Series 3651

United States. General Land Office Mining district by-laws, 1872-1909.

1.20 cubic feet and 1 microfilm reel

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Historical Note

See history of the records' creator.

Summary of Records

In May 1872 Congress passed a general mining law called, "An Act to promote the Development of the mining Resources of the United States." This act declared that mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United States are free and open to exploration and purchase by citizens of the United States, according to provisions detailed in the law, and also according to local customs and to the rules established by miners in various districts. The law validated the mining districts which had been and would continue to be established to govern mining activity in localized areas. The law authorized mining districts to govern the method of locating and recording claims, and to specify the amount of work necessary to hold the claims in so far as district regulations were not in conflict with the laws of the United States or the laws of Utah (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, 1872, vol. XVII, chap. 152).

Scope and Content

In May 1872 Congress passed a general mining law called, "An Act to promote the Development of the mining Resources of the United States." This act declared that mineral deposits in lands belonging to the United States are free and open to exploration and purchase by citizens of the United States, according to provisions detailed in the law, and also according to local customs and to the rules established by miners in various districts. The law validated the mining districts which had been and would continue to be established to govern mining activity in localized areas. The law authorized mining districts to govern the method of locating and recording claims, and to specify the amount of work necessary to hold the claims in so far as district regulations were not in conflict with the laws of the United States or the laws of Utah (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, 1872, vol. XVII, chap. 152). At least 90 mining districts were organized inUtah Territory and by-laws for many of these were filed in the General Land Office in Salt Lake City. These are contained in the book and file which comprise this series. Each set of by-laws defines the boundaries of the mining district and designates the name by which it was to be called. By-laws define the responsibilities of a mining district recorder, designate his term of office, provide for his election, and specify the amounts he can charge for his services. Additional district officials may be authorized. By-laws specify how records should be kept and designate who had access to them. They detail requirements for marking, recording, and working mining claims.

Research Note

This series notes a beginning date of 1872 because that is when Congress passed a general mining law authenticating the already established practice of organizing mining districts to manage local mining activity. Many of the by-laws filed with the General Land Office were created and adopted before that date.

Arrangement

Sequential by file number

Some mining district by-laws were recorded in a hard bound book (box 3) and others were filed (boxes 1 and 2). No order is apparent for entries in the book, but each set of filed by-laws was assigned a number. By-laws are arranged sequentially by assigned number, which initially was also alphabetical, but later not so.

Additional Forms

This series is available on microfilm.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Use Restrictions

These records are available for reproduction and use.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Custody History

By-laws for Utah mining districts were filed with the General Land Office, which became the Bureau of Land Management. When mining districts became obsolete as independent agencies, the Bureau of Land Management transferred these records to Utah State Archives.

Acquisition Information

These records were acquired from the creating agency through established retention schedules.

Processing Information

Mining district by-laws were processed in March 2002 by Rosemary Cundiff. At that time an original microfilming of the by-laws was deaccessioned and new microfilming was requested.

Other Finding Aids

Indexes: This series includes an index which alphabetically lists the districts and identifies their file number. By-laws recorded in the book are alphabetically indexed on the inside cover of the book.

Container List

ReelBoxFolderDescription
1111, American Fork Mining District
1122, Adams Mining District
1133, Ashbrook Mining District
1144, Beaver Lake Mining District
1155, Big Cottonwood Mining District
1166, Blue Ledge Mining District
1177, Box Elder Mining District
1188, Bradshaw Mining District
1199, Castle Peak Mining District (no by-laws on file)
111010, Carbonate Mining District (no by-laws on file)
111111, Camp Floyd Mining District
111212, Columbia Mining District
111313, Coyote Mining District
111414, Clifton Mining District
111515, Detroit Mining District
111616, Dugway Mining District
111717, Elk Horn Mining District
111818, Emery Mining District
111919, Gordon Mining District
112020, Granite Mining District (no by-laws on file)
112121, Grantsville Mining District (Third Term Mining District)
112222, Hard Scrabble Mining District
112323, Harrisburg Mining District
112424, Hot Springs Mining District
112525, Henry Mining District
112626, Iron Springs Mining District
112727, Juab Mining District (no by-laws on file)
112828, Lake Side Mining District
112929, Little Cottonwood Mining District
113030, Lincoln Mining District
113131, Lower Placer Mining District
113232, Lucin Mining District
113333, Mono Mining District
113434, Mountain Lake Mining District
113535, Mount Baldy Mining District
113636, Mount Nebo Mining District
113737, North Star Mining District (no by-laws on file)
113838, Ohio Mining District
113939, Ophir Mining District
114040, Pinto Iron Mining District
114141, Provo Mining District
114242, Pruess Mining District
114343, Rocky Mining District
12144, Rush Valley Mining District
12245, San Francisco Mining District
12346, Silver Lake Mining District
12447, Snake Creek Mining District
12548, Star Mining District
12649, Tintic Mining District
12750, Tooele Mining District (no by-laws on file)
12851, Uintah Mining District
12952, Utah Mining District (no by-laws on file)
121053, Weber Mining District (no by-laws on file)
121154, West Mountain Mining District
121255, Willard Mining District
121356, Paradise Mining District
121457, Gold Mountain Mining District
121558, Fish Springs Mining District
121659, Spring Creek Mining District
121760, North Tintic Mining District
121861, Tidwell Rideout Mining District
121962, West Tintic Mining District
122063, Willow Springs Mining District
122164, Newton Mining District
122265, White Canyon Mining District
122266, Washington Mining District (no by-laws on file)
122367, Leanington Mining District
122468, Erickson Mining District
122569, Blue Mountain Mining District
122670, Lehi Mining District
122771, Big Indian Mining District
122872, Blue Bell Mining District
122973, State Line Mining District (no by-laws on file)
122974, LaSal Mining District (no by-laws on file)
122975, Pine Grove Mining District (no by-laws on file)
123076, Tutsugabet Mining District
123177, Newfoundland Mining District (no by-laws on file)
123278, Argenta Mining District (originally Weber Mining Dist.)
123379, Santaquin Mining District (no by-laws on file)
123380, Bolter Mining District (no by-laws on file)
123481, Wheeler Desert Mining District
123582, Sierra Madre Mining District
123683, Richmond Mining District (no by-laws on file)
123684, Alpine Mining District (no by-laws on file)
123685, Sulphur Mining District (no by-laws on file)
123786, Free Coinage Mining District
123887, Miners Basin Mining District
123988, Monumental Mining District
124089, Imperial Mining District
124190, Goldstrike Mining District
1242index to mining districts
13n/aWest Mountain Mining District (p. 1)
13n/aBingham Canyon Placer Mining District (p. 13)
13n/aLincoln Mining District (no by-laws included, p. 18 )
13n/aStar Mining District (p. 28)
13n/aLittle Cottonwood Mining District (p. 32)
13n/aBig Cottonwood Mining District (p. 38)
13n/aTintic Mining District (p. 40)
13n/aCamp Floyd Mining District (no by-laws included p. 52)
13n/aOphir Mining District (p. 62)
13n/aAmerican Fork Mining District (p. 81)
13n/aLucin Mining District (p. 87)
13n/aOhio Mining District (no by-laws included p. 95)
13n/aUintah Mining District (p. 104)
13n/aRush Valley Mining District (p. 117)