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Land records tell history’s tale. They are the story of migration and settlement
patterns, geographical terrain and family lineage. Even political and economic
trends are threads that weave themselves through the pages of deeds, patents,
maps and notes on file at the State Land Office.
 Some of the earliest records on file are General Land Office (GLO) plat maps and
field survey notes. These documents are the fruits of a land survey which began
in 1815 – the first survey of the Louisiana Purchase Territory. A point in
eastern Arkansas where Monroe, Phillips and Lee Counties now meet is the initial
point from which all lands of the Louisiana Purchase were surveyed. That site is
now the Louisiana Purchase Historic State Park and a National Historic Landmark.
The original maps and notes stand today as the basis for township boundaries in
Arkansas and are widely used by surveyors, genealogists and other historical
researchers.The GLO documentation is not only the
best source of accurate, original land survey information in the state, but it
also provides a fascinating glimpse into the character of land in mid-19th
century Arkansas. Notations on indigenous trees, land ownership, historical
landmarks and various geographical terrains paint a picture of Arkansas
landscape during the early years. |