SECRETARY OF STATE:
An Inventory of Its Land Survey Field Notes at the Minnesota Historical Society
Government Records
Part or all of this collection is restricted.
For
details, please see restrictions.
OVERVIEW
Creator: | Minnesota. Secretary of State. | |
Title: | Land Survey Field Notes. | |
Dates: | approximately 1847-approximately 1920s (bulk 1847-1880s). | |
Language: | Materials in English. | |
Abstract: | Field notebooks kept by federal government surveyors as they laid out the exterior and subdivision lines of each Minnesota township. | |
Quantity: | 49.3 cubic feet (50 boxes and 1 oversize folder in map drawer). | |
Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
HISTORICAL NOTE
A detailed history and origin of the Public Land Survey System in Minnesota and the United States, is available on the web.
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
Also includes an interior index created by the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office, which allows a specific section line to be identified and found in the main body of field notebooks. The main body of field notebooks, approximately 1847-approximately 1920s (bulk approximately 1847-approximately 1920s) cover the exterior (township lines) and interior (subdivisions within the township) surveys. There are also notes for surveys of islands (1853-1907), Indian reservations and the Fort Ripley Military Reservation (1855-1894), and roads (1852-1857); a record of public land surveys in the state (approximately 1847-1891); and a map of the Sioux Reserve (1859).
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Access Restrictions:
The land survey field notes are closed to public use due to their fragility. A digital version of most of the records is available on the internet and linked below. Original indexes to several parts of the collection have been digitized and are available in this finding aid. Please consult library staff for more information.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota. Secretary of State. Land Survey Field Notes. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Alternate Form Available:
Digital version of the official set of original land survey plats and land survey field notes, with a detailed history and origin of the Public Land Survey System in Minnesota and the United States, is available on the web.
Accession Information:
Accession numbers: 992-17; 994-139; 2008-30; 2009-60; 2011-39; 2011-72; 2012-26; 2012-36; 2012-67
Processing Information:
Digitized by: Minnesota Historical Society, February 2022.
Digitization was made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.
Catalog ID number: 990066679230104294
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
129.A.16.3B | Exterior, Volume Nos. 129-206, 4th Meridian. |
129.A.16.4F | Exterior, Volume Nos. 207-278, 4th Meridian. |
129.A.16.5B | Exterior, Volume Nos. 279-304, 4th Meridian. |
Exterior, Volume Nos. 001-015, 5th Meridian. |
129.A.16.6F | Exterior, Volume Nos. 016-104, 5th Meridian. |
129.A.16.7B | Exterior, Volume Nos. 105-174, 5th Meridian. |
129.A.16.8F | Exterior, Volume Nos. 175-237, 5th Meridian. |
129.A.17.1B | Exterior, Volume Nos. 238-288, 5th Meridian. |
129.A.17.2F | Exterior, Volume Nos. 289-310, 5th Meridian. |
129.A.17.3B | Exterior, Volume Nos. 311-317, 5th Meridian. |
Interior, Volume Nos. 001-009, East 4th Meridian, Ranges 1-7. |
Interior, Volume Nos. 010-015, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 1-3. |
129.A.17.4F | Interior, Volume Nos. 016-035, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 4-8 (Township 58). |
129.A.17.5B | Interior, Volume Nos. 036-053, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 8 (Township 59) – 11 (Township 60). |
129.A.17.6F | Interior, Volume Nos. 054-074, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 11 (Township 61) – 14 (Township 59). |
129.A.17.7B | Interior, Volume Nos. 075-094, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 14 (Township 60) – 16 (Township 64). |
129.A.17.8F | Interior, Volume Nos. 095-112, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 16 (Township 65) – 18 (Township 57). |
129.A.18.1B | Interior, Volume Nos. 113-133, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 18 (Township 58) – 19 (Township 69). |
129.A.18.2F | Interior, Volume Nos. 134-153, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 19 (Township 69) – 21 (Township 44). |
129.A.18.3B | Interior, Volume Nos. 154-173, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 21 (Township 45) – 22 (Township 53), Range 23 (Townships 27-29), Range 24 (Townships 27-29), Range 21 (Township 37). | ||||||||||
Includes a separate plat, removed from Volume 165, page M7, that has been encapsulated and foldered. A photocopy has been placed in the original location in the volume. |
129.A.18.4F | Interior, Volume Nos. 174-192, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 22 (Township 54) – 23 (Township 64). | ||||||||||
Includes a separate plat, removed from Volume 180, page 66, that has been encapsulated and foldered. A photocopy has been placed in the original location in the volume. |
129.A.18.5B | Interior, Volume Nos. 193-212, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 23 (Township 65) – 25 (Township 38). | ||||||||||
Includes a separate plats, removed from Volume 198, pages M29, M56, that has been encapsulated and foldered. A photocopy has been placed in the original location in the volume. |
129.A.18.6F | Interior, Volume Nos. 213-230, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 25 (Township 39) – 26 (Township 56). |
129.A.18.7B | Interior, Volume Nos. 231-248, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 26 (Township 57) – 28 (Township 45). |
129.A.18.8F | Interior, Volume Nos. 249-263, West 4th Meridian, Ranges 28 (Township 46) – 32 (Township 44). |
Interior, Volume Nos. 263-270, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 3-9. |
129.A.19.1B | Interior, Volume Nos. 271-289, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 10-18 (Township 105). |
129.A.19.8F | Interior, Volume Nos. 290-312, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 18 (Township 106) – 24 (Township 115). |
129.A.19.3B | Interior, Volume Nos. 313-331, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 24 (Township 116) – 26 (Township 142). |
129.A.19.4F | Interior, Volume Nos. 332-349, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 26 (Township 143) – 27 (Township 156). |
129.A.19.5B | Interior, Volume Nos. 350-369, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 27 (Township 157) – 29 (Township 112). |
129.A.19.6F | Interior, Volume Nos. 370-390, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 29 (Township 113) – 30 (Township 128). |
129.A.19.7B | Interior, Volume Nos. 391-412, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 30 (Township 133) – 31 (Township 148). |
129.A.19.8F | Interior, Volume Nos. 413-431d, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 31 (Township 149) – 32 (Township 158). |
129.A.20.1B | Interior, Volume Nos. 432-451, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 32 (Township 159) – 33 (Township 164). |
129.A.20.2F | Interior, Volume Nos. 452-470, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 33 (Township 166) – 34 (Township 160). |
129.A.20.3B | Interior, Volume Nos. 471-489d, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 34 (Township 161) – 35 (Township 158). |
129.A.20.4F | Interior, Volume Nos. 490-509, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 35 (Township 159) – 36 (Township 156). |
129.A.20.5B | Interior, Volume Nos. 510-534, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 36 (Township 157) – 37 (Township 148). |
129.A.20.6F | Interior, Volume Nos. 535-555, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 37 (Township 149) – 38 (Township 148). |
129.A.20.7B | Interior, Volume Nos. 556-576, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 38 (Township 149) – 39 (Township 149). |
129.A.20.8F | Interior, Volume Nos. 577-596, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 39 (Township 150) – 40 (Township 145). |
130.A.16.7B | Interior, Volume Nos. 597-618, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 40 (Township 146) – 41 (Township 139). |
130.A.16.8F | Interior, Volume Nos. 619-638, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 41 (Township 140) – 42 (Township 132). |
129.A.15.1B | Interior, Volume Nos. 639-658, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 42 (Township 133) – 43 (Township 124). |
129.A.15.2F | Interior, Volume Nos. 659-680, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 43 (Township 125) – 44 (Township 129). |
129.A.15.3B | Interior, Volume Nos. 681-701, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 44 (Township 130) – 45 (Township 136). |
129.A.15.4F | Interior, Volume Nos. 701-721, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 45 (Township 137) – 46 (Township 144). |
129.A.15.5B | Interior, Volume Nos. 722-741, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 46 (Township 145) – 48 (Township 135); Range 48 (Township 136); Range 49 (Township 136). |
129.A.15.6F | Interior, Volume Nos. 742-758, West 5th Meridian, Ranges 48 (Township 145) – 51. |
129.A.15.7B | Exterior Township Indexes. 16 volumes: | ||||||||||
Originals. | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() |
129.A.15.8F | Land Survey Exterior Indexes. 1 folder. | ||||||||||
Photocopies of the 16 two-page index books (“border book” indexes), prepared by the surveyors’ office, that correlated exterior boundary lines of townships with the survey notebooks that describe them. | |||||||||||
Each "book" consists of a single-page map of a large portion of the state. Next to each township border line is written the number(s) of the corresponding survey notebook(s). | |||||||||||
![]() |
Land Survey Interior Index, Nos. 1-758, 1993. 14 folders: | |||||||||||
Photocopies of an index created by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office. The index consists of a map of the section lines (not including exterior township boundaries which are covered in a separate series of notes) for each township within Minnesota. It lists the page number on which each section line begins. The pages on which meander notes for shorelines within a particular section appear are also indicated. | |||||||||||
The indices are in order by range from east to west and within each range from south to north by township. The area East of the 4th Prime Meridian [PM] is listed first, then the area West of the 4th Pm, and then the bulk of the state, which is West of the 5th PM. Thus, in the West 5th PM area, the first area is T[ownship]101 R[ange]3, then T102 R3, then back to T101 R4, T102 R4, and so on. | |||||||||||
The page numbers all begin with the letter M, and that page number [e.g. M25] refers to the number that is written on the upper edge of each two-page image near the spine or gutter. Each book has only one M number per page, that is, there is only one M25 page in each book. | |||||||||||
When used in conjunction with the land survey field notes, this index will allow a specific section line to be identified and found in the proper book. | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
![]() |
Island Land Survey Notes, Book Nos. 1-86, 1853-1907. 94 volumes and 1 folder: | |||||||||||
The books are identified by T [Township], R [Range] and S [Section]. | |||||||||||
Index to Island Surveys. 1 folder. | |||||||||||
For the 4th and 5th Meridians; information includes lake or river name, township, range, section, and Island Survey Notes Book number. | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
Book 1. T 102, R 21, S 18-19, 1896. | |||||||||||
Book 2. T 115, R 22, S 35, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 3. T 117, R 23, S 12, 1874-1875. | |||||||||||
Book 4. T 117, R 23, S 22, 1871. | |||||||||||
Book 5. T 117, R 23, S 18, 1884-1885. | |||||||||||
Book 6. T 117, R 23, S 19, 1884-1885. | |||||||||||
Book 7. T 117, R 23-24, S 30 and 36, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 8. T 117, R 23-24, S 35-36, 1874. | |||||||||||
Book 9. T 118, R 24, S 12-13, 1884. | |||||||||||
Book 10. T 117, R 24, S 36, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 11. T 116, R 24, S 10, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 12. T 116, R 24, S 10, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 13. T 120, R 24, S 29, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 14. T 121, R 24, S 31, 1872. | |||||||||||
Book 15. T 120-121, R 24-25, S 1-6, 1890. | |||||||||||
Book 16. T 116, R 25, S 12-13, 1872. | |||||||||||
Book 17. T 121, R 25, S 30, 1906. | |||||||||||
Book 18. T 159, R 25, S 3-10, 1906. | |||||||||||
Book 19. T 104, R 27, S 16, 1885. | |||||||||||
Book 20. T 121, R 27-28, S 1, 6 and 12, 1884. | |||||||||||
Book 20 1/2. [20A] T 45, R 31, S 24, 1881. | |||||||||||
Book 21. T 134, R 28, S 35, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 22. T 151, R 28, S 20, 1903. | |||||||||||
129.A.16.1B | Book 22 1/2. [22A] T 134, R 28, S 23-26, 1881. | ||||||||||
Book 23. T 135, R 28-29, S 13-18, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 24. T 110, R 29, S 23-26, 1890. | |||||||||||
Book 25. T 115, R 31, S 10, 1872-1873. | |||||||||||
Book 26. T 132, R 31, S 9-16, 1905-1906. | |||||||||||
Book 27. T 102-103, R 32, S 31, 1884-1885. | |||||||||||
Book 28. T 127, R 32, S 20, 1901. | |||||||||||
Book 29. T 131, R 32, S 33, 1898. | |||||||||||
Book 30. T 122, R 32, S 28, 32 and 33, 1887. | |||||||||||
Book 31. T 118, R 33. S 29-30, 1884. | |||||||||||
Book 32. T 140, R 33, S 9, 1902-1903. | |||||||||||
Book 33. T 118, R 33, S 3, 1883. | |||||||||||
Book 34. T 148, R 33, S 22-28, 1901-1902. | |||||||||||
Book 35. T 118, R 34, S 16, 1876. | |||||||||||
Book 36. T 121, R 34, S 17, 1888. | |||||||||||
Book 37. T 117, R 35, S 13-24, 1865. | |||||||||||
Book 38. T 120, R 35, S 14, 15, 22 and 23, 1870. | |||||||||||
Book 39. T 122, R 35, S 23, 1884-1885. | |||||||||||
Book 40. T 143, R 36, S 11, 1890. | |||||||||||
Book 41. T 128, R 37, S 18, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 42. T 128, R 38, S 10, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 43. T 115-116, R 38-39, S 20 and 35, 1868. | |||||||||||
Book 44. T 128, R 40, S 33, 1889-1890. | |||||||||||
Book 45. T 130, R 41, S 23-26, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 46. T 133, R 41, S 8, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 47. T 156, R 41, S 18-19, 1902-1903. | |||||||||||
Book 48. T 129, R 42, S 20, 1875. | |||||||||||
Book 49. T 139, R 42, S 32, 1875. | |||||||||||
Book 50. T 136, R 42, S 28-29, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 51. T 136-137, R 43-44, S 1 and 31, 1872. | |||||||||||
Book 52. T 122, R 44, S 11, 1889. | |||||||||||
Book 53. T 121, R 46, S 9, 16 and 21, 1880-1881. | |||||||||||
Book 54. T 110, R 45, S 25, 1881. | |||||||||||
Book 55. T 64, R 8, S 19, 1903. | |||||||||||
Book 56. T 63, R 13, S 30, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 57. T 58, R 14, S 7, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 58. T 62, R 14, S 22-27, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 59. T 62, R 14, S 33, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 60. T 49, R 16, S 19, 1901. | |||||||||||
Book 61. T 58, R 16, S 1-12, 1905. | |||||||||||
Book 62. T 57-58, R 17, S 2-3 and 35, 1905. | |||||||||||
Book 63. T 33, R 20, S 27, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 64. T 134, R 28, S 34, 1874. | |||||||||||
Book 64 1/2. [64A] T 34, R 20, S 27 and 34, 1889. | |||||||||||
Book 65. T 60, R 21, S 7-18, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 66. T 69, R 21, S 25, 1905. | |||||||||||
Book 67. T 62, R 23, S 21-22, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 68. T 29, R 24, S 32, 1876. | |||||||||||
Book 69. T 33, R 24, S 16, 1888. | |||||||||||
Book 70. T 42, R 25, S 5, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 70 1/2. [70A] T 41, 129 and 130, R 29 and 32, S 5, 33-35, 1881-1882. | |||||||||||
Book 71. T 46, R 25, S 28-33, 1904-1905. | |||||||||||
Book 72. T 46, R 26, S 21, 1901. | |||||||||||
Book 72 1/2. T 36, R 31, S 22, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 73. T 59, R 26, S 6-7, 1904. | |||||||||||
Book 73 1/2. T 128, R 37, S 18-19, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 74. T 59-60, R 27, S 35-36, 1906-1907. | |||||||||||
Book 74 1/2. T 36, R 31, S 26, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 75. T 43, R 27, S 26, 1902. | |||||||||||
Book 76. T 45, R 27, S 4, 1898. | |||||||||||
Book 77. T 45, R 28, S 20, 1900. | |||||||||||
Book 78. T 45, R 29, S 14, 1903. | |||||||||||
Book 79. T 37, R 31, S 33, 1883. | |||||||||||
Book 79A. T 32, R 25, S 33, 1883. | |||||||||||
Book 80. T 37, R 31, S 33, 1884. | |||||||||||
Book 81. T 29, R 24, S 15-22, 1882. | |||||||||||
Book 82. T 29, R 22, S 32, 1856. | |||||||||||
[Survey cancelled]. | |||||||||||
Book 83. T 28, R 23, S 17, 1888. | |||||||||||
Book 84. T 34, R 26, S 9, 1889. | |||||||||||
Book 85. Islands in St. Croix and St. Louis Rivers and Peninsula, 1853-1865. | |||||||||||
Book 86. Islands in the Mississippi River, 1853-1859. |
129.A.16.2F | Indian Reservations and Fort Ripley Military Reservation Land Survey Notes, Book Nos. 1-27, dated 1855-1894. 26 volumes and 1 folder: | ||||||||||
Index to Indian Reservations and Fort Ripley Surveys, 1984. 1 folder. | |||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||
Book 1. Sioux Reservation, South Boundary on the Minnesota River, 1860. | |||||||||||
Book 2. Red Lake Reservation, West Boundary, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 3. Leech Lake Reservation, Band of Chippewa, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 4. Winnibigoshish Reservation. | |||||||||||
Book 5. Chippewa Reservation on the Mississippi River, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 6. Chippewa Reservation on Cass Lake. | |||||||||||
Book 7. Red Lake Reservation, Southwest and Southeast Boundaries, 1885. | |||||||||||
Resurvey. | |||||||||||
Book 8. Red Lake Reservation, Southwest and Southeast Boundaries, 1872. | |||||||||||
Book 9. Fond du Lac Reservation, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 10. Sioux Reservation on the Minnesota River, 1859. | |||||||||||
Book 11. Fort Ripley Military Reservation, 1880. | |||||||||||
[Book 12 was never created.] | |||||||||||
Book 13. Indian Reservation at Grand Portage Bay, Lake Superior, 1858. | |||||||||||
Book 14. Fort Ripley Military Reservation, 1875. | |||||||||||
Book 15. Chippewa Reservation on the St. Louis River, 1858. | |||||||||||
Book 16. Fond du Lac Reservation, 1873. | |||||||||||
Book 17. Sioux Reservation on Lake Pepin, 1855. | |||||||||||
Book 18. Fort Ripley Military Reservation, East of the Mississippi River, 1857. | |||||||||||
Book 19. Chippewa Reservation on the St. Louis River, 1858. | |||||||||||
Book 20. Red Lake Reservation, South and East Boundaries, 1890-1891. | |||||||||||
Book 21. Red Lake Reservation, North Boundary, 1891. | |||||||||||
Book 22. Red Lake Reservation, East Boundary, 1875. | |||||||||||
Book 23. Red Lake Reservation, Northwest Boundary, 1892-1893. | |||||||||||
Book 24. Red Lake Reservation, Southwest Boundary, 1894. | |||||||||||
Book 25. Red Lake Reservation, East Boundary Correction, 1892. | |||||||||||
Book 26. White Earth Reservation, South Boundary, 1887. | |||||||||||
Book 27. White Earth Reservation, 1885. | |||||||||||
Resurvey. | |||||||||||
Road Survey Notes, 1852-1857. 6 volumes. | |||||||||||
Two volumes are labeled number 3. | |||||||||||
Road from Wabasha to Mendota, 1852. | |||||||||||
Book No. 1. Point Douglas and St. Louis River Road, 1857. | |||||||||||
Book No. 2. Point Douglas and St. Louis River Road, 1857. | |||||||||||
Book No. 3. Kettle River to Superior, Wisconsin, 1857. | |||||||||||
Covers a portion of Point Douglas and St. Louis River Road. | |||||||||||
Book No. 3. Point Douglas to Fort Ripley, 1857. | |||||||||||
Book No. 4. Point Douglas to Fort Ripley, 1857. |
CATALOG HEADINGS
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:
- Indian reservations -- Minnesota -- Surveying.
- Islands -- Minnesota -- Surveying.
- Military reservations -- Minnesota -- Surveying.
- Surveying -- Public lands -- Minnesota.
- Townships -- Minnesota.
- Organizations:
- Minnesota. Office of Surveyor General of Minnesota.
- Places:
- Fort Ripley (Minn. : Fort)
- Minnesota -- Surveys.
- Document Types:
- Field notes -- Minnesota.
- Maps -- Minnesota.