On a whim, I headed over to the Worcester Registry of Deeds site today and searched to see if the land transfer from my parents had become official. Amazingly enough, it had, as of yesterday. I downloaded the Official Registered Plans marking the lot as well as the Official Deed saying that the land has become ours. It’s kinda neat—Jessi and I are landowners now.
Rather than put you though needing to use their horrible searching interface, I put the Official Images up on my computer for people who are interested (and so I have a copy). Warning: they’re in TIFF format.
Aww, are you moving away from Worcester?
Yup. We’re building a house in Charlton, next door to my parents’ on land they gave us.
That’s awesome :)
Also, we won’t likely be moving until the end of the school year… So I’ll be around for a while yet.
Interesting. It took me a few minutes to figure out how to read the blueprints. The “more or less along the center of Sawmill Brook” specification gives me pause, only because A) it means that the third line of your property as specified in the deed is not straight, and B) it means that the third line of your property is potentially variable. Realistically, though, I don’t expect it will ever become an issue, but its interesting to note.
Yeah, I also found it interesting that natural variable landmarks like “center of the stream” were a standard legal way to do things. However, the stream isn’t likely to move much, and I think I’ll get along well with my neighbors. :)
I’m also kinda curious how street addresses are assigned… Right now, we just own “Charlton Assessors map 47 block A lot 1.4”. When does it become “192 Berry Corner Rd.” or “200 Berry Corner Rd.” or whatever? Do I need to notify the post office or UPS of the creation of an address? I tried Googling some, but didn’t really get anywhere.
Street addresses are grossly variable things, and subject to change over time (for instance, the physical building I live in has 2 addresses — 106 is downstairs and 108 is upstairs). Generally speaking, the address is assigned when the house is built, and because you can address a house by its address, no registration is required — if they need you, they’ll come looking for you.
I see. However, in this case, people aren’t likely going to realize that Berry Corner Rd. continues down this dirt road. (The map was quite generous in calling it “gravel”.)
Who is the authority that assigns the address when the house is built? Can I pick one?
Interesting. I took the liberty of looking up your road in the TIGER database. TIGER maintains a listing of which structure number block is assigned to which section of which roads. I located the corner of North Ayer and Berry Corner (using nothing but the raw data, mind you), and traced the adjoining roads. I was fascinated to discover although the section of Berry Corner Road going east from the intersection has been assigned a structure number block (190-146(even, north side) to one side, and 187-137(odd, south side) to the other), the section of Berry Corner Road you are building on has no structure number block assigned to it. If we assume the numbering scheme continues, your house would become 192, 194, or perhaps even 196 Berry Corner Road. Apparently, although this section is considered an A41 road, it was never expected to have structures on it.
Are we bored yet?
I don’t know if “we” are bored, but it looks like you are.
That data sounds completely accurate. Basically, Berry Corner Rd., from the intersection of Ayers to the Sturbridge line (and presumably through to McGilpin Rd. in Sturbridge), never officially stopped being a road; it just never kept on being maintained. We had the town clerk certify for us that it was in fact a road, and needed to present that certification to the town planning board for its approval that it gave on Sep. 1.
However, it doesn’t appear on most maps of the town (including MapQuest, although it’s hardly authoritative). The TIGER Map Server does seem to have it, as you mention.
Can you define “A41 road”?
And as I mentioned before, who is the authority that assigns addresses?
That TIGER map server is pretty neat. We will be living at about 42.1150551°N, 72.0365372°W. At least ICBM addresses are standardized :)
And A41 is the lowest level of road that is represented. It is an “Local, neighborhood, and rural road, city street, unseparated”. In terms of who assigns addresses, I don’t think they are assigned. They’re just made up by whoever is putting the houses there. The TIGER database gets its data from the Census. If there were any “registry” that assigned addresses, it would have to be at the municipal level, so if it isn’t handled by Charlton, it isn’t handled by anybody.
cool… i’ll have to drive by sometimes when i’m in the area and see the progress. have they started building yet?
No, although we’ve cleared some land. We need to put up a hay-bale fence (later this afternoon… stop by at 1 if you want to help), and get plans drawn and such.