(this information taken from:)
Manual of Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands of the United States; 1973
Prepared by the Bureau of Land Management, Technical Bulletin 6;  pub. U.S. Dept of Interior
INITIAL POINTS

3-6. During the period since the organization of the system of rectangular surveys, numbered and locally named principal meridians and base lines have been established as listed in the accompanying table. These bases and meridians are shown on the large wall map of the United States published by the Bureau of Land Management, on a special map entitled "Principal Meridians and Base Lines Governing the United States Public Land Surveys" published by the Bureau, and on the various State maps and topographic maps published by the United States Geological Survey.

Meridians and Base Lines of the United States Rectangular Surveys

Initial Points
 


Meridian


Adopted

Governing surveys (wholly or in part) in States of

Latitude
(D-M-S)

Longitude
(D-M-S)
Black Hills 1878 South Dakota 43 59 44 104 03 16
Boise 1867 Idaho 43 22 21 116 23 35
Chickasaw 1833 Mississippi 35 01 58 89 14 47
Choctaw 1821 do 31 52 32 90 14 41
Cimarron 1881 Oklahoma 36 30 05 103 00 07
Copper River 1905 Alaska 61 49 04 145 18 37
Fairbanks 1910 do 64 51 50.048 147 38 25.949
Fifth Principal 1815 Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota 34 38 45 91 03 07
First Principal 1819 Ohio and Indiana 40 59 22 84 48 11
Fourth Principal 1815 Illinois 40 00 50 90 27 11
do 1831 Minnesota and Wisconsin 42 30 27 90 25 37
Gila and Salt River 1865 Arizona 33 22 38 112 18 19
Humboldt 1853 California 40 25 02 124 07 10
Huntsville 1807 Alabama and Mississippi 34 59 27 86 34 16
Indian 1870 Oklahoma 34 29 32 97 14 49
Kateel River 1956 Alaska 65 26 16.374 158 45 31.014
Louisiana 1807 Louisiana 31 00 31 92 24 55
Michigan 1815 Michigan and Ohio 42 25 28 84 21 53
Mount Diablo 1851 California and Nevada 37 52 54 121 54 47
Navajo 1869 Arizona 35 44 56 108 31 59
New Mexico Principal 1855 Colorado and New Mexico 34 15 35 106 53 12
Principal 1867 Montana 45 47 13 111 39 33
Salt Lake 1855 Utah 40 46 11 111 53 27
San Bernardino 1852 California 34 07 13 116 55 48
Second Principal 1805 Illinois and Indiana 38 28 14 86 27 21
Seward 1911 Alaska 60 07 37 149 21 26
Sixth Principal 1855 Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming 40 00 07 97 22 08
St. Helena 1819 Louisiana 30 59 56 91 09 36
St. Stephens 1805 Alabama and Mississippi 30 59 51.463 88 01 21.076
Tallahassee 1824 Florida and Alabama 30 26 03 84 16 38
Third Principal 1805 Illinois 88 28 27 89 08 54
Uintah 1875 Utah 40 25 59 109 56 06
Umiat 1956 Alaska 69 23 29.654 152 00 04.551
Ute 1880 Colorado 39 06 23 108 31 59
Washington 1803 Mississippi 30 59 56 91 09 86
Willamette 1851 Oregon and Washington 45 31 11 122 44 84
Wind River 1875 Wyoming 48 00 41 108 48 49
 

 3-7. The rectangular system was initiated in the State of Ohio in 1785 from a point on the west boundary of Pennsylvania, on the north shore of the Ohio River, in longitude 80 (degrees) 32' 20". The State boundary served as the first reference meridian. A number of other reference meridians and bases were employed in Ohio to govern particular areas for purposes of disposal. In its early stages the system was somewhat experimental, and Ohio may well be referred to as the proving ground for the present rectangular system of surveys. The rectangular surveys that have no initial point as an origin of township identification are listed in the following table.

 Public Land Surveys Having No Initial Point as an Origin for Both Township and Range Numbers
 


Survey

year commenced


Townships numbered


Ranges numbered
Ohio River Survey (Ohio) 1785 North from Ohio River West from west boundary of Pennsylvania
U.S. Military Survey (Ohio) 1797 North from south boundary of military grant West from west boundary of the Seven Ranges
West of the Great Miami (Ohio) 1798 North from Great Miami River East from Ohio-Indiana boundary
Ohio River Base (Indiana) 1799 North from Ohio River From Ohio-Indiana boundary and its projection south
Scioto River Base (Ohio) 1799 North from Scioto River West from west boundary of Pennsylvama
Muskingum River Survey (Ohio) 1800 1 and 2 10
Between the Miamis, north of Symmes Purchase (Ohio) 1802 East from Great Miami River North from Ohio River (continuing numbers from Symmes Purchase)
Twelve-Mile-Square Reserve (Ohio) 1805 1, 2, 8, and 4 None
 
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