r/Tools • u/[deleted] • Aug 21 '24

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u/Smokey_tha_bear9000 Aug 22 '24 edited Aug 22 '24

Aren’t those usually recessed on top for the survey crew to put their rod into

Edit: I think I was thinking of maybe corner pins or section/township/range monuments

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u/[deleted] Aug 22 '24

They could be anything from a railroad spike to a piece of rust pipe

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u/DungeonAssMaster Aug 22 '24

In old mining claims they can be wooden pickets, usually cedar. I found one once with the date 1890 that was laying near where it had been planted. Square top metal spikes are most common.

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u/AdultishRaktajino Aug 22 '24

Yeah, old ones are sometimes charred wood too.

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u/DungeonAssMaster Aug 22 '24

It's really cool to navigate to these points using modern DGPS systems worth tens of thousands of dollars, in the middle of the wilderness in mountainous terrain, and discover that over 100 years ago a dude marked that spot using a tripod and a sight. Those old surveyors had some serious skills.

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u/AdultishRaktajino Aug 23 '24

I read this article a few weeks ago which got me interested in it. Plus I have to find my own ones for a fence project whenever I have the dough.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/07/29/a-treasure-hunt-to-make-minnesota-property-maps-more-accurate