This manual documents current official procedures for PLSS surveys.
Originally proposed by Thomas Jefferson, the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) dates back to 1785. Under Congressional mandate, cadastral surveys were undertaken to create parcels suitable for disposal by the Government. The Manual of Instructions for the Survey of the Public Lands Of The United States, 1973 documents current official procedures for PLSS surveys.
The document has been out of print for some time, and is still an essential reference for all current PLSS surveys. The PLSS forms the basis for most land transfers and ownership today.