Legal Definitions - range

In U.S. land law, a range refers to a fundamental division used within the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). It is a distinct, six-mile-wide strip of land that runs precisely north and south. Each range is composed of a vertical column of townships, which are square land units, each measuring six miles by six miles. Ranges are systematically numbered eastward or westward from a designated principal meridian, serving as a critical component in creating a standardized grid for identifying and describing land parcels across much of the United States.

• Example 1: Property Deed Description

  When a property deed describes a parcel of land as "the Southeast Quarter of Section 22, Township 4 North, Range 7 West," the term "Range 7 West" precisely identifies the specific six-mile-wide strip of land located seven ranges to the west of a particular principal meridian. This designation is essential for accurately pinpointing the property's geographical location within the vast grid system of public land surveys.

• Example 2: Land Surveying for Infrastructure

  A team of engineers is surveying a route for a new pipeline across a rural landscape. Their survey maps indicate that the proposed path will traverse land within "Range 3 East" and then cross into "Range 4 East." This information immediately tells the engineers that their route will cross the boundary between two adjacent six-mile-wide north-south strips of land, each uniquely identified by its range number relative to the principal meridian. This understanding is crucial for creating accurate legal descriptions of easements and rights-of-way.

• Example 3: Historical Land Sales

  During the westward expansion of the United States, government land offices would sell tracts of land to settlers. An advertisement from the 1880s might offer "prime agricultural land available in Township 10 South, Range 15 East." This description directed potential buyers to a specific six-mile-wide north-south strip of land, located fifteen ranges to the east of a principal meridian, where the advertised township and its sections were situated. The range number was a key identifier for locating available land parcels.