CK Surveying P.C.

07/04/2026

Today, the United States marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

It is worth remembering that the nation was not only declared into existence; it was measured into one. Surveyors mapped the territory, established the boundaries, and built the framework, including the Public Land Survey System of 1785, that determined how the country would grow.

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln all worked as surveyors before public life. The discipline they practiced is the same one NSPS members carry forward today.

As we celebrate America's 250th, we are proud to represent the professionals who continue to define the ground beneath it.

Read more about Mount Rushmore here: https://nsps.us.com/page/mountrushmore

Happy Independence Day from NSPS.

America250

05/25/2026

05/10/2026

📍 Culture | 86 W Main St, Franklin, NC 28734

Make this week your week. 💪✨
Join us Thursday 4/30 from 4–6 PM at Culture for Macon County Professionals Networking.

Come say hey, make a few new connections, and leave with some momentum. 🤝🔥

04/24/2026

The US Supreme Court will not take the case of a North Carolina drone company owner challenging state licensing restrictions.

03/31/2026

Sorry a little all the surveyors busy!

Are you a surveying company planning outreach for National Surveyors' Week (March 15–21)? Make sure you've got your NSPS swag in time.

Get in touch before it's too late! nsps.us.com/page/NSW

Theme: Surveyors | Measuring America for 250 Years

America250

03/31/2026

. Did you know, before GPS satellites and steel pins, American surveyors in remote wilderness built stone cairns, stacked rock monuments that still stand today as silent witnesses to early land surveys.

In the 1800s, survey teams hauled local stones to peaks across the American West, the Rocky Mountains and the Alaska frontier, creating 2–4 meter high beacons for triangulation networks.

These simple but ingenious piles marked precise survey stations and boundaries where trees were scarce or wooden posts wouldn't survive harsh conditions.

The genius?

Using only what nature provided to create durable, visible markers that could outlast weather, wildfire and time itself. Some cairns served as reference points for township surveys, mining claims and railroad routes that shaped America's westward expansion.

Today, modern surveyors still reference surviving cairns to retrace original property lines and verify historic boundaries, proof that some of the best surveying methods transcend technology.

These monuments connect us to the skilled professionals who mapped our nation one stone at a time.

Ever discovered a historic cairn in the field? We'd love to hear your story!

At NSPS, we honor our profession's heritage while embracing cutting-edge technology.

Join 17,000+ surveyors preserving surveying traditions: https://nsps.us.com/page/membership

This post is sponsored by Civil & Environmental Consultants

03/31/2026

Ready to take your surveying career to the next level? The Certified Survey Technician (CST) program offers a nationally recognized pathway for surveying and mapping technicians to validate their skills and advance their careers.

Sponsored by NSPS, CST certification demonstrates your commitment to professional excellence.

Why pursue CST certification?
▪️Validate your technical competency at a specific level
▪️Gain national recognition for your skills
▪️Open doors to new job opportunities and advancement
▪️Stand out to employers looking for qualified technicians
▪️Build a foundation for future professional licensure

The program features four levels of certification covering both field and office tracks, with testing parameters defined through specific work elements and hands-on examples.

Whether you're just starting out or have years of experience, there's a CST level that matches your expertise.

Ready to get certified? Learn more and register today: https://cstnsps.com/

Not an NSPS member yet? Join now for exclusive professional development resources: https://nsps.us.com/page/membership

02/20/2026

: Before GPS, before concrete monuments and before iron pins became standard, early American surveyors often relied on nature's most enduring markers: witness trees. 🌳

Also called 'bearing trees,' these carefully selected trees served as living backup systems for boundary corners throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. When surveyors established a corner under the U.S. Public Land Survey System, they'd set a physical marker, often just a wooden post that might rot away, then choose several nearby sturdy trees as permanent reference points.

The process was methodical: blazing or notching the bark, recording the tree species, measuring the exact distance and compass bearing from the corner. This created a triangulated description that could relocate a boundary point even centuries later, long after the original post had vanished.

Why trees?

Early surveyors chose large, visible, long-lived species because they were free, durable 'signposts' naturally anchored in the landscape. In dense forests where markers could be lost to shifting soil or removed by settlers, multiple witness trees around a corner provided redundancy that saved countless boundary disputes.

Today, modern surveyors still search for these historic trees. When found, a witness tree centuries old can unlock the exact location of original property lines, help resolve boundary disputes and provide a tangible connection to the surveyors who walked those lands before theodolites gave way to total stations and compasses to GPS.

These living monuments don't just mark boundaries; they tell stories.

Their growth rings record environmental history, while their blazed bark preserves human history: settlements, land divisions and the meticulous work of surveyors who understood that some markers need to outlast generations.

From wooden stakes to witness trees to GPS satellites, surveying has always been about creating permanent records for the future. Some methods just last longer than others.

Have you ever discovered a witness tree in the field?

Join NSPS to connect with professionals who honor our profession's heritage while embracing modern technology: https://nsps.us.com/page/membership

01/16/2026

Surveyors: The hidden architects of our world

Ever wonder how your favorite park, neighborhood, or bridge got built in the right spot? That’s where surveyors come in.

Surveyors measure and map land so cities grow safely, roads stay straight, and property lines are accurate. They work outdoors, in offices, and even use drones and GPS technology to keep everything precise.

At NSPS, we support these professionals, giving them the tools and knowledge they need to protect communities, natural resources, and infrastructure.

Next time you see a surveyor with a GNSS receiver or total station, remember: they’re laying the foundation for the world around you.

Want to find out more about surveying and the NSPS? Head to our website: https://nsps.us.com/

This post is sponsored by - and image provided by CHCNAV.