Minnesota Public Land Surveys; A Geographer's Perspective

Minnesota Public Land Surveys; A Geographer’s PerspectiveRod Squires, University of Minnesota

“A Striking Example of Geometry Triumphant over PhysicalGeography”“The Immaculate Grid”

For years I have performed a balancing act betweenDetail necessary to describe and explain thepublic land surveys to land surveyors ofMinnesota• of limited geographical applicabilityAn Inventory of the Public Land Surveys Recordsfor Minnesota: The Special InstructionsGeneralizations to provide an overview of thesurveying effort throughout the United States1785-1925 to non-surveyors• take the surveying efforts for granted• interested only in the outcome of the surveys

To connect the various spatial scales thathave occupied my attention1866

The rectangular public land survey net is one of the mostvisible yet least understood cultural landscape feature in theUnited StatesCreated legal descriptions; but imposed a spatialframe of reference on virtually all human activities inthe United States

The Public Land Surveys in a National SettingWhere the surveys spread and wherethey did notContinuing Relevance of the Points andLinesLand Act of February 11, 1805 (2 Stat. 313)All the corners marked in the surveys, returnedby the surveyor-general …shall be establishedas the proper corners, of the sections, orsubdivisions of sections, which they wereintended to designate ….The boundary lines, actually run and marked inthe surveys returned by the surveyor-general…shall be established as the proper boundarylines of the sections, or subdivisions, for whichthey were intended ….

Public Land Survey CharacteristicsTurns out that some of them are not asnational as might at first appearWhat is national – of less interest to surveyors• The geometric figures that defined theboundaries of land parcels – mostlyubiquitous – if not always “square”• The principal meridians and baselines –mostly ubiquitous• The correction lines, standard parallels, andguide meridians – not ubiquitous• Purpose – providing a "legal description" ofthe land the federal government wouldprivatize• Mapping – township plats containinginformation relevant to prospectivelandowners• Operationally – carried out by a cadre ofdeputy surveyors under contract with aSurveyor General and financed byCongressional appropriations

Land System Legal SystemThe Land Ordinance, 1785The Northwest Ordinance, 1787• Lands north and west of the RiverOhio ceded by Native Americanswould be subdivided in an orderlymanner• The United States would convey titleto these lands to individuals – asection in each township would bereserved• Original government and politicalevolution – jurisdiction over land andindividuals vested in a nationalgovernment – to be subsequentlyshared with a state government – “onan equal footing”• Individuals acquiring title guaranteedtheir rights

Land SystemLegal SystemFederal StatutesNative American Land CessionsPublic Land SurveysTerritoryPublic Land ConveyancesCountyLandowners in Minnesota TerritoryLandowners in MinnesotaCounty

Two characteristics allowed the surveys to be carried in widelyseparated localities1. A technical element that was independent of the other details of the rectangular net– established when necessary – provided basic surveying control and locationalcontrol

Two characteristics allowed the surveys to be carried in widelyseparated localities2. An administrative system comprising statutorily defined surveying districts andPresidentially appointed surveyors general – established when necessary• Considerable independence from each other – how much?• Appropriations from Congress – annual and deficiency• Funds apportioned by the Commissioner of the General Land Office to eachsurveyor general, along with “annual instructions”

Paper Trail

Administration of the Public Land SurveysMay 18, 1796 (1 Stat. 464-469)Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States ofAmerica, in Congress assembled,That a Surveyor General shall be appointed, with the authority… to engage a sufficient number of skilful surveyors, as his deputies,… he shall have authority to frame regulations and instructions for thegovernment of his deputies… to survey and mark the unascertained outlines of the lands lying northwest ofthe river Ohio, and above the mouth of the river Kentucky… in which the titles of the Indian tribes have been extinguished

Atlantic Surveys 1785 - 1851

Atlantic Surveying Districts – surveys completed by 1851NorthernOhio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, MinnesotaRelated administratively through theSurveyor General of the Northwestestablished in 1796SouthernMississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, FloridaRelated administratively through theSurveyor South of Tennessee established in1803Ohio, Michigan, Indiana 1796 -1857Missouri & Illinois 1803 -1863Arkansas 1832 -1859Wisconsin & Iowa 1838 -1866Minnesota 1857- 1908Mississippi 1803- 1849Alabama 1817- 1849Louisiana 1831- 1909Florida 1824 -1908

Pacific Surveys 1851-1925

Pacific Surveying DistrictsCalifornia 1851-1925Oregon 1851-1925Washington 1854-1925Kansas & Nebraska 1854-1925New Mexico 1854-1925Utah 1855-1925Colorado 1861-1925Arizona 1863-1925Nevada 1861-1925Idaho 1866-1925Montana 1867-1925South Dakota 1861-1925Wyoming 1890-1925North Dakota 1890-1925

Standardized InstructionsIn 1851 the Oregon Manual of Surveying Instructions was issued• Initially controlled the surveys carried out in the newly established Pacific surveyingdistricts of Oregon Territory and California• Subsequently made applicable to the existing Atlantic surveying districts ofWisconsin and Iowa including Minnesota Territory – and perhaps Louisiana andArkansas• Subsequently made applicable to the new Pacific surveying districts of Kansas andNebraska, New Mexico, and Washington1855 republication made applicable to all existing and all subsequent surveyingdistricts – made part of every surveying contract in 1862

Minnesota shows characteristics of both Atlantic and Pacificsurveys

Instructions for Minnesota TerritoryBefore 1852 After 1852Commissioner of the General Land OfficeInstructionsInstructions GeneralSurveyor GeneralGeneralSpecialSpecialDeputy Surveyor

Why should we care about how the surveys were administered?

Minnesota State Archives. St. Paul

Minnesota Historical Society

National Archives Washington D.C.

Evidence for the Public Land Surveys

Still a Lot to be Learned about NotebooksLegend of map published with annual report of surveyor general

Township Plats – drawn at ascale of two inches per mileDescriptive Lists

Township Exterior Diagrams

Independent Meridian

1847

1852

1856 William Burt

Townships bordering the St. Croix

History of the Rectangular Survey SystemC. Albert White’s Contributions

Conclusion 1.I could not have described the historical geography of the public land surveys withoutunderstanding the details of the surveying process – particularly how the surveyswere administered

Conclusion 2.I am not sure modern land surveyors can entirely understand the details of the publicland survey lines they retrace and the points they remonument without a broadgeographical and historical perspective