<Li> Range (Rng, R): A measure of the distance east or west from a referenced principal meridian, in units of six miles . </Li> <Li> Section: An approximately one - square - mile block of land . There are 36 sections in a survey township . </Li> <Li> Township (Twp, T): (1) Synonym for survey township, i.e., a square parcel of land of 36 square miles, or (2) A measure of the distance north or south from a referenced baseline, in units of six miles . </Li> <Li> Witness: Any marker set on the ground that marks or represents some other, nearby object or location of surveying importance, such as a corner . A bearing tree is a witness to a survey corner . </Li>

Where did the public land survey system shape settlement patterns