Dane County Land Information OfficeThis polygon data layer represents PLSS Sections for Dane County, Wisconsin in 2014. The dataset was originally published by the Dane County Land Information Office in 2014.[The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) or the Rectangular Survey System is used for over half of the United States. Each grid cell represents approximately 36 square miles. In creating the PLSS the government divided the land into Townships, each of which was to be 36 miles square (6 miles tall and 6 miles wide). The location of a Township is described by its position in relation to starting lines called Base Lines and Principal Meridians. A Township is identified by a Township number based on how far North or South it is from the Base Line, and a Range number based on how far East or West it is from the Principal Meridian. So a Township 3 position North of the Base Line and 4 positions West of the Principal Meridian is referred to as "T3N R4E". These townships would contain 36 Sections, each a mile square. These townships were to be oriented true to North/South, but because lines of true north eventually converge at teh North pole, it was impossible to keep the townships oriented and a square 36 miles. Because of this, Townships are rarely truly square. One the north and West side of Townships there are often tracts of land with unusual sizes. These are referred to as fractional forties and eighties.]Shapefileark:/77981/gmgsx921h9mengDane County Land Information OfficePublicPLSS Sections Dane County, Wisconsin 2014DatasetsDane CountyWisconsin2014American Geographical Society Library – UWM Libraries