July 10, 2010

County Recorders

Over the next few months I will be updating our library of Research Links. We are currently working on some exciting map projects including the Greaterville, AZ placer workings and the Rich Hill gold area. Both areas have fascinating mining histories. In the process I have been collecting alot of research material on these areas that I will be sharing with you over the summer months.

This week I have posted up links to County Recorder websites for some of the western states. I use these links frequently in my research. The County Records are absolutely necessary for any Claims Research and indispensable for any historical research.

Much of the information on early mining is garnered from Newspaper reports. If you spend any time reading these early newspapers you will find that these papers were alot like today's tabloids. Lots of gossip and unsupported stories. Much of the writing of the time was devoted to bringing people west. Stories were exaggerated and the spin put on to make these places attractive to settlers and especially investors.

The county recorder can provide some level of truth to the stories. The County Recorder was and is THE place of record for public notices. Anyone interested in tracking historical land transactions, business incorporations, partnerships, contracts etc. needs access to the County Recorder.

County Recorders vary greatly in their level of service. A few counties provide indexes and easy access to documents. Most counties now provide indexes to documents going back about 20 years. Anything earlier than that requires a painful search through microfiche files at the Recorders office.

Be prepared to pay. Most County Recorders charge about $1 per page for document copies, some alot more. A very few will provide E-copies at no charge. Some offer subscription services for document images and research services. It all depends on the the County. Their fees are legislated by the County.

Visit our County Reorders Link Page and see what your County Recorder has to offer!

Happy Hunting!

Ruby

Miner Diggins FootPrints - Serious Maps for Serious Prospectors