Montana/Dakotas
Cadastral Survey Records
Official survey notes and plats for Montana are currently being scanned and uploaded to the GLO Records web site. For survey records not yet uploaded to this site contact the Montana State Office Public Room at MT SO Information@blm.gov or call (406) 896-5000 to request specific survey notes and plats. Charges for copying records vary depending upon requests. Please see the Cost Recovery Fees page for a complete list of charges. Our office maintains both survey notes and plats for Montana, but only survey plats for North and South Dakota. North and South Dakota are considered "closed" states, and requesters must obtain copies of notes from the appropriate state agency: North Dakota - North Dakota State Water Commission State Office Bldg 900 East Blvd Bismarck ND 58505 PH 701 328-2750 Web site: http://survey.swc.nd.gov/
All of North and South Dakota are surveyed, but there are portions of Montana that remain unsurveyed, due to the remoteness and topography of the area. For unsurveyed areas, a protraction diagram will exist. Contact the Public Room for these records. Surveys are defined as original, resurvey, retracement, and remonumentation. The original survey is the first survey done of an area; it can cover an entire township, or just a portion. Resurveys are any subsequent surveys performed on an area already surveyed. A retracement ascertains the direction and length of lines and identifies monuments and other marks of an established prior suvey. If a previous corner marker is replaced in the location, it's called a remonumentation. Section subdivision surveys were seldom conducted during the course of the original surveys. The boundaries and acreage of aliquot parts and lots of a section were protracted, based on mathematic calculations. Section subdivision surveys are conducted as necessary to identify these boundaries on the ground. |
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