Mary Ann
To expand the list a bit and to add a bit more than you probably wanted to know.
The vara was the Spanish and Mexican unit of linear measure that differed
slightly in length depending on local usage. The following are the "official"
conversions adopted by the USGS and BLM.
For original land surveys in the southwest to include southern Colorado.
1 vara is 32.993 inches or 4.166 links
100 varas is 4.166 chains or 274.943 feet
However in Texas surveys
1 vara is 33.333 inches or 4.209 links
100 varas is 4.209 chains or 277.777 feet
And in Florida
1 vara is 33.372 inches or 4.214 links
100 varas is 4.214 chains or 278.100 feet
If you are dealing with the French settlements of the southern US, land area was
measured in arpen (arpent is singular form).
In Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida
1 arpent is 0.84625.. acres
a square arpent measures 2.909 chains or 191.994 feet on each side.
In Arkansas and Missouri
1 arpent is 0.8507 acres
a square arpent measures 2.91667 chains or 192.500 feet on each side.
----- Original Message -----
From: <MHet703234(a)aol.com>
Subject: [COGEN] Land measurements
FYI, for those of you who have researched Deeds, but didn't know how to
figure out the measurements on them.
Mary Ann
A section of land equals 640 acres
80 chains equals 320 rods or 5,280 feet
7.92 inches are 1 link
25 links are 1 rod
4 rods or 100 links are 1 chain
a rod is 16 1/2 feet
a pole is 16 1/2 feet
a chain is 66 feet or four rods
a mile is 320 rods or 80 chains or 5,280 feet
an acre contains 43,560 square feet
an acre contains 160 square rods
an acre is 208.7 (plus) feet square
an acre is 8 rods wide by 20 rods long, or any two numbers (of rods)
whose product is 160
square feet X .000023 equal acres
square chains X 0.10 equal acres
40 chains equals 160 rods or 2,640 feet
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