Yesterday I learned about the first detailed mapping effort which produced the "3-Mile to One Inch Sectional Maps":
THE 3-MILE TO ONE INCH SECTIONAL MAPS OF THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES
The article explains why there are zig-zag province border lines in the longitudinal direction.
I found this cool site called the Legal Land Converter which accepts Section, Township, Range, and Meridian inputs, then outputs latitude and longitude together with links to Google Maps and other maps. I've been able to enter the data for my ancestors' homesteads and immediately get map views and satellite views.
Fascinating stuff, especially when you look at the land and think about my sodbuster ancestors working and improving the land. That was probably the hardest job in the world at the time.
Here's one map of my gr-grandfather's quarter-section homestead in Saskatchewan. His dad later farmed the quarter-section immediately to the west.
The kids just don't know what they are missing!