COLLECTION OF PLSS SECTION CORNERS IN PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA

Abstract

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was the beginning of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) and subdivided the lands of the United States into a rectangular grid system. This grid did not include the 13 original colonies or Texas, but it did cover the remaining current and future lands of the US. In most cases this grid system controls how land is divided regardless of who owns it. While each corner in the PLSS has a unique location and name, there is not a universal system to record and share their monumented locations. Each state and county have been left to decide if they will create a location database and how they would like to achieve that. This project is starting that process for Pima County, Arizona. This was accomplished using a data collection process for both field work and data files, then populating a web map database and displaying that on a dashboard. The dashboard allows viewing and downloads of those points to the public. These are available as tools for those who need to locate PLSS corners for any reason. The locations in this database may not be the most precise and accurate locations or considered “survey” grade. They do give a starting point for anyone needing to find one of these entries, and provide a record, including a timestamp, of what is or was at that location. This information can be used by professionals, the public, and municipalities to increase map accuracy or just find the point.