What Are Township and Range?
In 1785 the Continental Congress adopted legislation that laid down the system for surveying the lands of the West. A public land survey divided and subdivided the United States into squares that could then be mapped and sold. This grid system covers the entire United States, except for the original 13 states, and is still used today to specify locations. This system is commonly called Township and Range. • Base Line: The horizontal line where the survey began. • Meridian: The vertical line where the survey began. Washington and Oregon are on the Willamette Meridian. • Section: A square mile numbered between 1 and 36 containing 640 acres. • Township: A six by six mile square containing 23,040 acres divided into 36 sections. Also used for the measure of township squares north or south of the base line. • Range: The measure of township squares east or west of the meridian.
