By Clayton J. Hogston, PE / PS. Land Ordinance of 1785 Established the Public Land Survey System...
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Transcript of By Clayton J. Hogston, PE / PS. Land Ordinance of 1785 Established the Public Land Survey System...
Digitizing & Analyzing Indiana’s PLSS Notes & Plats
by Clayton J. Hogston, PE / PS
Land Ordinance of 1785
Established the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) as a way to sell land in the Northwest Territories to pioneer farmers, thus raising funds to pay off the Revolutionary War debt.
Need for Record Access
Indiana Code 865 IAC 1-12-30(d)(1)(A):
Section corner perpetuation
If PLSS corner is not monumented and referenced by County Surveyor, or location is believed to be in error, then surveyor’s are required (in part) to obtain copies of the “original public land survey field notes and plat or transcribed copies of the same.”
Availability of Records
Field Survey Set Originally written by the Surveyor Available at the State Archives (30%)
Federal Set Transcribed by the GLO Available at the National Archives
State Set Transcribed by the GLO Available at the State Archives
County Set Transcribed by the State Auditor Available at the County Surveyor’s Office
Benefits of Digitized Records
Easy access Travel to government offices not required Available when government offices closed Less time required searching for record
Preservation Protection from fire, storms, mold…
Statewide studies Forestation, drainage courses…
Historical studies Indian treaties, reservations… Genealogy
Reduced costs Several distribution channels
Federal Set
From the National Archives located in College Park, Maryland.
MicrofilmNotes:
26 rolls of film3 volumes / roll
500 pages / volumePlats:
6 rolls of film915 maps / roll
Total records37,100 note pages 5,500 plat maps
Note Indexing
Indiana’s 73 survey books were divided into 5 Series.
A – Gore 3 Volumes
B – Southeast 2 Volumes
C – Southwest 5 Volumes
D – Northeast38 Volumes
E – Northwest25 Volumes
Image Resolution
Determine scan resolution by working backwards from the desired image size and resolution.
Paper page:8.5” x 14” @ 400 dpi
Microfilm page:0.52” x 0.88”
Minimum resolution required:8.5” / 0.52” = 16.35 ratio,16.35 x 400 dpi = 6,540 dpi
Scan at 9,600 dpi:9,600 dpi / 16.35 ~ 600 dpi
Image File Naming
Retaining a connection with the physical records, note filenames include:
the Seriesthe Volumethe Page
Tying to the same location as the notes, plat map filenames include:
the Seriesthe Volumethe Map
Examples:EV03P213.pdf (a note page file)EV03M017.pdf (a plat map file)
Image File Organization
42,600 Records separated into about 1,100 subdirectories, each containing all the files that relate to one specific Township.
Subdirectory contents:Plat mapsPatent / sales mapsPartial mapsNote page indexNote pages
Example
Survey project near Natchez, Indiana, and owner’s deed mentions the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectory
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
View plat map
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
View plat mapClose view / return
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
View plat mapClose view / return
Find note page index
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
View plat mapClose view / return
Find note page indexView note page index
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
View plat mapClose view / return
Find note page indexView note page index
Close view / return
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
View plat mapClose view / return
Find note page indexView note page index
Close view / returnFind note page
Example
Lookup plat and notes for the East line of Section 11 in T2N-R3W.
Locate subdirectoryFind plat map
View plat mapClose view / return
Find note page indexView note page index
Close view / returnFind note page
View note page
Image Enhancements
Range of ink contrast
Image Enhancements
Plat map
Image Enhancements
Benefits of dual monitors (20” & 17”)
Time Estimates
Initial scanning:2.5 Minutes / note page & 5 Minutes / plat map =
1,550 Hours for notes & 460 Hours for plats
Organize, enhance, review andmanage final images:
7.5 Minutes / note page & 10 Minutes / plat map =
4,640 Hours for notes & 915 Hours for plats
Total time for project ~ 7,565 hours (almost 4 years) 42,600 images x 1 second each ~ 12 hours 42,600 images x 1 minute each ~ 710 hours
Distribution Channels
CDs, DVDs, Flash Drives, Internet…
Analyzing Notes
Are there differences among the 4 sets of PLSS notes?
Township selection criteria Notes from all 4 PLSS sets
must be available. Township must lie within the
County boundaries. Ink must be dense enough to
see clearly. Handwriting must be relatively
legible.
Analyzing Notes
Survey notes for T21N-R4W Field Survey completed on
5-10-1822 by Surveyor. Federal set certified on
11-04-1842 by GLO. State set certified on
11-01-1849 by GLO. County set certified on
4-03-1861 by Auditor.
Analyzing Notes
4 Sets compared (20” monitor).
Analyzing Notes
Example of a copy error:
Analyzing Notes
Complied transcription (17” monitor).
Use a simple format with modernsymbols and don’t abbreviate words:
“ (inches)° (degrees)Ø (diameter)
Show conflicting data in footnotes,color coded for each set:
Original (O)Federal (F)State (S)County (C)
Analyzing Notes
Results of study:T21N-R4W contains28 data conflicts.
Total number of errors by set:Original 3Federal 9State 16County 21
Current Project Status
Digitizing Indiana’s PLSS (Federal set):
Develop processing plan
Scan Microfilm
Review for quality
Sort Note pages
Rename Note pages
Sort Plat maps
Rename Plat maps
Develop Photoshop process
Apply Photoshop process
Merge Notes / Plat maps
Convert final images
Deliver final images
IndianaMap – PLSS Records
http://demo.maps.indiana.edu/index.html?URLLayers=Reference_PLSS_Townships
IndianaMap – PLSS Records
Listing of Plat and Field Note files
Contact Info:
Clayton J. Hogston, PE / [email protected]