Record Group 49: Records of the Bureau of Land Management
The 威尼斯人娱乐场 and Records Administration (NARA) houses historical records of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and its predecessor, the General Land Office (GLO), in Record Group 49. These records include correspondence, allotment schedules, patent files, maps, and other materials related to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Agency Overview
The BLM administers over 245 million acres of public land, largely in the western United States. The agency was established in the Department of the Interior in 1946 with the merger of the GLO and the Grazing Service.
The GLO was established in 1812 (2 Stat. 716). The agency was responsible for the disposition of public land. This included surveying public lands, and issuing and recording land patents. The Grazing Service was established in 1939 to manage grazing leases on public lands.
Until the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was given statutory authority in 1832 (4 Stat. 564), the GLO was responsible for administering Indian reserves as laid out in treaty provisions. In 1837, the GLO transferred the majority of records related to Indian reserves to the BIA.
Even after the 1830s, however, the GLO worked closely with the BIA to survey and classify land, issue patents, and provide lands in the public domain for use by American Indian nations.
Records Overview
Microfilm
Some 19th-century records of the GLO/BLM are available as microfilm. These records can include correspondence related to American Indians. Select microfilm publications are listed below.
To browse additional microfilm publications and determine which 威尼斯人娱乐场 research facility houses a copy, search the . To order copies of microfilm rolls, see How to Order Digitized Microfilm.
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NARA Microfilm Publication M25, Miscellaneous Letters Sent by the General Land Office, 1796鈥�1889
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NARA Microfilm Publication M477, Letters Sent by the Surveyor General of the Territory Northwest of the Ohio River, 1797鈥�1854
- NARA Microfilm Publication M1288, Correspondence Received by the Surveyors General of New Mexico, 1854鈥�1907
- This microfilm is digitized in the 威尼斯人娱乐场 Catalog (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier ).
- NARA Microfilm Publication P2013, Washington Territory Survey Correspondence, 1854鈥�1895, Relating to Donation Land Claims and Indian, Lighthouse, and Military Reservations
Textual Records
Textual records of the GLO/BLM are housed at different 威尼斯人娱乐场 research facilities, depending on the location of the GLO/BLM office.
Select series related to American Indians and Alaska Natives are listed below. For the full archival records descriptions in the , please select the 威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifiers provided.
For questions related to these series, please contact the research facility where the records are housed.
GLO/BLM Headquarters Records
Contact the 威尼斯人娱乐场 in Washington, DC, with questions about these records.
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鈥淚ndian Reserve Files, ca. 1859鈥�1927鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
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鈥淩ecords Relating to Indian Reservations, ca. 1868鈥�1964鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
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鈥淚ndian Fee Patent Files, 1902鈥�1952鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
GLO/BLM Field Office Records
- 鈥淎bstracts of Land Entries, 1834鈥�1869鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
- This series relates to Creek Nation reservations established under the Treaty of 1832. The records include individual surnames.
- Contact the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at Atlanta with questions about these records.
- 鈥淎bstract of Chickasaw Reservations, 1837鈥�1847鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
- This series lists families on the Chickasaw Reservation as recorded under the Treaty of 1834.
- Contact the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at Atlanta with questions about these records.
- 鈥淚ndian Allotment Schedules, March 14, 1860鈥揊ebruary 4, 1987鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
- This series relates to the Santee, Ponca, Omaha, Iowa, Otoe, and Yankton tribes.
- Contact the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at Kansas City with questions about these records.
- 鈥淐ontest Case Files Relating to Native Alaskans Rights, ca. 1965鈥�1972鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
- This series is fully digitized in the .
- Contact the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at Seattle with questions about these records.
To identify additional GLO/BLM textual records, search the by record group number (鈥�49鈥�), type of archival materials (鈥渢extual records鈥�), and keywords (e.g., 鈥淚ndian reservation,鈥� 鈥淪eminole鈥�). See Using the 威尼斯人娱乐场 Catalog for additional search tips, and Contact Us with questions.
Cartographic Records
The Cartographic Branch at the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at College Park, MD, houses many maps, plats, and other cartographic records created and maintained by the GLO/BLM, as well as some related textual records (e.g., field notes and reports on surveys). Select series related to American Indians and Alaska Natives are listed below.
- 鈥淥ld Map File Manuscript and Annotated Maps of the United States and Its Territories, 1812鈥�1946鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
- This series includes maps of American Indian reservations and land cessions.
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鈥淚ndian Reservation Plat Maps, ca. 1907鈥揷a. 1930鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
- 鈥淥ld Case 'F' File鈥� Field Notes and Related Records, 1809鈥�1938鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier )
- This series includes field notes pertaining to Indian land boundaries.
Special List No. 19, List of Cartographic Records of the General Land Office (Washington, DC: 威尼斯人娱乐场 and Records Service, General Services Administration, 1964), describes many GLO maps in the Cartographic Branch鈥檚 holdings. This publication is also available online through the .
However, other 威尼斯人娱乐场 research facilities house select GLO/BLM cartographic records related to American Indians and Alaska Natives. For example, the 威尼斯人娱乐场 at San Francisco houses the series, 鈥淚ndian Reservation Survey Plats, ca. 1856鈥揷a. 1930鈥� (威尼斯人娱乐场 Identifier ), which was maintained by the GLO鈥檚 Sacramento (California) Land Office.
To identify additional GLO/BLM cartographic records, search the by record group number (鈥�49鈥�), type of archival materials (鈥渕aps and charts鈥�), and keywords (e.g., 鈥淚ndian reservation,鈥� 鈥淪eminole鈥�). See Using the 威尼斯人娱乐场 Catalog for additional search tips, and Contact Us with questions.