What are valid monuments in a legal description?

Valid monuments in a legal description are physical markers that help define the boundaries of a property. They need to be tangible and recognizable features in the landscape that can assist surveyors and others in identifying property lines. Monuments such as trees, large rocks, stream beds or banks, and section corners serve this purpose effectively. Each of these features can be used as reliable reference points due to their permanence and distinctiveness.

Trees and large rocks, for instance, are often used because they are natural and difficult to move. Stream beds and banks provide clear delineations of property boundaries that can be easily identified and are unlikely to change over time, making them excellent natural monuments. Section corners, which are established points in a survey system, also serve as crucial identifying markers for property boundaries.

In contrast, other options like power lines, fences, property lines, roads, buildings, and poles can be less reliable. Power lines and fences, for example, may be subject to change or relocation, while roads can be expanded or moved, potentially leading to confusion regarding property lines. Therefore, the permanence and visibility of trees, large rocks, stream beds, and section corners make them the most valid monuments in legal descriptions.