Agricultural Land Use and Village Structure Metes and Bounds, Longlots and Cadastres

Cadastral Survey System A system of demarcating property boundaries Denotes ownership as well as land characteristics – Cadastre = Tax registry The Domesday Book 1087

Metes & Bounds Method of surveying land using natural boundaries Plots can be quite irregular and uneven Based on English system – Primarily used in Colonial US

Rectangular Survey System Came to dominate, especially in Western US An antecedent survey system Land defined by meridians and parallels

Township & Range System System adopted by US Public Land Survey System (PLSS) Each section = 1 square mile – Sold in whole, half and quarter sections Quick way to settle US West

Homestead Act 1862 Awards 160 acres (one quarter section) for 5 years of farming Population on Great Plains grows dramatically

Central Pivot Irrigation

Longlot Survey System Properties are surveyed back from road or river – Long and narrow Predominates in French North America – Louisiana; Maine

Land Tenure Practices Primogeniture – Eldest son inherits entire farm – Common Northern Europe; Anglo World Subdivision – Farms divided among sons – More common in rest of world – Farm sizes decrease over time

Rural Villages Clustered – Village homes and business close together – Farms on outskirts; can be “commons” Dispersed – Houses and businesses widely separated – Each house on individual farm

Linear Village

Cluster Village

Walled Village