Distinctly Montana Magazine

65 w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m wanted to claim. More initial points were needed, so survey crews, following in- structions from the General Land Office, jumped ahead to new lands and set up initial points moving west. Eventually thirty-two initial points were established in the contiguous states. A network of meridians and base lines crossed the country, and in fact, many cit- ies and towns throughout states west of the original thirteen have roads or high- ways that are, to this day, called Meridian Avenue, Base Line Road, or something similar. t t t Montana became a territory in 1864. Soon after, Solomon Meredith, a brig- adier general in the Civil War, was ap- pointed surveyor general of Montana Territory. He laid out the townsites of Fort Benton and Deer Lodge, and in 1865 was commissioned to create the first map of the territory. In May 1867, the General Land Office sent Meredith instructions about survey- ing the territory so settlers could move in. In their instructions to Meredith, the General Land Office wrote, "Your first duty will be to determine the initial point of surveys, or the point for the Principal Base with the Principal Meridian line to govern public surveys in Montana. It is desired that Beaver Head Rock, a re- markable landmark overhanging the riv- er of that name be selected, unless a more prominent and suitable point exists." The instructions also told Meredith to extend the lines of public surveys to the mining regions and to survey the claims in strict conformity to the law. THE CHAINS WERE HEAVY AND DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. THE CREW HAD TO WALK THE CHAIN OUT TO ITS FULL LENGTH, TRYING TO AVOID SKEWING THE MEASUREMENT BY TOO MUCH UP AND DOWN OR WINDING THROUGH TREES, THEN RECORD THE LOCATION AND MOVE ON.

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