North Star Mining District (Utah). Recorder

Entity: 3201
Entity Type: Mining District

Abstract

Beaver County prospectors organized the North Star Mining District in the Star Mountain Range southwest of Milford in November 1871. Shenandoah City was the primary settlement in the district, and Elephant Canyon separated the North Star District from the Star District to the south. Mining in this area was most successful during the early 1870s. The North Star District was organized before Congress passed a general mining law validating the already established precedent that individuals had the right to claim mineral wealth in the public domain. In local areas groups of miners organized districts to manage mining activity and to elect recorders to keep records of claims. In 1897 the Utah legislature enacted a mining law which transferred responsibility for keeping mining records to the county recorder.

Biography/History Notes

Originally, North Star prospectors were allowed to claim only 200 feet along a lode, with the exception that the original discoverer was allowed an extra 200 feet. After 1872 miners in the North Star District revised by-laws to conform to federal regulation which allowed prospectors to claim up to 1500 feet along a lode with 300 feet on each side. Federal mining law required an annual labor assessment of one hundred dollars worth of work to hold a claim. North Star miners were allowed 30 days to have claims recorded.

Miners in the North Star District elected recorders for one year terms. They kept records in suitable bound books which were open for public inspection.

North Star District recorders appointed deputies to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities. In 1897 the Utah Legislature enacted a mining law which transferred responsibility for keeping mining records to county recorders. (Laws of Utah, 1897, chapter 36). At that time the records of the Star District were transferred to the Beaver County recorder's office.

Hierarchy

North Star Mining District (Utah). Recorder