Series 24408

TOOELE COUNTY (UTAH). COUNTY RECORDER [1166]

WILLOW SPRINGS MINING DISTRICT RECORDS, 1891-1900.
1 microfilm reel

A separate agency history is available.

DESCRIPTION: The Willow Springs Mining District, organized 21 May 1891 in the Deep Creek Mountains of western Tooele County (Utah), was an extension of mining activity at Gold Hill. Gold Hill prospectors organized this district in accordance with federal law which stated that mineral deposits in the public domain were free and open to exploration, and locators of the same had exclusive right of possession (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, vol. 17, 1872, chap. 152). The law authorized local mining districts to keep records and oversee mining operations within specified boundaries. The Willow Springs Mining District record books begin with a copy of by-laws for the district. By-laws are followed by notices of location (claims) filed with the district. Each notice prominently states the name of the claim and confirms compliance with federal law and local regulations. Notices provide information about the claim's dimensions and location, and identify the names of discoverers. They provide the dates for discovery and filing and are signed by the district or county recorder. While notices of location dominate, these books also include a few other mining related documents such as affidavits showing proof of annual assessment labor.

ARRANGEMENT: Documents are arranged chronologically by date filed.

RELATED RECORDS: The FILE BOOK, series 24409, provides a chronological list of all notices of location filed by Willow Springs District recorders. From 1897-1900 Tooele County recorder, Emily Dods, kept the Willow Springs record book. During this period she filed copies of location notices in both the Willow Springs book and in Tooele County MINING RECORDS, series 6150. Each notice in the Willow Springs book provides a cross reference to the same notice in county recorder's mining books.

FINDING AIDS: The Willow Springs District recorder's file book provides a chronological list of notices of location filed in the district (see related records).

CUSTODY HISTORY: Willow Springs mining records were originally kept by the Willow Springs Mining District recorder (see agency history ). In May 1897 the books were transferred to the office of the Tooele County recorder, who continued to record notices of location in Book 3.

PROCESSING NOTE: The record books of the Willow Springs Mining District were processed by Rosemary Cundiff in October 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	1891, May-1892, Apr (Book 1)
1	1892, Apr-1897, May (Book 2)
1	1897, Jan-1900, Jan (Book 3)