MINNESOTA. DIVISION OF LANDS AND MINERALS:

Office files of Frank A. Wildes. They reflect the creation of the Division of Lands and Minerals within the newly established Conservation Department, the transfer of staff and functions from the state auditor's office, and the formulation or confirmation of policies and procedures for managing state-owned lands and mineral resources.

The files provide information on the organization, administration, staff, budget, and office equipment of the new division and its branch office in Hibbing; leases of state land and lake front property for various purposes; sale of tax-delinquent lands; iron mining on state lands, including mineral leases, ore shipments, stockpiling, ore analyses, royalties, and the status of operations at the various mines; gold ore leases, prospecting permits, and exploration work done, especially by Vermilion River Mines, Inc.; assorted other state land management, minerals, and general conservation matters; exhibits of Minnesota resources at county and state fairs; and a variety of projects funded in 1934 by the state Civil Works Administration.

Also included are monthly or periodic reports of Wildes (to the conservation commissioner), chief mining engineer Raymond J. Moore, chief inspector D. A. Mitchell, and mining research engineer Withers Clay.

Although responsibility for lands and minerals activities was transferred from the state auditor to the Conservation Department when the latter was created in 1931, formal transfer of functions and personnel was not completed until April 1, 1933. Files for January-March, 1933, are from Wildes' service as superintendent of mines in the state auditor's office.

Return to top

Within each year, arranged by office file number.

Return to top

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and folder title here]. Minnesota Conservation Department. Division of Lands and Minerals. Director's subject files. Minnesota Historical Society. State Archives.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number(s): none

Processing Information:

Processed by: Lydia Lucas

Catalog ID No.: 0800011283 RLIN ID No.: MNHV90-A1151

Return to top

Return to top

Return to top

Preceded by State Auditor: Land Department: Superintendent of mines subject files. Succeeded by Division of Lands and Minerals: Director's subject files, 1935-1966.

Return to top

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Agricultural exhibitions -- Minnesota.

Conservation of natural resources -- Minnesota.

Gold -- Minnesota.

Iron mines and mining -- Minnesota.

Iron mines and mining -- Taxation -- Minnesota.

Iron ore -- Minnesota -- Analysis.

Lakeshore development -- Minnesota.

Land use, Rural -- Minnesota.

Managing.

Mine inspection -- Minnesota.

Mineral lands -- Minnesota.

Mines and mineral resources -- Government ownership -- Minnesota.

Mines and mineral resources -- Minnesota.

Mining leases -- Minnesota.

Prospecting -- Minnesota.

Public land sales -- Minnesota.

Public lands -- Minnesota.

Tax forfeiture -- Minnesota.

Places:

Hibbing (Minn.)

Persons:

Clay, Withers.

Mitchell, D. A.

Moore, Raymond J.

Wildes, Frank A.

Organizations:

Minnesota. State Auditor.

Minnesota. Division of Lands and Minerals -- Management.

Minnesota. Division of Lands and Minerals -- Officials and employees.

Minnesota Civil Works Administration.

Vermilion River Mines, Inc.

Minnesota State Fair.

Return to top