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THE HISTORY OF SURVEYING
Surveying can be traced back to the time of our forefathers. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both surveyors. While many things have changed over the last few hundred years, many aspects of surveying remain relatively the same. Most surveyors have a natural appreciation for history and understand that research must be done to gather information, which includes noting geographic features at the time of the survey. Surveyors understand that roads and property lines change over time and ensure that all work is monumented to help future surveyors.
Settlers flocked to Oregon and Washington in the early 1850’s and the U.S. Government ensured that properties were surveyed upon the establishment of the homesteads. The habitable countryside was divided into square miles, also known as Sections, with controlled corners set about every one-half mile. Wooden posts or stones were used to monument the corners and nearby trees were also used as points of reference. Present day surveyors use iron pipes and iron rods to establish boundaries, but surveyors must still use the past to encode the future.
To know where we are going is to understand our past.
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