| Without the introduction of a rectangular | | | | known description of the surveying system based |
| surveying system, land surveying in the United | | | | on squares that would become known as the |
| States may have taken a completely different | | | | rectangular survey system or Public Land Survey |
| form. Before the Revolutionary War, surveys | | | | System. Hutchins' complete and detailed |
| used physical features, like streams, lakes, or | | | | descriptions served as the basis for Bouquet's |
| large trees, to identify property. The problem with | | | | expedition journal during his march to Ohio to |
| this 'metes and bounds' system was that it was | | | | confront the Indian forces. When taken together, |
| greatly affected by simple changes to the physical | | | | the maps, descriptions, and journals allow one to |
| landscape, such as a tree being knocked over by | | | | accurately trace the journey. Hutchins' notes |
| wind. Plus, it was not very useful for those who | | | | included a plotted and drafted map to the scale of |
| were not physically on the land that was | | | | 1:62,500, the same scale used today in U.S. |
| surveyed, and were trying to understand the | | | | Geological Survey maps. |
| survey results from a distant location. This all | | | | The Public Land Survey system, based on |
| changed just before the Revolutionary War | | | | Hutchins' surveying methods, separates lands into |
| because of the actions of two British soldiers, | | | | townships (six miles square), sections (640 acres), |
| Colonel Henry Bouquet and Ensign Thomas | | | | and quarter sections (160 acres). It completely |
| Hutchins. We have these two soldiers to thank | | | | replaced the old "metes and bounds" system as |
| for system that became the Public Land Survey | | | | the dominant surveying system in the fledgling |
| System, used to survey much of the United | | | | United States. Thomas Jefferson, who was |
| States. | | | | interested in science and surveying, developed the |
| Henry Bouquet was a British Army officer who | | | | PLSS based on Bouquet and Hutchins' notes in the |
| fought in the French and Indian War. He is | | | | 1780s, and it was adopted by the United States |
| perhaps most widely known for his victory over | | | | Congress in 1785. |
| Native Americans during Pontiac's War, but his | | | | Later, as Surveyor General of the United States, |
| accomplishments in land surveying are perhaps | | | | Hutchins supervised the first surveys under the |
| even more important. Born in Switzerland, | | | | Public Land Survey System, and personally applied |
| Bouquet entered the military at the age of 17 and | | | | this system in the surveying of the Seven |
| soon found himself traveling the world. As the | | | | Ranges townships in eastern Ohio. |
| legend goes, while stationed in Greece, he learned | | | | Colonel Bouquet was promoted to Brigadier |
| about the rectangular survey system that he | | | | General in 1765, placing him in control of all British |
| would later introduce to the new world. | | | | forces then located in the southern colonies. His |
| Bouquet entered the British Amy in 1756, | | | | sudden death came in September of that year, |
| becoming involved in the French and Indian War. | | | | probably due to yellow fever. His military activities |
| After this conflict, Colonel Bouquet became | | | | have earned him the reputation as "one of the |
| involved in Pontiac's War on the frontier. This | | | | most unappreciated British Army officers from |
| conflict grew after Pontiac, an Ottawa leader, | | | | the pre-Revolutionary War period in North |
| urged Native American tribes that lost in the | | | | America." He was known for his highly trained |
| French and Indian War to fight together against | | | | military mind, military discipline, tactical skill, and |
| the British and they began overtaking western | | | | patience, all certainly qualities that influenced his |
| outposts. Bouquet became the commander of | | | | willingness to use this new surveying system. The |
| nearly 1,500 men by the fall of 1764, marching | | | | plan adopted by the Northwest Ordinance in 1785 |
| them first to Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania, and then to | | | | and used for the Public Land Survey system is |
| the Ohio region. | | | | officially attributed to Hutchins. |
| One of his 1,500 men was Ensign Thomas | | | | Though certainly Hutchins and Bouquet did not |
| Hutchins. After his appointment as chief engineer | | | | realize it at the time, their surveying method |
| of the expedition, he surveyed the route as the | | | | would actually be used across nearly the whole |
| troops moved towards Ford Pitt and then to Ohio. | | | | continent. The Public Land Survey System was |
| In 1765 his accounts of the expedition were | | | | used to survey the Louisiana Purchase, which |
| published; the most important section was the | | | | approximately doubled the size of the United |
| appendix, which provided a general outline for the | | | | States. |
| government survey of lands. This is the first | | | | |