Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners of Massachusetts

The Topographical Survey Commission was created in Massachusetts per Resolves 1884, c 72, and during its existence had a mandate to carry out two projects: preparation of a contour topographical map of the state in conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey, and with the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (1884-1887) to produce a town boundary survey (the determination by triangulation of boundary lines of cities and towns) starting in 1885. Additional legislation was initiated to authorize the commission to resolve problems with the state boundaries with Rhode Island (Resolves 1897, c 88), New York (Resolves 1897, c 25), and Connecticut (Resolves 1898, c 39).

The Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners took over the town boundary surveys in 1901 and completed them in 1914. Beyond that date, the following agencies succeeded the board in its responsibility for state surveying: Commission on Waterways and Public Lands, in 1916; Division of Waterways and Public Lands of the Dept. of Public Works, in 1919; Dept. of Public Works as a whole, in 1927; and the department's Division of Waterways, in 1938.

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