BLM Records 6of6 - Steven Coker
Subject: BLM Records 6of6
From: Steven Coker
Date: March 12, 1999

Records of the Bureau of Land Management [BLM] 
(Record Group 49) 1685-1989 (bulk 1770-1982) 59,666 cu. ft.
gopher://gopher.nara.gov:70/00/inform/guide/10s/rg049.txt

49.12 RECORDS OF BLM REGIONAL OFFICES 1866-1954 (bulk 1927-51) 82 lin. ft.

History: Regional system in place by mid-1947. Patterned after that of the
Grazing Service, with seven regional offices, designated as Region 1, ID, OR,
and WA (Portland, OR); Region 2, CA and NV (San Francisco, CA); Region 3, KS,
IA, MO, MT, NE, ND, SD, and WY (Billings, MT); Region 4, CO and UT (Salt Lake
City, UT); Region 5, AZ, AR, LA, NM, OK, and TX (Albuquerque, NM); Region 6, MN
and all states east of the Mississippi River (Washington, DC); and Region 7, AK
(Anchorage, AK). In 1950 the western boundary of Region 6 was extended to
include IA and MO (from Region 3) and AR and LA (from Region 5). In 1954 the
existing regions were abolished. Region 6 was redesignated as the Eastern States
Office. The remaining states were organized into four area offices. (SEE 49.13.)
Regional offices supervised district grazing, land, and forestry offices within
their jurisdictions.

Textual Records (in San Francisco): Records of the Regional Office, Region 2,
including general correspondence, 1947-51; Manzanar and Tule Lake Relocation
Center disposal files, 1945-48; records relating to the court case, U.S. v. U.S.
Borax Company, 1942-47; records of the Regional Cadastral Engineer, including
index to field notes of surveys of Mount Diablo, San Bernardino, and Humboldt
Meridians, 1906-50; register of appointment of U.S. mineral surveyors, 1906-50;
and register of certificates of deposit for mineral surveys, 1915-51. Records
absorbed by the Region 2 Land Planning Division from the San Francisco office of
the GLO Field Examination Branch (1942-46) and its predecessors in the GLO Field
Service (1909-32) and Division of Investigations, Department of the Interior
(1933-42), including general correspondence, 1933-45; investigative case files,
1927- 45, with index (57 ft.); railroad selection (clear) lists, 1866- 1945;
general administrative files, 1917-40; records relating to evaluation and
administration of the Taylor Grazing Act, 1928-41; and schedules of various land
office serial case numbers for conversion to Sacramento and Los Angeles land
office case numbers, 1924-36. Records of the Nevada Land and Survey Office,
Region 2 (Reno, NV), including records of land entry serial numbers, 1948-54;
records of patents, 1913-53; and mineral survey certificates of deposit,
1912-48.

Maps (50 items, in San Francisco): Copies of plats of NV state boundary surveys,
1912-48, consolidated at the Nevada Land and Survey Office (Reno, NV). SEE ALSO
49.16.

49.13 RECORDS OF BLM STATE OFFICES 1853-1981 3,979 lin. ft.

History: Regional offices were abolished, 1954. Old Region 6 became the Eastern
States Office, with headquarters in Washington, DC (Silver Spring, MD, 1967-79,
Alexandria, VA , 1979- ). The remaining states were organized into area offices,
designated as Area 1, OR and WA (Portland, OR); Area 2, (AZ, ID, NV, and UT
(Salt Lake City, UT); Area 3, CO, KS, MT, NE, NM, ND, OK, SD, TX, and WY
(Denver, CO); and Area 4, AK (Anchorage, AK; Juneau, 1957-61). Under the area
offices (except in Area 4) were individual state offices headed by state
supervisors. Area offices were abolished, May 1961, and state offices (some with
multistate jurisdiction) became under state directors the highest level in the
BLM regional structure, with responsibility for range, forest, and land
management, and for supervision of district offices.

State offices and headquarters, 1954-61: AZ (Phoenix), CA (Sacramento), CO
(Denver), ID (Boise), MT (Billings), NV (Reno), NM (Santa Fe), OR (Portland), UT
(Salt Lake City), WA (Spokane), WY (Cheyenne). There were no separate state
offices for KS, NE, ND, OK, SD, and TX. These states were administered directly
out of the Area Office for Area 3.

State offices, headquarters, and jurisdictions, 1961- :

Office       Headquarters    Jurisdiction
Alaska       Anchorage       AK
Arizona      Phoenix         AZ
California   Sacramento      CA
Colorado     Denver          CO, KS (1983-85 only)
Idaho        Boise           ID
Montana      Billings        MT, ND, SD
Nevada       Reno            NV
New Mexico   Santa Fe        KS (from Colorado, 1985), NM, OK, TX
Oregon       Portland        OR, WA
Utah         Salt Lake City  UT
Wyoming      Cheyenne        KS (to Colorado, 1983), NE, WY

49.13.1 Records of the Alaska State Office

Textual Records (in Anchorage): Field notes for surveys of the Fairbanks base
line, 1910; for townsite surveys, 1900-10; for rectangular surveys, 1914-77; for
metes and bounds surveys, 1892- 1976; for mineral surveys, 1896-1976; and for
U.S. Coal Surveys, 1907-8. Serialized case files for canceled and relinquished
land transactions, ca. 1865-1969. Townsite tract books for Anchorage, 1914-64;
Aniak, 1952-65; Baranof, 1956-60; Bethel, 1963-77; Birch Lake, 1958; Buffalo
Center, 1954-56; Cantwell, 1958-59; Cordova, 1925-33, 1953-63; Craig, 1924-29;
Dillingham, 1950-64; Douglas, 1918-19; Eagle, 1909-10, 1963; Fairbanks, 1911-22,
1938-39, 1958- 60; Fort Yukon, 1956-64; Girdwood, 1923-62; Graehl, 1922-25;
Haines, 1918, 1953-62; Hoonah, 1933-78; Hyder, 1924-37; Juneau, 1921, 1962-63;
Kake, 1948-78; Kasilof, 1963-64; Kenai, 1951-66; Ketchikan, 1912-25, 1958-69;
Kodiak, 1945-64; Kotzebue, 1955-69; Loring, 1966-71; McGrath Pass, 1950; Nenana,
1916-61; Ninilchik, 1957-78; Nome, 1905-11; Pelican, 1949-58; Petersburg,
1919-20, 1942-64; Portage, 1949-52; Saxman, 1952-68; Seldovia, 1931-69, 1955-77;
Seward, 1916-55; Sitka, 1927-29, 1953-66; Skagway, 1909- 12; Talkeetna, 1919-23,
1936-58; Tanacross, 1963; Tanana, 1958- 62; Teller, 1957-64; Tenakee, 1925-26;
Tok, 1951-56; Unalaska, 1940-63; Valdez, 1912-13; Wasilla, 1918-51; Whittier,
1942; Wrangell, 1909-19, 1933-66; and Yakutat, 1953-78.

Maps (3,922 items, in Anchorage): Numbered survey plats for metes and bounds
surveys, 1892-1976 (2,716 items); mineral surveys, 1885-1974 (445 items); and
coal surveys, 1885-1977 (761 items). SEE ALSO 49.16.

49.13.2 Records of the Arizona State Office

Textual Records (in Denver, except as noted): Commissioner's letters, 1903-62.
Serial register books, 1908-70. Tract books, ca. 1875-1959. Contests, patents,
and state selections, 1968-70. Land entry case files, 1970. General reports,
1918-44. Correspondence, 1955-59, and miscellaneous case files, 1955-61, of the
State Supervisor (in Los Angeles).

49.13.3 Records of the California State Office

Textual Records (in San Francisco): Correspondence, 1937-62, and issuances,
1962-81, of the Office of the State Director. Records of the Branch of Cadastral
Surveys, including group survey case files, 1910-76; mineral survey case files,
1906-65; supplemental plat survey case files, 1954-63; index to mineral claim
surveys, 1916-57; lot book, Mount Diablo Meridian, 1869-1958; and register of
homestead entry surveys in national forests, 1909-62. Records of the Land and
Minerals Program and Land Office Division, including contest case files absorbed
and updated from the Region 2 and Sacramento District Offices, 1903-72 (85 ft.);
and records relating to forest rehabilitation, 1957-64. Township tract books
consolidated by the state office and covering GLO land districts, including
Eureka, 1856-1970; Independence, 1866-1972; Marysville, 1861-1970; Redding,
1870-1971; Sacramento, 1870-1971, including mineral claims, 1872-1963; San
Francisco, including oil and gas leases, 1853-1975; Stockton, 1863-1966;
Susanville, 1871-1974; and Visalia, 1866-1974. Patented land entry case files,
1963-74. Unpatented land entry case files, 1908-74. GLO land status inventory of
federally owned land, 1940-41, updated for Monterey County only, 1961-62.
Records relating to river basin studies conducted by the Federal Power
Commission and the Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, 1948-63.

Maps (15,762 items, in San Francisco): Township survey plats consolidated and
continued by the state office from GLO land offices, including Eureka, 1860-1970
(770 items); Independence, 1857-1971 (990 items); Marysville, 1853-1970 (1,155
items); Redding, 1855-1973 (1,210 items); Sacramento, 1859-1976 (1,760 items);
San Francisco, 1907-71 (1,595 items); Stockton, 1854-1970 (990 items);
Susanville, 1867-1950 (715 items); and Visalia, 1855-1950 (715 items). Mineral
survey plats continued from the Sacramento land office, 1882-1972 (5,832 items).
Relief maps of withdrawn land, 1960-61 (30 items). SEE ALSO 49.16.

49.13.4 Records of the Colorado State Office

Textual Records (in Denver): Records relating to hearings, 1960- 72. Survey
records, 1960-77. Records relating to contests, 1960- 67. Right-of-way files,
1964. Records relating to land patents, 1965-68.

49.13.5 Records of the Idaho State Office

Textual Records (in Seattle): Township plats, 1892-1952. Tract books, 1877-1934.
Group survey case files, 1923-70. Serialized case files for canceled and
relinquished transactions, 1908-65.

49.13.6 Records of the Montana State Office

Textual Records (in Denver): Closed contested mineral cases, 1961-64. Mineral
survey files, 1946. Mineral rights transfer case files, 1940-60. Contests, 1964.
Hearings, 1967-69. Records relating to land exchanges, 1954-57. Color of title
actions, 1908-23. Serialized patent case files, 1963-68. Resource development
records, 1967.

49.13.7 Records of the Nevada State Office

Textual Records (in San Francisco): General administrative files, 1950-66.
Issuances, 1963-71. Press releases and informational brochures, 1964-72. Records
relating to "special situations," including management of wild horses, 1948-70.
Records relating to grazing and range management, 1935-66; to grazing hearings
and appeals, 1937-71; and to range conservation and improvement, 1941-63.
Serialized land entry case files, 1908-74 (410 ft.). Patented land entry case
files, 1964-71. Mineral claim and survey case files, 1920-70 (95 ft.). Contest
case files, 1930-67. Township tract books, 1864-1964.

Maps (14,873 items, in San Francisco): Triplicate original township survey
plats, consolidated and continued by the state office, 1861-1962 (4,400 items).
Mineral survey plats, 1867-1970 (9,773 items). Connecting sheets, 1920-70 (700
items). SEE ALSO 49.16.

Aerial Photographs (5 items, in San Francisco): Palisades fire, Elko District,
August 18, 1964. SEE ALSO 49.16.

49.13.8 Records of the New Mexico State Office

Textual Records (in Denver): Case files relating to land exchanges, 1950-64;
terminated rights-of-way, 1951-63; color of title actions, 1950-69; patent
conveyances, 1951-57; and contested land entries, 1955-56.

49.13.9 Records of the Oregon State Office

Textual Records (in Seattle): Tract books for OR and WA, 1867- 1960. Township
plats for OR and WA, 1862-1972. Land office serial books and serialized case
files for canceled and relinquished transactions for OR and WA, 1908-54. Group
survey records of OR and WA, 1910-69. Land office serial books, 1908-54.

49.13.10 Records of the Utah State Office

Textual Records (in Denver): Registers of serialized land entries, 1956-68.
Contested land entries, 1955-66. Records of advisory boards, 1942-68. Group
survey files, 1910-66. Notices of location for mining claims, 1909-68. Watershed
studies, 1954-69. Mineral survey files, 1955-67. Records of withdrawals, 1965.
Land patent records, 1967.

49.13.11 Records of the Wyoming State Office

Textual Records (in Denver): Records relating to hearings, 1967. Right-of-way
files, 1959, 1968. Land exchange records, 1959.

49.14 RECORDS OF BLM DISTRICT OFFICES 1855-1976 2,026 lin. ft.

History: BLM adopted the field office structure of its predecessors, including
their district land offices, grazing offices, and forestry offices. They were
gradually consolidated and redesignated as or superseded by multipurpose
district offices.

49.14.1 Records of Arizona district offices

Textual Records (in Los Angeles): Records of the Phoenix District Office,
including serialized land entry case files, 1919-64 (240 ft.); case files of
contested mining claims, 1899-1968; subject files of district advisory boards,
1943-70; and engineering field notebooks, 1953-69.

49.14.2 Records of California district offices

Textual Records: Records (in Los Angeles) of the Bakersfield District Office,
including abandoned or closed range improvement project files, 1935-69; National
Resources Planning Board project inventory summaries, 1943-48; records of the
National, 1955-69, State, 1949-73, and District, 1939-70, Advisory Boards; and
miscellaneous records relating to grazing, 1954-67. Records (in Los Angeles) of
the Los Angeles District Office, including serialized land entry case files,
1908-61 (1,017 ft.); field case files, 1922-60; case files of mining and grazing
claims affected by the construction of the Friant and Shasta Dams as part of the
Central Valley Project, 1935-61; records concerning Joshua Tree National
Monument, 1933-64; case files and other records relating to BLM efforts to
regain title to lands required for military purposes, 1940-64; case files of
contested mining claims, 1936- 64; range improvement records, 1942-60; and San
Bernardino Meridian land entry records, including field case files, 1945-60,
tract and small tract registers, 1941-61, and small tract classification files,
1940-69. Records (in San Francisco) of the Redding District Office, consisting
of general correspondence, 1951-64; cadastral survey correspondence, 1956-70;
and range resource development and conservation case files, 1941-65, including
case file of the California 6-S (Mount Hebron seeding) project, 1942-61. Records
(in Los Angeles) of the Riverside District Office, including serialized land
entry case files, 1961-70; Mount Diablo Meridian townsite case files, 1948-64,
quitclaim deed files, 1942-69, and trespass case files, 1953-70; and San
Bernardino Meridian township tract books, 1870-1972, and small tract books,
1941-64. Records of the Sacramento District Office, including records of land
entries, 1908-66 (342 ft.). Records of the Susanville District Office, including
general correspondence, 1936-69; press releases, 1938-74; forage and range
surveys, 1959-64; records of cooperative agreements, 1960- 62; range improvement
project files, 1935-65; and case files of hearings and appeals, 1956-69. Records
of the Ukiah District Office, consisting of range improvement and conservation
case files, 1941-60; forest development records, 1959-66; press releases,
1963-76; and road, trail, and bridge construction project files, 1963-72.

Maps (3,552 items, in Los Angeles): San Bernardino Meridian preliminary survey
plats, 1953-61 (32 items), maintained by the Los Angeles District Office. San
Bernardino Meridian mineral survey plats, 1877-1973 (640 items), and township
survey plats, 1855-1970 (2,880 items), maintained by the Riverside District
Office. SEE ALSO 49.16.

49.14.3 Records of Idaho district offices

Textual Records (in Seattle): Records of the Boise District Office, including
grazing appeals and Job Corps project records, 1964-73. Records of the Burley
District Office, including grazing appeals, grazing association correspondence,
advisory board minutes, and range improvement case files, 1938-67. Records of
the Coeur d'Alene District Office, including forest inventories, 1958-65; and
river basin planning records, 1962-71. Records of the Idaho Falls District
Office, consisting of grazing appeals, 1956-66; and range conservation project
case files, 1941-59. Records of the Shoshone District Office, consisting of
grazing appeals case files, 1946-71.

49.14.4 Records of Montana district offices

Textual Records (in Denver): Records of the Miles City District Office,
consisting of range condition and trend studies, 1954-64; case files for appeal
and trespass cases, 1956-63; and abandoned work programs, 1965-67.

49.14.5 Records of Nevada district offices

Textual Records (in San Francisco, except as noted): Records of the Battle
Mountain District Office, consisting of grazing appeals records, 1953-66.
Records of the Carson City District Office, consisting of grazing appeals,
1935-70. Records of the Elko District Office, consisting of range management
records, 1938-51; grazing advisory board election records, 1938-56; grazing
hearings and appeals, 1960-63; and lieu land selection case files, 1913-55.
Records of the Ely District Office, including narrative historical reports,
1938-70; range surveys, 1941-65; range resource development and conservation
records, 1944-66; environmental assessments, 1974-77; and grazing appeals
records, 1916-71 (bulk 1940-71). Records (in Los Angeles) of the Las Vegas
District Office, including range improvement project case files, 1936-67;
grazing range studies, 1936-60; and forage inventory and survey sheets, 1957-65.
Records of the Winnemucca District Office, including general administrative
files, 1936-66; range adjudication survey records, 1936-64; minutes of grazing
advisory boards, 1935-65; and grazing appeals, 1935-68.

Aerial Photographs (76 items, in Los Angeles): Army Map Service aerial range
survey photographs of the Delamar, Panaca, Tule, and Clover Mountain Units
(1954), used by the Las Vegas District Office in its forage surveys, 1957-65.
SEE ALSO 49.16.

49.14.6 Records of Oregon district offices

Textual Records (in Seattle): Records of the Burns District Office, including
range permits, grazing appeals case files, right-of-way case files, and advisory
board minutes, 1934-61. Records of the Coos Bay District Office, including
forest inventory and timber sale records, and right-of-way and easements for
timber access roads, 1951-72. Records of the Eugene District Office, consisting
of forest inventories and records of timber access road construction, 1947-67.
Records of the Medford District Office, including forest inventories, 1920-44,
1958-65; and timber access road right-of-way case files, 1948-71. Records of the
Salem District Office, including Oregon and California (O&C) revested lands land
exchange records, O&C Advisory Board minutes, forest inventories, and forest
resource studies, 1940- 71. Records of the Tillamook District Office, consisting
of grazing appeal case files, 1936-69. Records of the Vale District Office,
consisting of advisory board minutes, 1935-71; livestock association cooperation
case files, 1954-67; Vale Project (range restoration) reports and work plans,
1962-68; range improvement case files, 1939-72; grazing appeals, 1936-69; and
resource development and conservation project case files, 1939-71. Records of
the Lakeview District Office, including range improvement case files,
adjudicated grazing case files, range surveys, and grazing appeals case files,
1943-69.

49.14.7 Records of Utah district offices

Textual Records (in Denver): Records of the Cedar City District Office,
including records of advisory boards, 1939-62; and resource development and
conservation records, 1944-63. Records of the Moab District Office, including
advisory board records, 1935-70; and resource development and conservation
records, 1935- 66. Records of the Richfield District Office, consisting of
advisory board records, 1941-67. Records of the Salt Lake City Office,
consisting of registers of serialized land entries, 1908- 57 (33 ft.). Records
of the Vernal District Office, consisting of registers of serialized land
entries, 1908-57.

49.15 RECORDS OF OTHER FIELD ACTIVITIES 1859-1974 31 lin. ft.

49.15.1 Records of the Oregon and California Railroad Revested Lands
Administration

History: Established in the GLO, June 1, 1938, pursuant to an act of August 28,
1937 (50 Stat. 874), assigning administrative responsibility for Oregon and
California Railroad Company revested lands to the Department of the Interior.
These were lands originally granted to the railroad by an act of July 25, 1866
(14 Stat. 239), but to which the Federal Government reasserted title by an act
of June 9, 1916 (39 Stat. 218), following a successful court proceeding against
the railroad for violation of the provisions of the original land grant.

Textual Records (in Seattle): Tract books, 1859-1967. Historical data files,
1914-59.

49.15.2 Records of the Boise Interagency Fire Center, ID

History: Established in the BLM, April 1, 1965, as a cooperative venture of the
BLM, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service,
and Forest Service. Provides nationwide logistical support in the suppression of
forest and range fires, including support to the states and, through the
Department of State, to foreign countries.

Textual Records (in Seattle): Fire reports for AK, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, OR, SD,
UT, WA, and WY, 1964-74.

49.16 CARTOGRAPHIC RECORDS (GENERAL) 1827-1989 6,487 items

Maps (5,787 items): Administrative maps showing activities of the agency,
historical acquisition of the public domain, principal meridians and baselines
used in the establishment of the township and range system, the format to be
used in printing township plats, and locations of surveys planned for the United
States and Alaska during selected years, 1909-46 (18 items). "Standard
published" (SP) maps, issued in updated editions by both the GLO and the BLM, of
the United States and individual states and territories, showing the extent of
public surveys, land purchases and cessions by the Federal Government, township
and range lines, private land claims and grants, Indian and military
reservations, national parks and forests, railroad land-grant limits, and the
locations of land offices and offices of the surveyors general, 1873-1964 (460
items). Set of SP maps arranged into an atlas of the public land states, 1876
(19 items). Reference maps used in the compilation of the published state maps,
1903-40 (317 items). "Special published" (P) maps showing routes of principal
explorations in the United States, the progress of public land surveys for
specific years, Federal Government reservation boundaries, locations of
abandoned military reservations, Indian lands, and selected coal, gas, and oil
fields, 1836-1946 (360 items). "Published boundary" (PB) maps, many relating to
the Oklahoma-Texas boundary dispute along the Red River, 1827-1926 (29 items).
Plans of federal reserves for the protection of native birds and certain
national monuments, with attached copies of Presidential proclamations and
Executive orders authorizing their establishment, 1903-26 (88 items). Maps
relating to land classification in parts of the western states, annotated to
show withdrawals of public lands, dates of proclamations authorizing the
withdrawals, names of persons leasing land on grazing districts in AZ, and
certain vacant lands, ca. 1916-45 (116 items). County highway maps annotated to
show federally owned lands in the western states except AZ, from an inventory
project begun under the National Resources Committee, 1939, and continued by the
GLO, 1940-46 (1,219 items). Atlases of Alaska, showing federal land withdrawals
and reservations, 1952, 1958 (120 items). Surveys of the LA coast, 1954-57 (41
items). Published Surface Management Status, Surface Minerals Management Status,
and Wilderness Status maps of the public land states, printed by the Geological
Survey for the BLM, 1974-89 (3,000 items).

Aerial Photographs (700 items): LA coast, made in connection with a study of
submerged lands, 1953-54.

SEE Maps UNDER 49.3.2, 49.3.4, 49.3.6, 49.3.7, 49.3.10, 49.3.14, 49.6.1, 49.6.4,
49.7.2, 49.7.5, 49.7.7, 49.7.8, 49.7.9, 49.7.11, 49.7.13, 49.8.3, 49.9.5,
49.9.12, 49.9.18, 49.9.27, 49.12, 49.13.1, 49.13.3, 49.13.7, and 49.14.2. SEE
Aerial Photographs UNDER 49.13.7 and 49.14.5.

Finding Aids: Laura E. Kelsay, comp., List of Cartographic Records of the
General Land Office, SL 19 (1964).

49.17 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL) 1893-1982 14,302 images

Photographs (12,676 images): BLM and predecessor agency activities in the
western United States, including Alaska, 1893- 1982 (WLM, 12,581 images). GLO
Commissioners (1814 to 1933), including photographs of paintings and engravings,
1965 (CP, 24 images). Ferry Lake, LA, ecological survey, 1914 (FL, 71 images).

Photographic Prints (626 images): Oil fields, derricks, equipment, people, and
communities in CA, in albums, some taken by Frank C. Ashton, and used in a GLO
investigation, 1898-1900 (KRA, 183 images). Settlers at the opening of the
Cherokee Strip in OK, panel cards taken by W.A. Flowers, Guthrie, OK, and
collected by Anthony Rice, Chief of the Homestead Division, 1893 (AR, 24
images). Geological formations and conditions in CA, 1916 (DC, 384 images). War
Relocation Centers, Manzanar and Tule Lake, CA, 1946 (RC, 35 images).

Color Slides and Transparencies (1,000 images): BLM and predecessor agency
activities in the western United States, including Alaska, 1953-63 (SWL).

==== SCROOTS Mailing List ====



Go To:  #,  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  I,  J,  K,  L,  M,  N,  O,  P,  Q,  R,  S,  T,  U,  V,  W,  X,  Y,  Z,  Main