In land surveying, what does the term "check" refer to?

In land surveying, the term "check" is indeed used to refer to a grid of townships. This concept is part of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) commonly used in the United States. The grid is made up of townships, which are six-mile-square parcels of land that are further divided into sections. Each township is identified by its number relative to a principal meridian and baseline.

The use of checks in this context helps to establish a systematic method for describing and locating parcels of land. This is particularly useful for mapping and legal descriptions, ensuring clarity and uniformity in land ownership and transactions. Understanding this terminology is crucial for professionals in the field of land surveying, as it directly relates to how land is organized and referenced in legal and governmental documents.