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bulksalty t1_jad4d3k wrote

The curvy borders of Texas follow rivers (often based on the river course at some fixed point in time). The straight borders are specific latitude and longitude lines, for example the panhandle is formed by the 100th and 103rd meridians on either side up to 36 degrees 30 minute latitude for the northern border.

Surveyors use a variety of methods (GPS and lasers today) to convert a legal line into a physical straight line on the ground.

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Moggy-Man OP t1_jad52o6 wrote

"The straight borders are specific latitude and longitude lines, for example the panhandle is formed by the 100th and 103rd meridians on either side up to 36 degrees 30 minute latitude for the northern border."

Okay now that actually makes sense to me and my laypersons knowledge of how map borders are formed.

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