Using metes and bounds tends to be confusing and difficult to understand by the majority of the ordinary population around the world. The system is also still common in Ontario, Canada. However, the system is still used in some of the US states that pioneered its use like New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, and Maryland. The use of metes and bounds has been declining due to the discovery of new land measuring and describing systems. In the 19th century, especially during the times of Revolutionary War, the land was sold and described in terms of metes and bounds. It was then used in the thirteen colonies that formed the United States before being spread to other neighboring parts of Canada and the other states. The system was first used between 12 in England. Metes and bounds are more popular in the United States than in any other part of the world. History and Origin of Describing Land Using Metes and Bounds Metes and bounds are used mostly when the tract of land in question is irregularly shaped. Some of the landmarks used in describing the land may include natural physical features like rivers, streams, large trees like the oak, or man-made features like roads. To describe land using the system of metes and bounds, one is required to begin from a known geographic landmark start point, and follow the northward compass direction or the magnetic bearing. Bounds refer to the general boundary description of the land which may include roads, buildings, or streams. Metes refer to the boundary defined by measurement of a straight line, the distance between two points of the land, and the magnetic orientation of the land. As you can see parcels are irregular in size are platted in relationship to the subdivision Lakewood Fairfield Bay.ĭescription by Monuments is similar to the metes and bounds with POB being a physical, man-made or natural features.Metes and bounds is a system used by land and quantity surveyors to describe land and real estate properties using accurately measured angles, distances, and directions based on the magnetic north. Thus a legal description could be Happy Trials Subdivision, Block 3, Lot 4.īelow is a sample of a plat map illustrating a lot described by the Lots and Block Method. The subdivision may be then divided into blocks and lots. A plat map is an engineers map showing the land use for the land in question.Īreas are subdivided up into Subdivisions. The most common method, but it requires plat maps to be lodged with the county public records. The sections are further divided up into quarter sections of 160 acres Thus there are 36 sections in a township. They are further divided up into areas of 1 square mile called sections. The lines running North-South are called range lines. lines running East-West are called township lines. They are 6 miles by 6 miles, thus have an area of 36 square miles. Each of these squares are called townships. Beginning at these points, the surveyors established lines every 6 miles North, South, East and West of the crossing point. In Florida for instance, they cross at a point in Tallahassee. The principal meridians running North-South and East-West intersect at these locations. There are geographical locations all over the US that serve as a base reference. It is used in all states except for the original 13 colonies, the states created from these colonies and Kentucky, West Virginia and Texas. The rectangular land survey system was adopted by the federal government in 1785. The example below is a more complicated metes and bounds legal description. Writing a metes and bounds description is a job for a land surveyor.Ī typical metes and bounds description is as follows:īeginning at a point (POB) on the North side of James Street 50 feet East from the corner formed by the intersection of the East boundary of Peter Road and the North boundary of James Street thence East 90 degrees 200 feet thence North 300 feet thence West 200 feet thence direct to the POB. A critical feature is the Point of Beginning POB. Metes refers to distance and bounds to direction. There are 4 types of legal descriptions used in real estate in the USA.