-
Origin of section corner symbols
I was wondering if anyone knew the history of the symbols we use as section corners, and how far back they have been in use.
Given the triangles involved I almost wonder if it goes clear back to cuneiform? -
10 Replies
-
Wow! That’s heavy. I guess it’s from the Egyptians. Don’t forget about the triangle symbols we use for traverse points.
MH -
I have done some researching in my local area (PNW), and have come up with the following:
Section corners in the style of an “iron cross” or “pinwheel” are not actually as old as I thought.
beginning around 1908, there were standard “Plat for R/W” forms that showed the section lines in a 1:400 scale and had predrawn little curved arrows at the corners and 1/4 corners as distance tie arrows. In the age of hand drafting, this would have been a pretty efficient time saver.
Around 1917 it first appears in the style of modern usage, likely just a stylized version of the distance arrows from the decade before.
This doesn’t appear on private surveys in my area clear until the 1950’s.
-
Personally, I have never adopted the usage of any symbol other than whatever is used for that type of monument. If it’s a found 1/2″ iron bar, that is what appears. The corner is labeled as to what it is, i.e. Northeast Corner Section 16 or Northeast Corner of Northeast Quarter of Section 16.
-
We use that symbol and then list the CP&F of that corner.
-
CP&F = ?
-
Corner perpetuation and filing record. I think other states have these but they’re simply called corner records.
-
Ah. Thank you for the clarification. We have the LSRR. Land Survey Reference Report for Government corners. Not sure who invented the term.
-
Ah. Thank you for the clarification. We have the LSRR. Land Survey Reference Report for Government corners. Not sure who invented the term.
You meant an LCR?
-All thoughts my own, except my typos and when I am wrong. -
Please excuse my response to this post. I was off-base because I didn’t fully comprehend the question. Symbology is a relevant part of our profession. Incidentally, does anybody know why we use a triangle with a dot in the middle of it to represent a traverse point?
MH -
I’ve always assumed that it was because of the association between survey control and the classical geodetic method of triangulation used to establish it.
Log in to reply.