Counties Formed From Counties Formed From Territory Adair County McClain County Alfalfa County Kingfisher County Atoka County McCurtain County Beckham County County Bryan County McIntosh County Blaine County Lincoln County Carter County Murray County County Logan County AND ECORDS County Muskogee County Canadian County L R Major County RESEARCH GUIDE County Nowata County Cleveland County Noble County Coal County Okfuskee County County Oklahoma County Craig County Okmulgee County Cotton County Osage County Creek County Ottawa County Custer County Pawnee County Delaware County Pittsburg County Dewey County Payne County Garvin County Pontotoc County Ellis County Pottawatomie County Haskell County Pushmataha County Garfield County Roger Mills County Hughes County Rogers County Grant County Washita County Johnston County County Greer County Woods County Latimer County Sequoyah County Harmon County Woodward County Le Flore County Tulsa County Harper County An Introduction to Researching Land Records Love County Wagoner County Jackson County in the Oklahoma Historical Society Marshall County Washington County Kay County Research Center Mayes County

Counties Formed From Both Territories Grady County Jefferson County Stephens County www.okhistory.org/research Panhandle Counties Beaver County Oklahoma Historical Society County County 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive , OK 73105

Research Center 405-522-5225 [email protected] About Land Records in Oklahoma location of county land records. The types and of Oklahoma, to support specific colleges and While the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) dates of records available varies by county. The universities. School land tract books are are held Research Center collections do not include Research Center has reference books that provide by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. Visit original land records, we can offer information information regarding county record holdings. their website at libraries.ok.gov. leading to records, which are at county or federal government offices. Homesteaders and the Federal Land Tract Books Townsite Lots Locating where someone lived can be the most Townsite lot records were recorded in Townsite Individual land ownership in Oklahoma difficult part of researching land records. Trustee Books, which are found at the town’s city has existed for just over a century. In Indian The most comprehensive land locator are the hall or at the county seat. Territory it began in 1902 with the allotment of Federal Tract Books of Oklahoma [Territory]. lands by the Dawes Commission. Prior to that Plat Books and Directories time, land in the Indian Territory belonged to The tract books consist of 72 volumes on Plat books are available for: the respective American Indian nation in which microfilm. They are arranged by township and • Ellis County, 1910 the individual lived. range. To search the tract books by surname, • Garfield County, 1906 consult the Index to Early Oklahoma Land Tract • Grant County, 1928 In Oklahoma Territory, with the exception of Books published by the Oklahoma Genealogical • Harper County, 1910 the American Indian land allotments made Society. The tract books also list American • Kay County, 1921 by the Jerome Commission in the late 1880s, Indian allotments for most of Ottawa County • Kiowa County, 1913 ownership began in 1889 and spread with each and some of Craig and Delaware Counties. • Noble County, 1912 of the land openings. • Oklahoma County, 1907 To obtain homestead files listed in the Tract • Payne County, 1907 The last land opening in Oklahoma Territory, Books, contact the National Archives or visit • Woods County, 1906 with the minor exception of the salt plains in www.archives.gov. • Woodward County, 1910 Alfalfa County, was in 1906. Land ownership in the Panhandle was possible after the first official Smith’s First Directory The following items list land descriptions or the survey was completed for the area in the . The second most comprehensive land locator township in which the person resides: in the Research Center is Smith’s First Directory • Custer County Oklahoma Land Deed Map, Oklahoma statehood occurred on , of Oklahoma Territory, August 1st, 1890–91 c. 1910 1907, joining Oklahoma and Indian Territories. (Guthrie: James W. Smith, 1890). This directory • Directory of Garfield County, 1896 lists individuals living in Oklahoma Territory. • Business and Resident Directory of Guthrie County Records and Logan County, 1892 The record books of the thirty judicial Recording A name index is also available in print and • City Directory Guthrie, 1892 Districts (the transitional form of government in online at okhistory.org/research/smiths. • Official Directory of Guthrie and Logan the Indian Territory just prior to statehood) were County, 1898 not generally preserved by the newly formed state School Land • Oklahoma City and County Directory, counties. Consequently, the earliest land records Sections 16 and 36 of government townships 1900–1901 in those counties start in November 1907. were usually reserved as school land. This land • Oklahoma City, 1900–1901 could be leased but not homesteaded. The • The Homesteaders of Oklahoma County In the Oklahoma Territory region, including the money from school land was designated by • Woods County Directory, 1895 Panhandle, several large counties were divided the Oklahoma Territory, and later the State into smaller counties. This may affect the