What do George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln have in common besides having the distinction of being Presidents of the United States?
Photo Credit: National Park Service
All three worked as land surveyors before their political careers began. This is why Mount Rushmore National Memorial is commonly referred to as “Three surveyors and the other guy.”
Surveying was not a bad skill for a future president to possess because as the early United States continued to take form, the development of boundaries was essential to the growth and expansion of the nation. Anyone interested in claiming rights to physical property, land specifically, depended on the skills of a surveyor.
Fast-forward to present day. If you’ve ever used a physical map or relied on GPS for assistance in finding anything, whether traveling by land, air or sea, then you have a surveyor to thank.
The National Society of Professional Surveyors has designated the week of March 19-25, 2017 as National Surveyors Week. 
This week recognizes industry professionals and increases awareness with the public, students and future surveyors about this centuries-old profession.
The California Department of Consumer Affairs, through the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, licenses professional land surveyors.
Surveyor specialties vary from hydrographic surveyors, who measure the depth and bottom configuration of bodies of water, to cartographic surveyors, who use photogrammetry (the science of aerial photographs) for measurements and map production.
The Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and the California land surveying community encourage industry members and partner organizations to use this week-long celebration as an opportunity to engage with their local communities, and promote the array of career opportunities available in the surveying profession.
For more information about surveying and obtaining a license as a professional land surveyor, visit the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists website at www.bpelsg.ca.gov.
