Series 23923

GOLD MOUNTAIN MINING DISTRICT (UTAH). RECORDER [3132 ]

MINING RECORDS, 1889-1897.
2 microfilm reels

A separate agency history is available.

DESCRIPTION: According to federal law, mineral deposits in the public domain were free and open to exploration, and locators of the same had exclusive right of possession. Local mining districts managed mining operations and recorded claims. (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, 1872, vol. XVII, chap. 152). Records kept by the Gold Mountain Mining District recorder include claims or notices of location, affidavits showing proof of annual assessment labor and a few other mining records, such as deeds, notices of water rights, and statements about district business. Location notices affirm the citizenship of locators and confirm compliance with federal and local laws. They describe the claims, both in terms of dimensions and location, and identify each claim with a unique name. Notices provide dates of discovery and filing and are signed by both locators and the district recorder. Gold Mountain Mining District records also contain affidavits claiming proof of labor. In order to maintain claims, federal law required at least $100 worth of labor or improvements annually. Claimants appeared before the district recorder and provided a statement that the annual assessment work had been completed.

ARRANGEMENT: Mining records are arranged chronologically according to date filed.

RELATED RECORDS: MINING DISTRICT BY-LAWS, series 3651, include by-laws for the Gold Mountain District as filed in the General Land Office. After 1897 records for the Gold Mountain Mining District were kept by the Piute County recorder. Contact that office for access to these records.

FINDING AIDS: The district recorder created an index to all Gold Mountain Mining District records. The index provides reference by name of claim or mine, and provides the book and page number where each document was recorded. Index entries are alphabetically grouped and chronological thereunder.

PROCESSING NOTE: Gold Mountain Mining District records were microfilmed at Southern Utah University under the direction of Utah State Archives in December 2001 and processed by Rosemary Cundiff in March 2002.

PREFERRED CITATION: Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

CONTAINER LIST

Reel	Description
1	index to Books A-D
1	Apr 1889-Jul 1891 (Book A)
2	Jul-Dec 1891 (Book A, cont.)
2	Dec 1891-Dec 1894 (Book B)
2	Dec 1894-Jun 1896 (Book C)
2	Jun 1896-May 1897 (Book D)