Tooele County (Utah). County Recorder Willow Springs Mining District records, 1891-1900.

The Willow Springs Mining District, organized 21 May 1891 in the Deep Creek Mountains of western Tooele County (Utah), was an extension of mining activity at Gold Hill. Gold Hill prospectors organized this district in accordance with federal law, which stated that mineral deposits in the public domain were free and open to exploration, and locators of the same had exclusive right of possession (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, vol. 17, 1872, chap. 152). The law authorized local mining districts to keep records and oversee mining operations within specified boundaries. The Willow Springs Mining District record books begin with a copy of by-laws for the district. By-laws are followed by notices of location (claims) filed with the district. Each notice prominently states the name of the claim and confirms compliance with federal law and local regulations. Notices provide information about the claim's dimensions and location, and identify thenames of discoverers. They provide the dates for discovery and filing and are signed by the district or county recorder. While notices of location dominate, these books also include a few other mining related documents such as affidavits showing proof of annual assessment labor.