Surveying chains used by John Bush of Hadley, Kentucky. A chain measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 4 poles and is made up of 100 links. Each link is 7 92/100 inches long. This chain is folded on the right at the size of a link. A tally can be seen pointing down and away from the links. These were used to mark the 10th, 20th, 30th and 40th link for easy counting. Deeds in the metes and bounds system are regularly recorded in feet, chains, poles and links.

Sextant loaned by Scott Dobler. A sextant is used to measure an angle between two objects, generally a star and the horizon to establish altitude. It can also be used to determine lines of latitude. The sextant has several lenses and a small telescope.

Sextant in its carrying case was loaned by Scott Dobler.

Lettering kit used to label maps or architectural drawings owned by Scott Dobler. There are sets of upper and lower cases alphabet stencils as well as numbers.

GPS Receiver located on top of WKU's NGS benchmark in front of Cherry Hall.

Etrex handheld personal GPS system.

National Geodetic Survey benchmark located near Cherry Hall on WKU's campus.

Handheld GeoXT global navigation satellite system owned by the WKU Geography and Geology Department.

Side view of global navigation satellite receiver. This equipment is owned by the WKU Department of Geography and Geology.

Student Todd Wilson demonstrating the global navigation satellite system. This view shows the back pack and transmitter which receives data from the satellite. This equipment is owned by the WKU Department of Geography and Geology.

Handheld global navigation satellite system collects data from satellites which can be downloaded into a computer. This unit is owned by the WKU Geography & Geology department and was loaned for the exhibit.

Two parallel rulers, part of drafting set donated by Lillie Osbourne in 1939.

Protractor which is part of the drafting set donated by Lillie Osbourne in 1939.

Small compass extension, part of drafting set donated by Lillie Osbourne in 1939.

One of two small compasses part of the drafting set donated by Lillie Osbourne in 1939.

Drafting set donated by Lillie Osbourne in 1939. The set includes seven instruments in a circular wooden cases lined in purple velvet. There is no date or makers mark on the set.

Another view of the brass surveyor's compass owned by John Bush of Hadley, Kentucky.

Brass surveyor's compass and box with several accessories. This compass was owned and used by John Bush of Hadley, Kentucky. He did most of his surveying work with these and other instruments mainly in Warren County, Kentucky. The compass was manufactured by L. Beekman Company in Toledo, Ohio.

Wooden box housing brass surveyor's compass.

Page 57 of Spencer Curd's ciphering book. Curd lived in Logan County, Kentucky and created this book between 1803 and 1805. This page shows a compass rose used in navigation. The entire book has been digitized and is available online: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_mss_fin_aid/1589/

Page 42 of ciphering book owned by John King. This page shows a table with equivalent measures of land. The entire book has been digitized and is available at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_mss_fin_aid/1589/

Page 40 of ciphering book belonging to John Bowles of Granville County, North Carolina. This page shows a problem regarding the number of acres a farmer owns in three tracts of land. The entire cipher book has been digitized and is available at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_mss_fin_aid/1588/

Invented by Lucien Vidie in 1843 an aneroid barometer uses a cell of beryllium and copper which expands or contracts with changes in air pressure.

Conversion charts in the cover of the Altimeter.

Face of altimeter.