History interpreter shows how Minnesota, Forestville were

Don speaking at Rendezvous 2012 in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Thomas Jefferson Lee's monument

I find it interesting that people have so much difficulty understanding the concept of an Initial Point. I've had "discussions" on this issue with licensed surveyors that almost came to blows.

The article states that "Forestville Township is number 102 in Range 12, as measured by another method from the mouth of the Arkansas River - essentially, it denotes that the township is 600 miles north and 72 miles west of the river's beginning."

Theoretically, it would be 606 – 612 miles north and 66-72 miles west, depending on whether you are referencing the south or north line and the east or west line of the township, but it would be from the Initial Point, not the mouth of the Arkansas River. The 5th P.M. starts at the mouth of the Arkansas River and runs north but the numbering of the Townships starts at the Initial Point which is where a line running west from the mouth of the St. Francis River intersects the 5th P.M. That point is 60 miles +/- north of the mouth of the Arkansas River.

Initial Point of the 5th Principal Meridian

Colton's railroad & township map of Arkansas

Derek and Rich, thanks for a very interesting post.