Convert Homestead (homestead) to Square Mile (US Survey) (mi² (US)) instantly.
About these units
Homestead (homestead)
A homestead is not a strictly fixed area unit but historically referred to land parcels granted under the U.S. Homestead Act of 1862, typically 160 acres, or 1/4 of a section. These homesteads were offered to settlers willing to cultivate and improve the land. The 160-acre parcel was chosen to be large enough to sustain a family farm in many regions, though this proved inadequate in drier western areas. While no longer an official area unit, "homestead" is deeply embedded in American cultural memory and historical land-use patterns. In legal and historical contexts, it often implicitly means a quarter-section, preserving its measurement-like nature.
Square Mile (US Survey) (mi² (US))
The US survey square mile is extremely close to the international square mile but is defined using the US survey foot, a slightly different value than the international foot historically used in land surveying. This unit appears in American land deeds, cadastral maps, and federal land management documents. The Public Land Survey System (PLSS), which divided much of the western United States into townships and sections, relied heavily on survey-based square miles. Although the modern US has transitioned to the international foot (as of 2023), historical land descriptions remain legally tied to the survey-based definition, ensuring its continued relevance.