The initial point of the Salt Lake principal meridian and base line lies in 40°46’04”N latitude, 111° 54’ 00”W longitude, and was fixed by Orson Pratt in 1847 as part of the original survey of "Great Salt Lake City," around the Mormon Temple site that had been established by Brigham Young. The meridian extends north and south through the entire state of Utah, and the base line runs both east and west from the initial point to the Utah state borders. Survey townships were run both north and south of the principal base line, and ranges were run both east and west of the principal meridian. All PLSS surveys in Utah are governed by the Salt Lake Meridian except for territory in the northeastern part of the state that is controlled by the Uintah Special Meridian. The Salt Lake Meridian is the only principal meridian that has its initial point in a major city. It is located at the southeast corner of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.
