Cadastral Survey Huh? Is This A Benchmark?

[+Team Wendycat]

Hey there guys, I've only been geocaching for a few weeks now and I'm just about ready to go hunting for my first benchmark. I'm not sure if I have already found one though. I was out at cub scout day camp and I found a sign along with a metal disc saying "Department of the Interior Cadastral Survey Department of Land Managment

 

T 15SP2E 1997 AP1D

 

ANy help would be greatly appreciated

[Bill93]

Cadastral means having to do with property corners. Very, very, few of those are also NGS benchmarks.

 

Your disk probably really has an R not P in the stamping

T15S is Township 15 south of the base line

R2E is Range 2 east of the principal meridian

where base line and principal meridian were chosen for an area that varies from part of a state to several states in size. See this link for more information on principal meridians and base lines..

 

In order to get more familiar with benchmarks, search the zip code or lat-long of your area on the Groundspeak site and note some that other people have found. Go find them yourself for practice, before looking for ones no one else has found. Read the FAQ and pinned threads for some hints. The biggest hint is that there are two kinds of coordinates: ADJUSTED that are very accurate and SCALED that were read off a map and are often 100 feet or much more in error. Always read the descriptions carefully, as they were intended to let someone find the mark before GPS.

[+jwahl]

I agree that it is a BLM boundary marker for some federal agencies land. I can give you more info if we have the general lat long.

 

- jerry

 

Cadastral means having to do with property corners. Very, very, few of those are also NGS benchmarks.

 

Your disk probably really has an R not P in the stamping

T15S is Township 15 south of the base line

R2E is Range 2 east of the principal meridian

where base line and principal meridian were chosen for an area that varies from part of a state to several states in size. See this link for more information on principal meridians and base lines..

 

In order to get more familiar with benchmarks, search the zip code or lat-long of your area on the Groundspeak site and note some that other people have found. Go find them yourself for practice, before looking for ones no one else has found. Read the FAQ and pinned threads for some hints. The biggest hint is that there are two kinds of coordinates: ADJUSTED that are very accurate and SCALED that were read off a map and are often 100 feet or much more in error. Always read the descriptions carefully, as they were intended to let someone find the mark before GPS.

[+Team Wendycat]

N 36 38.813 W 121 45.406

 

I agree that it is a BLM boundary marker for some federal agencies land. I can give you more info if we have the general lat long.

 

- jerry

 

Cadastral means having to do with property corners. Very, very, few of those are also NGS benchmarks.

 

Your disk probably really has an R not P in the stamping

T15S is Township 15 south of the base line

R2E is Range 2 east of the principal meridian

where base line and principal meridian were chosen for an area that varies from part of a state to several states in size. See this link for more information on principal meridians and base lines..

 

In order to get more familiar with benchmarks, search the zip code or lat-long of your area on the Groundspeak site and note some that other people have found. Go find them yourself for practice, before looking for ones no one else has found. Read the FAQ and pinned threads for some hints. The biggest hint is that there are two kinds of coordinates: ADJUSTED that are very accurate and SCALED that were read off a map and are often 100 feet or much more in error. Always read the descriptions carefully, as they were intended to let someone find the mark before GPS.

[+jwahl]

That is part of an extensive boundary surveyed in 1997 between a thing called the "Fort Ord Reuse Authority Lands" and BLM lands to the south and west. AP means Angle point or a bend in a line which generall trends to the Northeast and Southwest, it is on the "D" segment of the boundary. In 15S 2E Mount Diablo Meridian within an area that was never sectionalized being old spanish or mexican land grants.

 

- jerry wahl

 

N 36 38.813 W 121 45.406

 

I agree that it is a BLM boundary marker for some federal agencies land. I can give you more info if we have the general lat long.

 

- jerry

 

Cadastral means having to do with property corners. Very, very, few of those are also NGS benchmarks.

 

Your disk probably really has an R not P in the stamping

T15S is Township 15 south of the base line

R2E is Range 2 east of the principal meridian

where base line and principal meridian were chosen for an area that varies from part of a state to several states in size. See this link for more information on principal meridians and base lines..

 

In order to get more familiar with benchmarks, search the zip code or lat-long of your area on the Groundspeak site and note some that other people have found. Go find them yourself for practice, before looking for ones no one else has found. Read the FAQ and pinned threads for some hints. The biggest hint is that there are two kinds of coordinates: ADJUSTED that are very accurate and SCALED that were read off a map and are often 100 feet or much more in error. Always read the descriptions carefully, as they were intended to let someone find the mark before GPS.

[+billwallace]

That is part of an extensive boundary surveyed in 1997 between a thing called the "Fort Ord Reuse Authority Lands" and BLM lands to the south and west. AP means Angle point or a bend in a line which generall trends to the Northeast and Southwest, it is on the "D" segment of the boundary. In 15S 2E Mount Diablo Meridian within an area that was never sectionalized being old spanish or mexican land grants.

 

- jerry wahl

I've been looking at an area in California (using GeoCommunicator/LSIS) that is not sectioned.

It is T28S R12E Mount Diablo Meridian. 35°27'25.00"N, 120°38'41.00"W is within the area.

The USGS topo for this area doesn't have the red township, range or section lines.

The Plat that you get from is also not sectioned and is dated current as of Sept 1999.

 

I thought it might be because it was originally a mexican land grant, is there an easy way to find out?

What other reasons would there be for it not being sectioned?

Where do I start (besides here) to figure this out?

 

I was hoping to find some cadastral marks nearby.

 

Thnx,

Bill

[+jwahl]

It is likely in the Atascadero Grant. There are two basic reasons that there might not be Public Land Surveys in an area. 1) If title to the land was already granted, typically by Spanish or Mexican Grants, but could be Indian Reservations, or lands reserved for other purposes such as military uses. 2) the lands were never surveyed because they were of little agricultural value, such as Death valley or large parts of Nevada.

 

Counties should have tax maps and often have those on line which show the basic title parcels. The BLM has survey plats but they are not currently on line, but their Master Title plats are here:

 

BLM Land Title Plats That you can search by township and Range. I think the area of your coordinates would be T28S R12E MDM and they would usually show what was going on.

 

- jerry

 

That is part of an extensive boundary surveyed in 1997 between a thing called the "Fort Ord Reuse Authority Lands" and BLM lands to the south and west. AP means Angle point or a bend in a line which generall trends to the Northeast and Southwest, it is on the "D" segment of the boundary. In 15S 2E Mount Diablo Meridian within an area that was never sectionalized being old spanish or mexican land grants.

 

- jerry wahl

I've been looking at an area in California (using GeoCommunicator/LSIS) that is not sectioned.

It is T28S R12E Mount Diablo Meridian. 35°27'25.00"N, 120°38'41.00"W is within the area.

The USGS topo for this area doesn't have the red township, range or section lines.

The Plat that you get from is also not sectioned and is dated current as of Sept 1999.

 

I thought it might be because it was originally a mexican land grant, is there an easy way to find out?

What other reasons would there be for it not being sectioned?

Where do I start (besides here) to figure this out?

 

I was hoping to find some cadastral marks nearby.

 

Thnx,

Bill

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

It is likely in the Atascadero Grant. There are two basic reasons that there might not be Public Land Surveys in an area. 1) If title to the land was already granted, typically by Spanish or Mexican Grants, but could be Indian Reservations, or lands reserved for other purposes such as military uses. 2) the lands were never surveyed because they were of little agricultural value, such as Death valley or large parts of Nevada.

 

Counties should have tax maps and often have those on line which show the basic title parcels. The BLM has survey plats but they are not currently on line, but their Master Title plats are here:

 

BLM Land Title Plats That you can search by township and Range. I think the area of your coordinates would be T28S R12E MDM and they would usually show what was going on.

 

- jerry

 

That is part of an extensive boundary surveyed in 1997 between a thing called the "Fort Ord Reuse Authority Lands" and BLM lands to the south and west. AP means Angle point or a bend in a line which generall trends to the Northeast and Southwest, it is on the "D" segment of the boundary. In 15S 2E Mount Diablo Meridian within an area that was never sectionalized being old spanish or mexican land grants.

 

- jerry wahl

I've been looking at an area in California (using GeoCommunicator/LSIS) that is not sectioned.

It is T28S R12E Mount Diablo Meridian. 35°27'25.00"N, 120°38'41.00"W is within the area.

The USGS topo for this area doesn't have the red township, range or section lines.

The Plat that you get from is also not sectioned and is dated current as of Sept 1999.

 

I thought it might be because it was originally a mexican land grant, is there an easy way to find out?

What other reasons would there be for it not being sectioned?

Where do I start (besides here) to figure this out?

 

I was hoping to find some cadastral marks nearby.

 

Thnx,

Bill

 

Your link does not work.

Here is a link to the BLM GLO Records.

BLM GLO Records

 

You will have to find out the Proper Grant name.

I did a basic search but am limited on time right now.

 

I hope this helps.

[+jwahl]

There are no California survey records on the GLO Records web site at this time.

 

The link I found was to Title plats at the CA office of the BLM.

 

Try this link to the search page: CA MTP Search Page

 

- jlw

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Thanks that link works better.

Yes you are correct there are no Surveys for California but there are Patents.

I was hoping to help with what I knew and I know you know a lot more links that I.

[+billwallace]

Thnx all,

 

Looks like there are 5 contiguous land grants - that is probably why it is not sectioned. My efforts on the web looking for info about the township and range lines/corners haven't been succesful - looks like I need to hit the library and/or contact the BLM to find out more.

 

Bill