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The Legend of Carl C. de Baca: aspects of the local ecology, soil quality, and even socio-cultural
A Pioneer in Land Surveying landmarks, providing a holistic understanding of the terrain.
The realm of land surveying has seen many legendary figures Beyond his technical prowess, de Baca was also known for his
throughout history who have paved the way for modern innova- advocacy for ethical land surveying. At a time when the rights
tions and methodologies. Among these pioneers, the name of indigenous peoples were often overlooked in the quest for
Carl C. de Baca stands out, not just land and resources, de Baca vehemently championed for their
for his immense contributions but recognition. He believed in working closely with local com-
also for the mythos and tales that munities, understanding their needs, and ensuring that any
surrounded his life. His legend is an land surveying activities were done with utmost respect to the
amalgamation of sheer dedication, existing inhabitants.
relentless pursuit of accuracy, and As years went by, the legend of Carl C. de Baca grew. He
an innate love for exploration. became synonymous with not just excellence in land survey-
Carl C. de Baca’s early life was ing but also with integrity, courage, and innovation. His legacy
marred by challenges. Born in the was not just in the maps he crafted or the methodologies he
late 19th century to a modest developed, but also in the ideals he upheld. Young surveyors
family, he showed an unusual fas- looked up to him, and his teachings became foundational in
cination for the intricacies of the many surveying curricula worldwide.
land, maps, and compasses from In conclusion, the legend of Carl C. de Baca serves as a testament
a very young age. Stories tell of to the power of passion, dedication, and ethics. His life, marked
a young Carl drawing intricate by groundbreaking expeditions and pioneering techniques, is an
maps of his neighborhood with inspiration for all, not just those in the field of land surveying. His
an astonishing level of accuracy story reminds us that with determination, innovation, and respect
using just rudimentary tools. His for all, one can indeed leave an indelible mark on history.
passion was evident, and it was no sur-
prise that as he grew, he sought formal education in the field of Note: ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people,
land surveying, which was still an evolving discipline at the time. places, or facts.

What set de Baca apart from his contemporaries was not just his From John Wilusz, LS, PE
expertise in the field, but his unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
He frequently ventured into unknown territories, taking risks that Congratulations to NALS Living Legend Carl C.de Baca, PLS.
many would deem unnecessary or even foolish. Yet, for de Baca,
every expedition was an opportunity to further his understanding Carl and I met in Sacramento in the mid-1990’s at a meeting of
and to challenge the existing norms. the California Land Surveyors Association (CLSA). He is licensed
in both California and Nevada and during the many years I have
De Baca’s rise to prominence was known him he practiced at various times in both states. As
characterized by his groundbreaking a California land surveyor, I am most familiar
contributions to surveying techniques with his contributions to California, but even
and methodologies. Armed with a there my knowledge is incomplete. But I can
profound understanding of math- tell you this: Carl is not one to sit on the side-
ematics, physics, and cartography, lines. It seems he is always engaged in some
he developed innovative tools and form (or multiple forms) of service at the local,
practices that elevated the accuracy state, and national levels. I lost track of how
of land surveying to unprecedented many different offices he has held in multiple
levels. His development of the professional societies.
“Baca Compass,” a revolutionary
instrument that combined mag- Writing is one of his favorite ways to contribute
netic and gyroscopic technologies, to the betterment of the profession. I am glad he
allowed surveyors to account for enjoys writing because he is uncommonly good at
both local magnetic anomalies and it. He is also prolific. His topics include professional
Earth’s curvature, leading to unparalleled practice, rules and regulations, land development,
precision in measurements. This invention public lands surveys, surveying education, issues re-
not only earned him recognition within the lated to NALS, CLSA and NSPS, outreach and recruitment, history,
surveying community but also transformed geography, archeology, humor, music, tributes to other surveyors,
the way land surveys were conducted and (sometimes controversial) opinions. He has written exten-
across the globe.
sively for local newsletters and state and national journals. He is a
One of the most iconic tales from his legend regular contributor to American Surveyor. He is also a past editor
is his expedition to the dense forests of of both the Nevada Traverse and the California Surveyor.
South America. Against the advice of many, de Baca set forth with Last year, Carl assumed a leadership role in the development of
a small team to chart unexplored regions. Faced with treacherous
terrains, unpredictable wildlife, and the looming threat of un- a land surveying program at Sacramento City College (SCC). He
known diseases, the journey was anything but easy. However, de has done similar service work in Nevada. I hope someday he adds
Baca’s resilience and determination saw him through. He not only teaching to his resume because he is also good at that. During the
successfully charted large swaths of land but also developed new Spring 2023 semester, he made an appearance as a guest lecturer
techniques for surveying in challenging terrains. at SCC and the students loved him. He told them about a map-
ping project he is managing in West Sacramento that incorporates
Back home, he was often met with skepticism. His methods were LiDAR and SONOR. The students really enjoyed learning how
unorthodox, and many questioned the accuracy of his surveys. But emerging technologies are used in real-world applications. Pre-
time and again, de Baca’s work would prove its worth. His maps sentations like that inspire new recruits into the profession.
were not just accurate; they were revolutionary. They incorporated

20 The Nevada Traverse Vol.50, No.2, 2023