Basic Section Township and Range Charts

A Basic Township and Range Grid

"A township measures the north/south distance from its parallel base line. A township that theoretically measures 6 miles in size and is the first six miles north of the base line is described as township one north and written as T1N. The second six miles would be T2N, T3N and so on.

A township that surveys the 6 miles and is the first six miles south of the base line is described as township one south and written as T1S. The second six miles would be T2S, T3S and so on.

A range measures the east/west distance from its dedicated principal meridian. Ranges, like townships are also 6 miles in size so the first six miles west of the principal meridian would be described as range one west and written as R1W, the second would be R2W. The first six miles east would be R1E then R2E and so on."

Excerpted from The U.S. Public Land Survey

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How US Public Land Is Surveyed and Distributed

By Kimberly Powell

A Basic Section Grid

"Townships are divided into 36 mile square "sections" and each section is identified with a number based on its position. The northeastern-most section is considered the first section labeled "1" with those following taking the next number to the west to complete a six section first row. Below section 6 is the second row's section 7 and each is numbered to 12 going east. This snakelike pattern is continued to the southeastern-most section 36 and makes up the township."

Excerpted from The U.S. Public Land Survey

A Basic Quarter Section Grid

"Sections (each being 660 acres) are again subdivided into quarters. They are usually described as the northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest quarters of the section. These "quarter sections" contain 160 acres. You can see that these quarter sections can also be quartered again to define 40 acres."

Excerpted from The U.S. Public Land Survey