The Land Surveyor

Written By Kenny Marhoffer

Surveyors have been around for thousands of years and will continue to be around for as long as there is ground to be measured, land to be transferred and infrastructure to be built. What is a Land Surveyor, and how can you be one?

From The Beginning

Surveying is believed to be the second oldest profession in the world. What defined a profession so long ago? I believe it would include anyone that is providing a paid and/or skilled service. For example, the oldest of the professions is prostitution. Next in line, and not even remotely related, is surveying! How’s that for a history lesson?

Plimpton 322 and the beginning of Land Surveying, one of the worlds oldest professions.

The Origin Story:

The land surveying profession has been documented back to ancient Egypt, with some controversy on whether it started there or in the Mesopotamian area of Babylon around 3,700 to 4,000 years ago. One of the oldest known artifacts containing a mathematical equation used for surveying is called “Plimpton 322” which was created in the Old Babylonian period (1900-1600 BCE). Surveyors at this time were known as Rope Stretchers. They did exactly how it sounds: stretched rope with knots tied at specific increments used for measuring. Other tools were used such as plumb bobs, leveling instruments, rods, and clay tablets for recording (figure Si.427). Land was just as valuable in these times, and Rope Stretchers were hired by Royalty and Priests to perform these geometrical observations that were considered very sacred. However, they were not used so much for transferring land or identifying ownership; they measured land to calculate crops grown in the season, and to divide land for tax collecting (I guess not much has changed). In Egypt specifically, all land was owned by the Pharoh, and the Pharoh had one of the largest projects on earth to pay for.

If you are a die-hard conspiracy theorist, this next section may not be for you. The ropes mentioned previously were precisely incremented with 13 knots and were used to lay out an equilateral triangle and a right triangle of 3, 4, 5 side units. This means they could lay out perfect squares. It also means they had enough geometrical and trigonometrical data to lay out the Pyramid of Giza under the direction of the Pharoh. Right angles were laid out on the ground in relative position to the cardinal directions with marvelous accuracy using their tools and solar observations. Unfortunately, there were never any architectural plans that stood the test of time, and there was never physical evidence of the equipment used, however they are the most widely accepted theories of the Pyramid (G. Dash). Aliens are still a fun concept though.

The Hunter, The Surveyor, and The Spy:

Moving on to more recent history around the creation of the United States, some of the highest regarded new settlers were surveyors. It was a skill so valued, even George Washington himself was a Land Surveyor.

Land was surveyed to accommodate the new settlers, to fulfill “warrants” for revolutionary war soldiers, and to drive the Native Americans west. Teams of surveyors took to the land and barely made it out alive on every expedition. They consisted of a group of men that had a role in their survival every day. In the lead was the Hunter, the man who first spotted danger and hunted for food for the whole crew. Following close by was the Surveyor, who was mapping and recording the measurements. Next in line were the Chainmen, who pulled a chain of merely 66’ and measured the ground along the way. Once the lines were measured, a Marker followed up next setting wooden posts about every mile along the path. The packhorse-man was not far behind them pulling a covered wagon full of tents, food and materials needed for their expedition. And lastly, the Spy. The man at the back of the line watching for anyone following them and the eminent dangers that lurked the woods.

Native Americans were a threat to the new settlers and forts were built to house them while treaties, laws and agreements were being put in place. Walls of entire tree trunks were placed vertically to shield from arrows and weapons. It was all too common for people to turn up scalped, kidnapped or killed by their new neighbors. The dense woods of the Midwest hid the Native Americans like they were ghosts, always following and watching with silent footsteps.

The forests were of old growth trees so dense in areas the sunlight couldn’t penetrate through the canopies. Buffalo, elk, bear and wolves roamed the forests while ecosystems thrived in the canopies. This foreign land was sacred hunting ground to the Native Americans, and the invasion of the new settlers was not welcome. Eventually, the Native Americans were driven further and further west until the land was deemed safe to leave the walls of their forts. Settlements started to take off and land was divided for what would be the beginning of the United States of America.

Some of these forts are still standing today and open for tours, including Fort Steuben (1786), Fort Meigs (1813) and Fort Loramie (1769) located in Ohio (to name a few).

Fast Forward:

As history advances, so do the tools and methods used for surveying. Ropes with knots eventually turned into chains and poles. The compass was later invented and soon enough, so was the transit and theodolite. Now we have laser scanners, GPS units, robotic total stations, UAVs and much more. Surveying has advanced more in the last 30 years than it ever has in history. Chances are if you started surveying in the late 1980’s to current, you’ve been exposed to just about every surveying instrument created. Surveying has also evolved into many more facets and niches with the use of LiDAR, UAVs, laser scanners and photogrammetry. Surveying expands from the ground to the sky, on land and at sea.

Examples of the disciplines of surveying include:

Surveyors Today

Land surveyors evolved into professionals of their practice, mastering the art and science of measuring a 2D or 3D surface while maintaining a high level of professionalism bounded by law to protect the public.

The One-Man Crew:

As surveying tools and equipment have advanced, there is no longer a need for a large survey crew on the average project. The use of Satellites, GPS, Robotic Total Stations, and LiDAR have reduced the process down to just one or two highly skilled men/women. Although the process of surveying has been simplified, in order to understand how to survey and how the data is calculated, you must understand the fundamentals used by your predecessors. The advanced technology of today hasn’t always existed. All of the measurements are the same, only now are they more accurate.

The Shortage:

The land surveyor evolved into the field crew, the drafter and the businessman all in one. With the need of only one or two people to complete a surveying project, less and less people are involved in the profession to promote it. Less people are entering into the profession as well, with only 14% of surveyors being under the age of 34 and the majority of surveyors being in their late 50’s and 60’s and heading into retirement.

How To Become a Land Surveyor

If it isn’t obvious by now, surveyors may spend a lot of time outdoors. You may be outside in the rain, snow, and sunshine, on cold days and miserably hot days. You may have to jump a fence or two or cross a creek. You may have to find a property corner in the middle of the thickest set of briars in the whole county. You may need to be in an office for several days drafting your work. You may have your own business and can set the perfect 50/50 office to field schedule. You will need to problem solve, apply yourself mentally and physically, and really be passionate about your career to succeed and enjoy what you are doing. There are days that are hard, and there are days where you are working in cadence with nature and the land and you stop and say to yourself, “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” It’s the love/hate relationship that makes everyone fall in love with being a surveyor.

If you are still reading and are slightly interested in becoming a land surveyor, there are a few steps you must take to start your career.

Schooling and Licensure:

To become a licensed Professional Land Surveyor (PS or PLS), it is required to have a 2- or 4-year degree at an ABET accredited college (in most US States). We will use Ohio as an example; however, the requirements vary per state:

  • Bachelor’s of Land Surveying and Mapping at an ABET accredited College

  • Passing the F.S. Exam

    • Can be taken your final semester of college with a written letter stating you are on track for graduation

    • Will earn an (S.I.) Surveyor Intern certificate

  • Passing the P.S. Exam for Licensure

If you want to be a surveyor with no interest in becoming licensed, there are many opportunities for you as well. When you are entering into a profession, it is always wise to expand your credentials as far as you can take it. For some people, being licensed may not be important to them and they would rather earn a good living working under a licensed professional. Job positions for most unlicensed surveyors include becoming a survey technician drafting and organizing the field data, or a field survey technician that supports a licensed surveyor with field work. Most licensed surveyors have a team that work alongside them, and a survey technician is almost always part of that team. If this is a more attractive option to you, you can apply for your C.S.T. (Certified Survey Technician) with NSPS to boost your credentials when not looking to acquire a professional license (it is also very cost effective, can be completed in a few hours and looks great on a resume).

Wrap It Up

It is hard to summarize and educate in just one post about a career that is “as long in the tooth” as land surveying. The fate of the land surveyor relies on educating the public on who we are, what we do and the importance of our role in the development of the human environment. Our skill translates the same across the world while touching almost every corner of the earth. As long as there is ground to be measured, land to be transferred and infrastructure to be built, there will always be a need for the Land Surveyor.


Mikaela Corbett & Kenny Marhoffer

January 8, 2024

References:

What's a Rope-Stretcher? - The American Surveyor (amerisurv.com)

G. Dash, ‘Occam’s Egyptian razor: the equinox and the alignment of the pyramids’, JAEA 2, 2017, pp. 1-8.

Plimpton 322: A Study of Rectangles | Foundations of Science (springer.com)

Roush, Herbert. The Adventurer, the story of a common man who helped settle the Northwest Territory. Gateway Press, Inc. 1994

The Surveyor's Basic Tools (surveyhistory.org)

http://touringohio.com/history/ohio-surveyors.html

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-01-02-0004

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-fortlist/

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES - National Society of Professional Surveyors (nsps.us.com)

Kenny Marhoffer