What separates townships in the rectangular survey system?

In the rectangular survey system, townships are delineated by township lines that run east and west. This system organizes land into a grid format, allowing for a systematic way of surveying and describing land. Each township is typically six miles square, and these horizontal lines create distinct townships which are numbered sequentially north or south of a baseline, a specific east-west reference line.

The base lines serve as starting points for the measurement and were originally established to help create a uniform method for surveying land across the country. Unlike township lines that run north and south, which only serve to segment the land into ranges, the east-west lines effectively partition the land into individual square townships.

Understanding this structure is crucial for interpreting legal land descriptions in real estate and zoning, as it ensures clarity and consistency when identifying properties.