Convert Square Rod (US Survey) (rod² (US)) to Homestead (homestead) instantly.
About these units
Square Rod (US Survey) (rod² (US))
The US survey square rod is defined using the survey foot and differs negligibly from the international square rod. This distinction matters in legal contexts, especially when interpreting older property descriptions dating back to the 19th-century PLSS-era surveys. The unit persists primarily in legal documents and rural land records, ensuring that historical boundaries remain consistent even as measurement standards evolve.
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.