Land Record Archives

BCPL maintains a rich archive of records relating to lands granted to the State of Wisconsin. This archive documents the surveys of State lands, the State's receipt of the granted lands, the appraisal and management of such lands and finally the subsequent land sales. The records cover land transaction activity since statehood and provide legal documentation of the original land transfers. The archive is a rich source of historical information concerning the settlement of Wisconsin. The majority of these records date from 1848 to 1900.

Among the records included in the BCPL archive are the following five major record groups: Surveys Field Notes & Plat Maps, Federal Land Patents and "Clear Lists," Appraisals, Case Files, and State Land Patents.

The archive is housed in a climate-controlled room in the BCPL's Madison office. As most of the archival documents are more than a century old, they require special handling to ensure their long-term preservation. Many of our documents have now been placed in archival sleeves to protect them from physical damage and contact with acidic fingers, paper or mold.

Please contact the Land Records Contact for further information about physical access to the archive.

Before beginning a search for survey records, users, especially those who have not used this site previously, are strongly encouraged to read the background material on Land Surveys. This information has been developed to assist in understanding the process of the public land survey and how to interpret the records, as well as to understand the search techniques for this site.