Plat Map Tutorial:

[LabradorBob]

1: Ok, Lets say you have an old plat map that shows an old School.
actually this is a quadrangle map,thats why it shows the houses and schools,churches,etc.
Could be anything,But i am using a school for this example.[attachment 148798 Schoolloc.jpg]
The school is located in Township 26N,Range 33W, Section 13.
It was called BlackJack school.





2:This is the BLM Township,Range and Section Viewer for Google Earth.
You can download from my Township,Range and Section Post.Now here http://www.earthpoint.us/Townships.aspx at the site,click view on google earth,and then double click the file that downloads.
Once downloaded,it will be in your places category in Google Earth.
You can turn it off by unchecking the little box.
[attachment 148799 Showingdots..jpg]

If you rest your pointer on the orange dots,it will show the township and range,and will highlight the whole township.
If you rest your pointer on the Purple dots,it will show you the section number.




3:Simply,overlay the map capture,on the appropriate section. My capture was one section,which is a square mile!

also,the Township range and section viewer will let you scroll in or out five times. They want you to pay for it,but i just delete it if it quits and download it again.
also,if you download it eight times, you need to go into where it is downloading and delete the older ones.
if it quits working. Delete it in your places section in google earth.
Then simply download it again!

 

[John - Maryland]

n/t

 

[The Beep Goes On]

Thanks for setting up this forum LB...appreciate the time you put into it! I can see that I have some reading to do.

Beep

 

[dewcon4414]

LB..... does google earth give you GPS, sure would be as simple for me to find. I have one of those air cards and google hates me i think.

Dew

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

LB..... does google earth give you GPS, sure would be as simple for me to find. I have one of those air cards and google hates me i think.

Dew

Just make sure you are using the correct system coordinates: DD MM SS, or Decimal Degrees,

 

[LabradorBob]

You can change co ordinate systems by going to tools,options in google earth.

Harold

 

[grumpyolman]

Why are you using Township, Section, and Range? Why not UTM all the way? Jim

 

[LabradorBob]

I just use township,Range, and section to overlay the maps,I have
co ordinates set to display utm at the bottom on Google earth.
I like UTM better on my GPS,I feel its more accurate.
LabradorBob

 

[grumpyolman]

I use and leave the UTM lines on my topos when I export them to GE for an overlay. It gives me a more accurate way to place the overlay. I use street intersections in addition to the width of the streets. That usually happens when working a Sanborn map into GE. I haven't found reference to any system of location on the Sanborns. Maybe they started at the Mill and everything is relative and in scale to that but I am not aware of a specific location like the rock in Oregon that Township and Range is measured from. Help me out here if I am missing something....Jim

 

[silvereagle]

ok this is good,i am learning,do i use google earth map,or does the bing maps work just as well?

 

[LabradorBob]

if your talking about using maps for overlays,you can use any map.
but old maps work the best.

LabradorBob

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

n/t

 

[pdsniper]

LB, this is probably the most useful forum I have ever experienced. Thanks

 

[LabradorBob]

LB, this is probably the most useful forum I have ever experienced. Thanks

Thanks for the compliment!

LabradorBob

 

[BeachBumm]

Here is a link to his Township, Range and Section Post: http://www.findmall.com/read.php?69,1118124

Thanks for all of your very helpful and informative posts!

HH, Mark

 

[Rocky!]

This is a GREAT place for information that I've been wondering about for years, and Lab-Bob is a Brainiac for sure. I have some buildings, long gone, in existing cities, that I would love to find the exact sites they were originally built on.
Where might I find the old maps to start my searching?

Loving this new approach-(for me that is.. )

Arlen

 

[LabradorBob]

This would be a good place to start,search through the pages here and see what is
available,sent you a PM also.

LabradorBob

 

[MHNC]

Thanks

 

[jmt48]

3:Simply,overlay the map capture,on the appropriate section.

LabradorBob, I did all the steps you've outline and was successful with all of them...however, I see absolutely no similarities (landmarks, etc) between my overlayed and google earth? I've double and triple checked the section numbers on the topo map and verified I was overlaying them on the proper section numbers identified in Google Earth. Any suggestions?

Thanks you!

..and by the way, this a very good post!

 

[LabradorBob]

How old is your overlay?
Remember Township is the first to look for.
it will be the orange dots if using the township range section viewer i posted.
It will tell you the northing and westing coordinates,or in kansas southing and easting.
You need the Township first range second,section third!
Each township is usually 36 square miles,Range is west or south inMissouri and Kansas.
Section is 1 through 36 for the square miles in the township.