Tract Books: Difference between revisions

Federal tract books also help researchers find information to access over ten million land entry case files preserved at the [[National Archives and Records Administration]] in Washington, DC.<ref>Kenneth Hawkins, ''Research in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office: Record Group 49'', Reference Information Paper, 114 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2009), 1. [http://www.archives.gov/publications/ref-info-papers/rip114.pdf Internet version (pdf)] {{WorldCat|146498814|item|disp=At various repositories (WorldCat)}}  {{FHL|1440124|item|disp=FHL Ref Book 973 J53hrL}}</ref> These case files show the application papers of each individual who attempted to obtain a private claim to some public land, whether they succeeded or not. '''''Successful claims&nbsp;''''' received a patent (original title) and are indexed in the [http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/ BLM Land Patent Search] 1820-1908 for all [[United States Land and Property#United_States_federal_land_states|federal land states]]. '''''Unsuccessful claims&nbsp;''''' still have case files, and tract books are one of the best ways to find the information needed to obtain a case file from the two million otherwise '''unindexed''' land entry case files that were never finished, forfeited, rejected, or cancelled.<ref>Hone, 113-14.</ref>