Arizona Land and Property

The first land grants in Arizona were given by Spain and Mexico. Some of the early records were kept by the Secretary's Office of New Mexico at http://www.sos.state.nm.us/. A helpful published source of information about these grants is John R. and Christine Van Ness, Spanish and Mexican Land Grants in New Mexico and Colorado (Manhattan, Kansas: AG Press, 1980; FHL book 978 R2s).

When the United States acquired the area in 1848, it agreed to recognize prior claims. The claims were processed by the U.S. Surveyor General from 1855 to 1890, and by the U.S. Court of Private Land Claims from 1891 to 1903. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of the following records which are located at the Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, Federal Building, 1474 Rodeo Road, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502-0115, Telephone: 505-438-7450, Fax: 505-438-7452. Most of the documents are indexed and written in either English or Spanish.

Miscellaneous records for 1695-1842. (FHL films 1016947-48; use Vigil's Index, 1681-1846, on film 1106949.)

Land titles kept by the Secretary of the Territory for the years 1847-1852. (FHL film 1016950; use Vigil's Index, 1681-1846, on film 1016949.)

U.S. Surveyor General's records for 1855-1890. (FHL films 1016950-74 items 2-4; the index is on film 1016950 items 2-4.)

U.S. Court of Private Land Claims 1891-1903. (FHL films 1016975-96; the docket listing the cases is on film 1016975.)

Unclaimed land became public domain and was surveyed and sold to private owners through land offices. The first General Land Office was established in 1870 at Prescott. Other offices were at Florence, Tucson, and Phoenix, Arizona. Most of these records, along with mining, timber, and homestead entries, are at the National Archives—Pacific Region (Laguna Niguel) at http://www.archives.gov/pacific/laguna/. A few are at the National Archives—Rocky Mountain Region (Denver) (Building 48, Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225) at http://www.archives.gov/rocky-mountain/. Land entry cases and indexes to pre-1908 patents are located at the National Archives at http://www.archives.gov/. Patents and tract books are at the Bureau of Land Management, Arizona State Office, Public Records/AZ 952, 222 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2203, Telephone: 602-417-9528, Fax: 602-417-9556. Internet: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html

Subsequent transfers of land between private owners were recorded in each county. The Family History Library has not microfilmed the county deeds and other property records. You may obtain copies by writing to the county recorder at the county courthouse.