2 x 325 = 87425 sq ft.) 21. (True - False) The bed of a navigable river or stream is owned by the shoreline owner, but

controlled by the state. - True

↑N