Ripley County Surveyor Jeff French Hours: 8:00-4:00 Monday - Friday Phone: 812-689-0504 Fax: 812-689-1505 Email: surveyor@ripleycounty.com We are located on the 2nd floor of the Annex building 1st door going west from the elevator View Surveyor Duties This is Ripley County Surveyor's Web Site and I am your Ripley County Surveyor, Jeff French. My staff and I have been working very hard to make this office the Best Place to Start when you need answers to any Land or Property Issues. Ripley County GIS WHAT CAN I EXPECT TO FIND? The Auditor's Tax Maps The Recorder's records since 1989 Tax information Aerial views of each 1 sq. mile section The Ripley County zoning book Copies of most recorded surveys Drainage issues information Approximate boundary lines The location of your deed Tax parcel numbers Adjoining owners The Ripley County zoning maps Historical surveys since 1835 Misc. other land questions WHO CAN USE THIS INFORMATION? Surveyors Real Estate Agents Appraisers Abstractors Contractors AND YOU-THE PROPERTY OWNER WHEN WOULD I NEED THIS INFORMATION? When you are buying, selling, investing in, or developing property If a boundary location is unknown or unclear Before improvements are made When timber is cut When you want to put your land in government programs If you want to re-zone your property If you want to know who owns any property in Ripley county When you have a problem USEFUL INFORMATION A chain is 66 feet A rod is the same as a pole or a perch, which is 16.5 feet There are 640 acres in a square mile A section is 1 square mile An acre is 43,560 square feet A link is 7.92 inches or (.01 x 66 feet) A quarter section is 1/4 of a square mile=160 acres A quarter quarter section is 1/4 of a quarter section = 40 acres THE LAND ORDINANCE OF 1785 It created a standard U.S. land unit, the 6 mile square township. Each township contained 36 square miles with each square mile being called a section. Each section has 640 acres. Every township boundary was to be physically marked ahead of settlement. Each corner of each of the 36 was also to be marked. This was called the Rectangular System Thomas Jefferson, a surveyor, instigated this system, with the help of Hugh Williamson, a Penn. Mathematician, who designed it from the Dutch farmlands, whose field designs dated back to early Roman occupation. Indiana was sectioned off in 1807. Copies of those original notes are in this office. Today we have a program called the Corner Perpetuation Program that is designed to help Ripley County re-establish those section corners. What does this have to do with your property? By using Jefferson's Rectangular System and having surveys tie into those corners, deeds can be written so that every piece of property can be easily located. My staff is trained to read surveys and deeds and will take the time to help you understand what all those lines and numbers mean. So Come In! Check Us Out! It's Your Office! Someone will be in the office to help you find the answers you need or we will be able to tell you where, or how you can solve your land issues. You are always welcome at the Ripley County Surveyor's Office. Remember: This is the best place to start! Sincerely, Jeff French Ripley County Surveyor Ripley County