Which land survey system is characterized by narrow strips stretching back from rivers or canals?

• A. Long-Lot Survey System
• B. Township and Range System
• C. Metes and Bounds System
• D. Linear Grid System

Answer: (A)

This item tests understanding of how land is divided in different surveying patterns, focusing on the way waterways shape parcel layouts. The Long-Lot Survey System consists of long, narrow parcels that stretch back from a river or canal. This design ensures that most landholders have direct access to water for irrigation, transport, and drainage, which was especially important in areas settled along major waterways. You’ll often see this pattern along the Mississippi River regions and in parts of French colonial North America. The Township and Range System uses a neat grid of roughly square parcels laid out in six-by-six-mile townships, oriented to cardinal directions, which is about standardized land division rather than water access. Metes and Bounds defines irregular plots based on natural landmarks like trees, streams, and stone fences, leading to uneven shapes. A Linear Grid System isn’t the classic way these lands were organized and doesn’t describe parcels stacked along water routes. So the description fits Long-Lot Survey System.