Legal Definitions - gore

A "gore" is a term with two primary meanings in a legal and land-use context, both referring to a distinct, often small, area.

• Small, Irregular Land Parcel:

  Most commonly, a "gore" refers to a small, often irregularly shaped piece of land, such as a narrow strip or a triangular parcel. These parcels are typically left over between larger properties, often due to historical survey discrepancies, imprecise boundary descriptions, or the way land was divided for development projects. They are residual pieces that don't neatly fit into adjacent, larger land divisions.

  • Example 1 (Survey Discrepancy):

    Imagine two large ranches, Ranch A and Ranch B, that were originally surveyed in the late 1800s using different methods and reference points. Decades later, when a new owner attempts to consolidate the properties, a professional land surveyor discovers a small, triangular sliver of land, about a quarter-acre in size, situated precisely between the northern boundary of Ranch A and the southern boundary of Ranch B. This sliver was never formally included in either ranch's deed due to the historical survey inconsistencies.

    This unassigned, residual piece of land, created by the slight misalignment of the original surveys, would be legally identified as a gore. It's a small, distinct parcel that doesn't neatly belong to either adjacent property.

  • Example 2 (Development Leftover):

    A new commercial park is developed, requiring the acquisition and consolidation of several rectangular plots of land. During the final platting process, a very narrow, elongated strip of land, roughly 10 feet wide and 200 feet long, is left along the edge of the new park, bordering an existing residential property. This strip is too small and oddly shaped to be developed independently or easily integrated into the commercial park or the residential lot.

    This unusable, residual strip of land, created as a byproduct of the larger development project, fits the definition of a gore because it's a small, narrow piece left over from a larger land division.

• Unorganized Administrative Territory (New England Specific):

  In certain New England states, particularly Maine and Vermont, a "gore" has an additional, administrative meaning. It designates a sparsely populated area within a county that has not been formally organized as a town or municipality. These areas typically lack their own local government structures, such as a mayor or town council, and therefore do not provide municipal services like local police or fire departments. Instead, administrative oversight and services are often managed directly by the county or the state.

  • Example 3 (New England Administrative Unit):

    In a remote, heavily forested section of northern Maine, there is an area officially designated as "Trout Brook Gore." This territory has only a handful of seasonal hunting camps and no permanent residents. Because it lacks a sufficient population and infrastructure to form its own town government, it does not have a local school district, a town hall, or its own municipal services. Instead, any necessary administrative functions, such as property tax collection or road maintenance, are handled by the larger county government.

    This example illustrates the second meaning of gore, where it refers to an unorganized administrative unit within a county in specific New England states. Due to its low population and lack of formal municipal structure, it is designated as a "gore" rather than a town.