Texas Original Land Survey Data
TopoDepot.com, TopoDepotOnDVD
and SkyTopo now include all of the Texas Railroad
Commission's Texas Original Land Survey data in Vector CAD and GIS formats. These
include the Section number, Block number, Abstract number, and original patentee.
The data is in vector format, and georeferenced. TopoDepot can export the data in
a variety of projections, datums, and output formats (AutoCAD DWG, AutoCAD DXF,
ArcView SHP, Microstation DGN).
Here is an example of the data for Brooks County. The first image is of the paper survey map. The second, the TopoDepot DWG
version.
Note that the Texas Land Survey data appears on the 24KPLSS layer in TopoDepot.com
and TopoDepotonDVD. Get a free sample of your choice from the
samples page.
Glossary of terms used
by the Texas RRC
Survey
A survey is a certified measured description of a piece of land.
The term sometimes refers to the land itself.
In Texas, original surveys were performed as part of the patenting process
whereby land was transferred from the public domain.
These "patent surveys," recorded
at the Texas General Land Office, constitute an official land grid for the State
and are the basis for subsequent land surveys.
Block
A block is a defined set of original land surveys.
A block has an identifying name and/or number, and surveys within it are
usually consecutively numbered, mile square sections.
Land grants from the State of Texas to railroad companies were often patented
in blocks and sections. The term block is also used as a unit of a subdivision,
i.e., subdivision/block/lot.
Section
A section refers to a square land survey measuring exactly one mile on each side. Some of the land transferred from the
public domain by the state of Texas was surveyed and patented in units of square
miles. The Texas General Land Office officially considers these units sections. Also, it was common that larger land
grants, such as school lands and capitol lands, were subsequently surveyed into
square mile units for the convenience of sale; these surveys are also called sections. In addition, the term "section"
is commonly used to describe surveys in a group that have been assigned consecutive
survey numbers, even though some of them do not have the proper shape or size to
truly be sections.
Abstract
In Texas, the term abstract refers to an original land survey describing an area
transferred from the public domain by either the Republic of Texas or the State
of Texas. These surveys are recorded
in the "State Abstract of Land Titles,"
which is maintained by the Texas General Land Office.
Each survey so recorded is assigned an abstract number, which is unique within
the county in which the survey falls.
Because Texas has never performed a uniform statewide land survey, these original
surveys called "Patent Surveys" constitute
the State's Official Land Survey System.
DISCLAIMER
The OTLS data was generated from the Geographic Information System of the Railroad
Commission of Texas. County patent survey lines from Texas General Land Office maps
were interpreted as accurately as possible over the U.S. Geological Survey base.
The data provided by this system is continually being updated and refined and is
intended solely for the internal use of the Commission.
The Commission shall not be held liable for use of this data, which is provided
as a public service for informational purposes only.
PLEASE NOTE that this data is NOT intended to be used as an authoritative
public record for any geographic location or as a legal document and has no legal
force or effect.
Users are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, currency and/or suitability
of this data. The Commission makes no representation, guarantee or warranty as to
the accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability of this data, which is provided
“AS IS”. The Commission specifically
disclaims any and all warranties, representations or endorsements, express or implied,
with regard to this data, including, but not limited to, the warranties of merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of privately owned rights.
