How to Read a Plat Book
Plat maps were drawn at the time villages, towns and cities were founded. Federal land acts required surveying and platting before land was put up for sale. Surveyors drew plat maps by measuring the land and creating intricate cartographic reproductions of the physical (rivers, streams and lakes) and man-made (roads, bridges and boundary markings) features. Unlike county tax assessor maps, plat maps are not recognized as legal documents for proving ownership or for resolving boundary disputes.
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Things You'll Need
- State and county plat map
- Sectional plat map
- Adjacent sectional plat maps
Instructions
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1
Review the basic terms used on the plat map. "Tier" and "range" are used in the same manner as letters and numbers, the horizontal and vertical directional clues, utilized on modern maps. Counties are divided into "townships" and "sections." A township is an area that measures 6x6 square miles. Sections are 1x1 mile or 640 acres. One quarter section equals 160 acres. Plat map books explain how the land was surveyed and include a specialized legend indicating the meaning of each symbol. These may not be the same for each plat book, so review the legends and the survey methods for each book.
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2
Examine state or county overview maps to place the smaller plat map into a geographic framework. The orientation this provides should assist in understanding the physical features on the smaller plat map.
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3
Conceptualize an idealized plat map of the area. A pure plat map would be divided exactly using township, section and quarter section acreage. Note the physical geographic features interfering with this surveying technique.
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4
Examine earlier plat maps for the area. As land was traded, inherited and sold, the divisions listed in Step 2 became less clear and orderly. When examining plat maps with numerous alterations to the original platting, a look at earlier plat maps should help you understand the changes made each year (or decade).
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Read the plat clues at the top of each page. The tier and range numbers are printed there too. These numbers assist in quickly placing the smaller plat map into the overall state map. Each of the numbers provides a direction, such as Tier-10 North and Range-1 West. The directional language should guide you to the general plat area. Check the master state map in the front of the book to find the location of ranges and tiers. Read the plat clues for county divisions. Counties are divided into numbered townships. Township names are also printed at the top of each page. Within the townships, sections and quarter sections are numbered.
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Tips & Warnings
There are differences between plat maps and directory maps. Directory maps either list rural land owners (or residents) within the property boundaries or number the parcels and list owners on a separate page using these numbers. Directory maps also indicate the type of roads (trail, paved or gravel) in the township. Some counties combine recording information from the plat and directory maps, but this will be indicated at the beginning of the book.
