chain

An old surveying unit: 66 feet, or 100 links.

A Gunter’s chain, 66 feet long and divided into 100 links. It underpins the whole PLSS: 80 chains make a mile, and 10 square chains make an acre. Distances in older deeds are frequently written as chains and links rather than decimal feet.

Where you'll see it

Surveying Basics

How to Read a Metes and Bounds Description

Deeds are written in their own language. Here is how to walk one line by line — and what the closure math is actually telling you at the end.

Features & Workflows

Drawing Old Deeds in CAD Takes Too Long

Converting chains and poles to feet takes time. Skip the math and export straight to a DXF file.

Related terms in Units of Measure

link rod vara

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