Convert Chain (ch) to Furlong (US Survey) (fur (US)) instantly.
About these units
Chain (ch)
A chain is equal to 66 feet or 4 rods, and it was standardized by surveyor Edmund Gunter in the 17th century. "Gunter's chain," consisting of 100 metal links, became the backbone of land surveying in the English-speaking world for centuries. Its convenience stems from simple arithmetic: 10 square chains make an acre, making land area calculations straightforward. Railroads, farmland, and city parcels across the United States and the Commonwealth nations were once laid out using chains, so the unit appears in countless historical records. Even today, some legal property descriptions still reference chain-based measurements, making the unit relevant for modern surveyors who interpret old maps. Although high-precision digital equipment has replaced physical chains, the unit's structural role in land division ensures its lasting importance.
Furlong (US Survey) (fur (US))
The US Survey Furlong is defined as 660 US Survey Feet (~201.168 meters), exactly 10 US survey chains. It was historically used in land measurement, agriculture, and railroads. Furlongs remain relevant for interpreting historical property layouts and land grants, particularly in rural and agricultural contexts. The unit's convenience derives from its direct relationship with the acre and chain, facilitating rapid calculation of large land areas. While the furlong is largely obsolete in modern measurement, it persists in legal and historical survey references, bridging imperial traditions and contemporary land-use documentation.