INITIAL POINTS
3-6. During the period since the organization of the system of rectangular surveys,
numbered and locally named principal meridians and base lines have been established
as listed in the accompanying table. These bases and meridians are shown on the
large wall map of the United States published by the Bureau of Land Management,
on a special map entitled "Principal Meridians and Base Lines Governing the United
States Public Land Surveys" published by the Bureau, and on the various State
maps and topographic maps published by the United States Geological Survey.
Meridians and Base Lines of the United States Rectangular Surveys
Initial Points
|
Meridian
|
Adopted
|
Governing surveys (wholly or in part) in States of
|
Latitude
(D-M-S)
|
Longitude
(D-M-S)
|
| Black Hills |
1878 |
South Dakota |
43 59 44 |
104 03 16 |
| Boise |
1867 |
Idaho |
43 22 21 |
116 23 35 |
| Chickasaw |
1833 |
Mississippi |
35 01 58 |
89 14 47 |
| Choctaw |
1821 |
do |
31 52 32 |
90 14 41 |
| Cimarron |
1881 |
Oklahoma |
36 30 05 |
103 00 07 |
| Copper River |
1905 |
Alaska |
61 49 04 |
145 18 37 |
| Fairbanks |
1910 |
do |
64 51 50.048 |
147 38 25.949 |
| Fifth Principal |
1815 |
Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, and South
Dakota |
34 38 45 |
91 03 07 |
| First Principal |
1819 |
Ohio and Indiana |
40 59 22 |
84 48 11 |
| Fourth Principal |
1815 |
Illinois |
40 00 50 |
90 27 11 |
| do |
1831 |
Minnesota and Wisconsin |
42 30 27 |
90 25 37 |
| Gila and Salt River |
1865 |
Arizona |
33 22 38 |
112 18 19 |
| Humboldt |
1853 |
California |
40 25 02 |
124 07 10 |
| Huntsville |
1807 |
Alabama and Mississippi |
34 59 27 |
86 34 16 |
| Indian |
1870 |
Oklahoma |
34 29 32 |
97 14 49 |
| Kateel River |
1956 |
Alaska |
65 26 16.374 |
158 45 31.014 |
| Louisiana |
1807 |
Louisiana |
31 00 31 |
92 24 55 |
| Michigan |
1815 |
Michigan and Ohio |
42 25 28 |
84 21 53 |
| Mount Diablo |
1851 |
California and Nevada |
37 52 54 |
121 54 47 |
| Navajo |
1869 |
Arizona |
35 44 56 |
108 31 59 |
| New Mexico Principal |
1855 |
Colorado and New Mexico |
34 15 35 |
106 53 12 |
| Principal |
1867 |
Montana |
45 47 13 |
111 39 33 |
| Salt Lake |
1855 |
Utah |
40 46 11 |
111 53 27 |
| San Bernardino |
1852 |
California |
34 07 13 |
116 55 48 |
| Second Principal |
1805 |
Illinois and Indiana |
38 28 14 |
86 27 21 |
| Seward |
1911 |
Alaska |
60 07 37 |
149 21 26 |
| Sixth Principal |
1855 |
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming |
40 00 07 |
97 22 08 |
| St. Helena |
1819 |
Louisiana |
30 59 56 |
91 09 36 |
| St. Stephens |
1805 |
Alabama and Mississippi |
30 59 51.463 |
88 01 21.076 |
| Tallahassee |
1824 |
Florida and Alabama |
30 26 03 |
84 16 38 |
| Third Principal |
1805 |
Illinois |
88 28 27 |
89 08 54 |
| Uintah |
1875 |
Utah |
40 25 59 |
109 56 06 |
| Umiat |
1956 |
Alaska |
69 23 29.654 |
152 00 04.551 |
| Ute |
1880 |
Colorado |
39 06 23 |
108 31 59 |
| Washington |
1803 |
Mississippi |
30 59 56 |
91 09 86 |
| Willamette |
1851 |
Oregon and Washington |
45 31 11 |
122 44 84 |
| Wind River |
1875 |
Wyoming |
48 00 41 |
108 48 49 |
3-7. The rectangular system was initiated in the State of Ohio in 1785 from
a point on the west boundary of Pennsylvania, on the north shore of the Ohio River,
in longitude 80 (degrees) 32' 20". The State boundary served as the first reference
meridian. A number of other reference meridians and bases were employed in Ohio
to govern particular areas for purposes of disposal. In its early stages the system
was somewhat experimental, and Ohio may well be referred to as the proving ground
for the present rectangular system of surveys. The rectangular surveys that have
no initial point as an origin of township identification are listed in the following
table.
Public Land Surveys Having No Initial Point as an Origin for Both Township
and Range Numbers
|
Survey
|
year commenced
|
Townships numbered
|
Ranges numbered
|
| Ohio River Survey (Ohio) |
1785 |
North from Ohio River |
West from west boundary of Pennsylvania |
| U.S. Military Survey (Ohio) |
1797 |
North from south boundary of military grant |
West from west boundary of the Seven Ranges |
| West of the Great Miami (Ohio) |
1798 |
North from Great Miami River |
East from Ohio-Indiana boundary |
| Ohio River Base (Indiana) |
1799 |
North from Ohio River |
From Ohio-Indiana boundary and its projection south |
| Scioto River Base (Ohio) |
1799 |
North from Scioto River |
West from west boundary of Pennsylvama |
| Muskingum River Survey (Ohio) |
1800 |
1 and 2 |
10 |
| Between the Miamis, north of Symmes Purchase (Ohio) |
1802 |
East from Great Miami River |
North from Ohio River (continuing numbers from Symmes Purchase) |
| Twelve-Mile-Square Reserve (Ohio) |
1805 |
1, 2, 8, and 4 |
None |
|
