Discover the Life and Work of the Nineteenth Century Land Surveyor

Discover the Life and Work of the Nineteenth Century Land Surveyor at Plum Grove Historic Home

What do George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert Lucas, First Governor of the Iowa Territory all have in common? They all served as land surveyors. As Iowa was being settled in the mid-1800s, the role of the land surveyor was extremely important. Surveyors plotted out state and county borders, surveyed land parcels so the U.S. Government could sell it to settlers, and helped to lay-out new towns.

Discover more about the importance of land surveyors in early Iowa on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at Plum Grove Historic Home, 1030 Carroll St., Iowa City, the 1844 home of Robert and Friendly Lucas. From 2:00-4:00 p.m., Richard Leu, licensed land surveyor and reenactor, will bring the mid-1800s surveyor to life. Visitors will have a chance to learn about the importance of surveyors in Iowa in the 1800s, get a glimpse at the grueling dawn to dusk life of the surveyor, take a close-up look at the surveyor’s tools, see a demonstration of surveying techniques, and learn how to read early land descriptions.

The program is free and open to the public. No reservations are necessary. For more information, call Plum Grove Historic Home at 337-6846 or the Johnson County Historical Society at 351-5738.

Professional Land Surveyor Source

Johnson County Historical Society