This is known as a castle nut.
Today, we went searching for a stone at a center corner. What I first saw appeared to be something similar to the castle nut shown. Several rounded stones protruding from the soil. Further investigation proved them to be a single stone with crossing indentations an inch or more wide and an inch or more deep firmly set within five feet of our predicted center of section. There were no other stones naturally occurring anywhere near this location. This one was roughly 14" in diameter. No, there was no threaded hole in the middle! But, it lined up very well with three-foot diameter hedge (Osage orange/bodark/bois d'arc) trees and fences headed N-S-E-W.
The only place we found historical documentation of any kind of stone at the center corner was on a railroad strip map. That stretch of rail was installed in 1888 but I have no way of knowing for certain when the strip map originated. I do know that the stone indicated at the northeast corner of the same section was set in the Government survey in 1865 and that it was very close to the ties provided in two directions to the rail.
Holy Cow, post: 369387, member: 50 wrote:
This is known as a castle nut.
Today, we went searching for a stone at a center corner. What I first saw appeared to be something similar to the castle nut shown. Several rounded stones protruding from the soil. Further investigation proved them to be a single stone with crossing indentations an inch or more wide and an inch or more deep firmly set within five feet of our predicted center of section. There were no other stones naturally occurring anywhere near this location. This one was roughly 14" in diameter. No, there was no threaded hole in the middle! But, it lined up very well with three-foot diameter hedge (Osage orange/bodark/bois d'arc) trees and fences headed N-S-E-W.
The only place we found historical documentation of any kind of stone at the center corner was on a railroad strip map. That stretch of rail was installed in 1888 but I have no way of knowing for certain when the strip map originated. I do know that the stone indicated at the northeast corner of the same section was set in the Government survey in 1865 and that it was very close to the ties provided in two directions to the rail.
Hey Cow, where's the picture of the stone?
Inquiring minds want to see it...
🙂
Sorry, no pic. My little flip phone doesn't take very good photos plus it was almost dark today from all the clouds. Tornado season is brewing. Saw Norman, OK featured on the evening news tonight talking about the tornado experts who work there. Plus, did I mention three-foot diameter hedge trees in all directions.
I know, I know. Pictures or it didn't happen. Well, it did happen.
Holy Cow, post: 369387, member: 50 wrote:
Further investigation proved them to be a single stone with crossing indentations an inch or more wide and an inch or more deep firmly set within five feet of our predicted center of section.
Discovery of a land corner monument, even undocumented, bears a superior amount of weight according to all the "upgrades" our Oklahoma's Minimum Standards and Corner Perpetuation Act have endured recently. The burden of proof that is required of someone disagreeing with your survey and wishing to ignore the position of the undocumented monument you have utilized is greater than merely discounting your survey. If I found this stone, used it and filed its location; the next guy would need to discover at least two documents or existence of evidence, independent of one another and corroborating, to actually establish this corner in a different location. This was a good thing we got changed a few years ago.
I'd say you've found the center of section.
Our rules were altered in an attempt to stem the increasingly frequent appearance of a "new" quarter corner, or "new" center of section...usually placed by someone that felt their recent measurements were "more better" than the first guy. What didn't make the final cut, but is still a heavy inference, is setting something new really can't happen in a case such as this. The latter surveyor must have good corroborating evidence that his "newer" set corner is merely a re-establishment of a corner at a location of which he has good records.
Holy Cow, post: 369393, member: 50 wrote: Sorry, no pic. My little flip phone doesn't take very good photos plus it was almost dark today from all the clouds. Tornado season is brewing. Saw Norman, OK featured on the evening news tonight talking about the tornado experts who work there. Plus, did I mention three-foot diameter hedge trees in all directions.
I know, I know. Pictures or it didn't happen. Well, it did happen.
[sarcasm]OPEN THAT WALLET, AFTER THE MOTHS CLEAR OUT A BIT, LAY YOUR MONEY DOWN AND BUY A DIGITAL CAMERA- LOOK AT THE CALENDAR! IT'S 2016!!!! (CAPS 'CAUSE I'M DRAFTING- SORRY)[/sarcasm]
paden cash, post: 369396, member: 20 wrote: Discovery of a land corner monument, even undocumented, bears a superior amount of weight according to all the "upgrades" our Oklahoma's Minimum Standards and Corner Perpetuation Act have endured recently.
Okay, is that, like, THREE PK nails in the nearest fence posts or power poles to PERMANENTLY reference the corner or just TWO BIGGUNS?
Rankin_File, post: 369607, member: 101 wrote: OPEN THAT WALLET, AFTER THE MOTHS CLEAR OUT A BIT, LAY YOUR MONEY DOWN AND BUY A DIGITAL CAMERA- LOOK AT THE CALENDAR! IT'S 2016!!!! (CAPS 'CAUSE I'M DRAFTING- SORRY)
Rankin_DURA DURA
:woot:
Holy Cow, post: 369393, member: 50 wrote: My little flip phone doesn't take very good photos
Oh! did you buy the new Jitterbug model? 😉
Ol' H.C. will probably buy a new camera when his present camera wears out..
Dagnabit! Sometime when the sun is shining brightly (may be awhile) I guess I'm going to have to make off with Mrs. Cow's fancy picture-takin' deevise and go fer a ride on da 4-wheeler. Only seven miles round trip. Cruise through the multiflora rose before it gets much wilder on the way to "the stone". Crawl under and over two fences, then take 47 pictures just in case one o' dem looks like it needsta.
Moths in the wallet, you say? Might have to look in there sometime to see if you're correct about that. Ol' Ben F has been in there so long he's still a virgin.
Holy Cow, post: 369633, member: 50 wrote: Dagnabit! Sometime when the sun is shining brightly (may be awhile) I guess I'm going to have to make off with Mrs. Cow's fancy picture-takin' deevise and go fer a ride on da 4-wheeler. Only seven miles round trip. Cruise through the multiflora rose before it gets much wilder on the way to "the stone". Crawl under and over two fences, then take 47 pictures just in case one o' dem looks like it needsta.
Moths in the wallet, you say? Might have to look in there sometime to see if you're correct about that. Ol' Ben F has been in there so long he's still a virgin.
My last phone upgrade to a modern phone (now sorta out of date Samsung S4) happened when my wife washed the heck out of my previous phone. Works every time. Just slip it in the inside pocket of one of your chores coats and get it extra dirty.
