JamesHW
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2009
- Messages
- 528
- Tractor
- BCS 853 w/ loaded tires
I'm fortunate with my 80 (just about) acres since all of the adjacent owners land is forested, even the smaller frontage lots my mom sold off over the years to pay the taxes. No fences as I suspect no one wants to go to the expense.
My family is the second owner having purchased from the original owner's heirs around 1905. I believe that family purchased the land around when the original house was built in the mid 1800's. The Northern lot line follows one of the original "Kaydeross Patent" survey lines from the 1700's, which is marked with a bronze marker in the middle of the road opposite my NW corner. I come across border trees which still have a reddish hash mark carved into them, though these are getting harder to find over the years. The original description on the deed contains references to a "white oak" at one corner.
My mom had to have the lot surveyed by an excellent surveyor when she sold the first lot in the early 60's. That surveyor placed galvanized posts at the corners back in the woods which I have located. The corners of the frontage lots are a bit more complicated as the markers are either driven down along the road (to facilitate mowing I suppose) and the back corners are in the woods and difficult to find, even with civi GPS. I've found a few, more out of curiosity then any particular need, although lately I have started posting the property due to some dumping that I discovered (old carpeting and a washing machine). In order to get an idea as to where the lot lines are in relation to the topography in Photoshop I overlaid a topo map, the tax map showing the lots onto a satelite image I stitched together from internet resources. The image below only shows my lot, but the overall image is huge and include nearby roads to allow some accuracy in my overlay. Nothing scientific, but it gives me a good idea as to the lay of the land, especially back in the woods and for getting a decent idea as to where to place my posted signs so not to infringe on neighbors lots (I try to err on the side of caution).
If there are any disputes on the actual lot lines down the road, they would likely involve tree cutting. But the only ones doing that would be the lot adjacent to the South which is owned by NY State. the last time they cleared that lot in the 70's I remember them being very careful to establish the line prior to removing any timber.
Surveying is an interesting subject and I've started learning some of the basics like traversing, and the use of a plane table and alidade. Most of my resources for reading up on this stuff comes from old .mil manuals which can be found free on the net. I'd like to learn working with a transit, but it is difficult to get anyone to help, unless I can train a dog to hold a story pole straight (look, a squirrel!).
Since we are planning on building a second house on the property for our retirement I guess we will need a survey done. The last quote I got a few years ago was about 7k for a complete survey which I thought was high, but now not so sure.
My family is the second owner having purchased from the original owner's heirs around 1905. I believe that family purchased the land around when the original house was built in the mid 1800's. The Northern lot line follows one of the original "Kaydeross Patent" survey lines from the 1700's, which is marked with a bronze marker in the middle of the road opposite my NW corner. I come across border trees which still have a reddish hash mark carved into them, though these are getting harder to find over the years. The original description on the deed contains references to a "white oak" at one corner.
My mom had to have the lot surveyed by an excellent surveyor when she sold the first lot in the early 60's. That surveyor placed galvanized posts at the corners back in the woods which I have located. The corners of the frontage lots are a bit more complicated as the markers are either driven down along the road (to facilitate mowing I suppose) and the back corners are in the woods and difficult to find, even with civi GPS. I've found a few, more out of curiosity then any particular need, although lately I have started posting the property due to some dumping that I discovered (old carpeting and a washing machine). In order to get an idea as to where the lot lines are in relation to the topography in Photoshop I overlaid a topo map, the tax map showing the lots onto a satelite image I stitched together from internet resources. The image below only shows my lot, but the overall image is huge and include nearby roads to allow some accuracy in my overlay. Nothing scientific, but it gives me a good idea as to the lay of the land, especially back in the woods and for getting a decent idea as to where to place my posted signs so not to infringe on neighbors lots (I try to err on the side of caution).
If there are any disputes on the actual lot lines down the road, they would likely involve tree cutting. But the only ones doing that would be the lot adjacent to the South which is owned by NY State. the last time they cleared that lot in the 70's I remember them being very careful to establish the line prior to removing any timber.
Surveying is an interesting subject and I've started learning some of the basics like traversing, and the use of a plane table and alidade. Most of my resources for reading up on this stuff comes from old .mil manuals which can be found free on the net. I'd like to learn working with a transit, but it is difficult to get anyone to help, unless I can train a dog to hold a story pole straight (look, a squirrel!).
Since we are planning on building a second house on the property for our retirement I guess we will need a survey done. The last quote I got a few years ago was about 7k for a complete survey which I thought was high, but now not so sure.
