Bamadad53
Jr. Member
- Oct 24, 2016
- 55
- 99
- Detector(s) used
- Garrett AT pro
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
Here is a good source for old places if you don't live in Texas or the Original 13 Colonies:
Search - BLM GLO Records
Now to use this site you must have a working knowledge of the survey system used by the General Land Office of the United States in the late 1700's and early 1800's. Whenever the Feberal government aquired new lands by conquest, purchase or out and out stealing it they needed to devide it and sell it to their citizens for money. Early on a lot of the Federal money came from land sales, so there was a big push to devide and sell land.
In newly aquired territory GLO surveyors set a "initial point" usually on some certain lat and long. From this point they would go north and south marking the Principal Meridian. Once done they would return to the initial point and go east and west and lay off the Base line. Once this was done they then returned to the initial point and ran north for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner. Then they would run east for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner. Then they would run south for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner. Then they would run west for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner back to the initial point. Once the perimader of this 36 mile square was completed they then marked off 1 mile square lots inside of it for 36 lots. This 36 square miles was called Township 1 North, Range 1 East and was platted. Now repeat this to the north and west of the initial point and this 36 square miles was called Township 1 North, Range 1 West. Just remember Townships run north and south, Ranges run east and west. All Townships north of the Base line are Township North, all south of the Base line are Townshp South. All ranges east of the Principle Meridian are Range East, all west of the PM are Range West. I live in Section 17(the one mile square government lot), Township 20 South, Range 1 East of the Huntsville Alabama Principle Meridian. All that means is I live 123 miles south and 2 miles east of the initial point at Huntsville Alabama.
Ok enough of that confusing stuff. The GLO surveys began in 1785. Early survey requirements were very lax to start with but by 1830 the GLO surveys started calling out topographic features. This information was included on the Township Plats which you can get on line. I spent some time yesterday looking up maps in my area and found 3 indian villages, and one old 1812 fort within 35 miles of my place. I went to another state that had their surveys done between 1835 and 1838 and found 10 indian villages, one indian agents homesite, 3 water mills and a Baptist missionary site for the indians. I'll keep that information close to the vest cause one never knows a MD vacation could be in the future.
Ok are you confused enough? This government web site is chunky and confusing, who knew cause these are the same people that rolled out the Obamacare web site. Go figure. When you open up the site look for the Location Box. Put in your state, don't worry about a county. Leave the Names Box empty. Go to the Land Description Box put in a township number. Next to it is a drop down box with 1/4 and so forth in it, do nothing with this box. Next to that box is a drop down box with North or South in it, pick the one you are in. Now go to the Range box and put in your Range number. Next to it is a drop down box with 1/4 and so forth in it, do nothing with this box. Next to that box is a drop down box with East and West in it, pick the one you are in. Now go to the Meridian Box and pick what Meridian you want, it will show you all the ones in your State. Leave the Section number blank. Now hit the search patents and this will bring up a box listing all of the land buyers in that 36 square mile Township and Range. Go to any of these people and pick the number under Accession. Another box pops up with information about the owner, but we dont care about him. There are 3 tabs toward the top of the page, Patent Details, Patent Image and Related Documents. Hit related documents and a box pops up with names on it but we don't care about them because on the left hand side of the page you will see, Surveys, LSR, and CDI, hit Surveys. Now a box will pop up and say, Survey, Approved/Accepted, State, Meridian, Twp-Rng, Boundaries/Subdivisional, County and Field Notes. Under those headers it will list all the maps available, look at them all. More than likely they are the same maps but not all the time. If you see a Dependant resurvey look at it as it was done later and might have more information on it, look at them all. To view a map just hit the view image tab.
After you look at a few of these maps you will probally be saying that there ain't squat on them and on most of them you will be correct. I looked through about 50 of them to find 3 villages and one fort and I consider that a very successful project. A word of advice, look at those maps close. One of the villages I found was written so small on the map I thought it was a spot on the map until I zoomed in and it said Indian Fields. That placed enough dought in my mind that I am going to re-look at all those Township Plats I looked at yesterday.
Well hopefully I have not confused everyone with my attemp to explain this. If you are having trouble send me a message. Happy hunting!
Bamadad
Search - BLM GLO Records
Now to use this site you must have a working knowledge of the survey system used by the General Land Office of the United States in the late 1700's and early 1800's. Whenever the Feberal government aquired new lands by conquest, purchase or out and out stealing it they needed to devide it and sell it to their citizens for money. Early on a lot of the Federal money came from land sales, so there was a big push to devide and sell land.
In newly aquired territory GLO surveyors set a "initial point" usually on some certain lat and long. From this point they would go north and south marking the Principal Meridian. Once done they would return to the initial point and go east and west and lay off the Base line. Once this was done they then returned to the initial point and ran north for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner. Then they would run east for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner. Then they would run south for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner. Then they would run west for 6 miles marking each mile with a corner back to the initial point. Once the perimader of this 36 mile square was completed they then marked off 1 mile square lots inside of it for 36 lots. This 36 square miles was called Township 1 North, Range 1 East and was platted. Now repeat this to the north and west of the initial point and this 36 square miles was called Township 1 North, Range 1 West. Just remember Townships run north and south, Ranges run east and west. All Townships north of the Base line are Township North, all south of the Base line are Townshp South. All ranges east of the Principle Meridian are Range East, all west of the PM are Range West. I live in Section 17(the one mile square government lot), Township 20 South, Range 1 East of the Huntsville Alabama Principle Meridian. All that means is I live 123 miles south and 2 miles east of the initial point at Huntsville Alabama.
Ok enough of that confusing stuff. The GLO surveys began in 1785. Early survey requirements were very lax to start with but by 1830 the GLO surveys started calling out topographic features. This information was included on the Township Plats which you can get on line. I spent some time yesterday looking up maps in my area and found 3 indian villages, and one old 1812 fort within 35 miles of my place. I went to another state that had their surveys done between 1835 and 1838 and found 10 indian villages, one indian agents homesite, 3 water mills and a Baptist missionary site for the indians. I'll keep that information close to the vest cause one never knows a MD vacation could be in the future.
Ok are you confused enough? This government web site is chunky and confusing, who knew cause these are the same people that rolled out the Obamacare web site. Go figure. When you open up the site look for the Location Box. Put in your state, don't worry about a county. Leave the Names Box empty. Go to the Land Description Box put in a township number. Next to it is a drop down box with 1/4 and so forth in it, do nothing with this box. Next to that box is a drop down box with North or South in it, pick the one you are in. Now go to the Range box and put in your Range number. Next to it is a drop down box with 1/4 and so forth in it, do nothing with this box. Next to that box is a drop down box with East and West in it, pick the one you are in. Now go to the Meridian Box and pick what Meridian you want, it will show you all the ones in your State. Leave the Section number blank. Now hit the search patents and this will bring up a box listing all of the land buyers in that 36 square mile Township and Range. Go to any of these people and pick the number under Accession. Another box pops up with information about the owner, but we dont care about him. There are 3 tabs toward the top of the page, Patent Details, Patent Image and Related Documents. Hit related documents and a box pops up with names on it but we don't care about them because on the left hand side of the page you will see, Surveys, LSR, and CDI, hit Surveys. Now a box will pop up and say, Survey, Approved/Accepted, State, Meridian, Twp-Rng, Boundaries/Subdivisional, County and Field Notes. Under those headers it will list all the maps available, look at them all. More than likely they are the same maps but not all the time. If you see a Dependant resurvey look at it as it was done later and might have more information on it, look at them all. To view a map just hit the view image tab.
After you look at a few of these maps you will probally be saying that there ain't squat on them and on most of them you will be correct. I looked through about 50 of them to find 3 villages and one fort and I consider that a very successful project. A word of advice, look at those maps close. One of the villages I found was written so small on the map I thought it was a spot on the map until I zoomed in and it said Indian Fields. That placed enough dought in my mind that I am going to re-look at all those Township Plats I looked at yesterday.
Well hopefully I have not confused everyone with my attemp to explain this. If you are having trouble send me a message. Happy hunting!
Bamadad
