Second principal meridian, Survey meridian in Indiana, United States
The Second Principal Meridian is a survey line running through Indiana at longitude 86°27'21''W that serves as a reference for land measurements and property boundaries. This line forms one of the foundational measurement lines of the American survey system.
Established in 1805, this meridian became part of the Public Land Survey System that organized westward expansion across America. It provided the foundation for systematically dividing and distributing land to settlers across vast territories.
The meridian influenced settlement patterns in Indiana and eastern Illinois by providing a structured framework for land distribution to incoming settlers.
Today surveyors and property developers still use this meridian as a reference point for determining land boundaries across Indiana. Visitors can walk along this invisible line that runs north to south through the landscape.
The intersection of this meridian with its baseline at 38°28'14''N marks the origin point from which all Indiana township surveys began. This location serves as the pivotal reference for the entire regional survey network.
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