Cadastral Systems

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Cadastral Systems

• Metes Bounds
• Township and Range (Rectangular Survey)

2
Metes Bounds
"I own the piece of land from Old Man Brown's
tree stump, 200 paces north to the bend in the
crick, then east over the hill to the big rock
and back here to this fence post, more or less
100 acres."

• Land boundaries determined by rocks, creeks,
  roads, trees, rivers, and other landmarks. The
  only problem is the stump rotted, the flood
  changed the crick, nobody knows what happened to
  the rock, and the tornado took out the fence
  posts.
• Spanish and Mexican land grants (Ranchos).
• System in use prior to 1789 U.S. rectangular
  survey.

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Metes Bounds

• All Spanish land grants were determined by meets
  bounds (1542-1821). The huge parcels (100,000
  acres) were for missions, presidios, and pueblos.
• Mexican Period (1821-1848) land grants, or
  ranchos, were meets and bounds. Many hundreds of
  such parcels were given out.

4
Rectangular Survey

• U.S. Public Land Survey, 1785. Thomas Jefferson
  recognized need to organize the Western lands.
• New system is based on surveying and the
  cartographic grid or absolute location.
• Explains checkerboard pattern of U.S. rural and
  agricultural settlement.

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Township and Range System
6
Base Lines and Principal Meridians

• A series of E-W base lines and N-S meridians were
  designated for each area.
• 3 Principal Meridians for entire state of
  California (more back East).
• Townships are labeled from intersection of the
  two lines and contain 36 mi2

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Base Lines and Principal Meridians
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Sections
Township 3SRange 2E, from 6th Principal
Meridian Section 1 mi2 640 acres
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Subdivisions of a Section

• Compass directions used in conjunction with 1/4
  system to describe subdivisions
• Quarter Section 160 acres
• 40 describes one quarter of a Quarter Section
• 40 Acres and a Mule
• Plow the south 40

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Township and Range System
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Homestead Acts

• 160 Acres per homesteader.
• Enough timber to build a home.
• Land enough for self-sufficiency.
• Assumed Ohio or Virginia fertility.
• Required to make improvements for 5 years before
  acquiring deed and right to sell.
• 40 acres and a mule - promise made to blacks
  during Civil War. Note that this was 1/4 the
  amount generally given to whites.