Lands

Oregon/Washington BLM is responsible for managing the Lands and Mineral estate for about 16 million acres of public lands as well as another 24.7 million acres of mineral estate where the surface is managed by the USFS.

Management responsibilities include: land acquisitions and disposals, land exchanges, rights of way and easements; land withdrawals; hard rock minerals under the Mining Law of 1872, leasable minerals (oil, gas, coal and geothermal) common variety minerals (e.g., aggregates), mineral resources on tribal lands, and maintaining the Public Land Tenure Records for all lands in Oregon and Washington.

Beginning in 1785, a rectangular survey system was adopted to describe the country's public lands. Cadastral surveyors divided the land using a north-south, east-west grid system of township and range to identify and describe land parcels.

This site provides viewing access to all the Cadastral Surveys as well as the Land Status records for the over 5,000 townships in Oregon and Washington.

Land Status records display land ownership, including original patents to homesteaders, miners, and railroad companies. They also reflect federal rights and restrictions for all land within Oregon and Washington.

This information is provided by township and consists of Master Title Plats (MTPs) and Historical Indices (HIs). The MTPs show the current land status for all federal interests in these lands while the His chronologically list all activities, past and present, for each township.

Some areas that fall completely within an Indian reservation or National Park may not be represented here by land status records. Information on these lands can be found with either the Bureau of Indian Affairs or the National Park Service.

Homestead Act 150 Year Anniversary

The Homestead Act of 1862 brought about significant and lasting changes to the United States. Giving individuals from the United States and around the world the opportunity to claim free government land allowed nearly any man or woman a chance to live the American Dream. During the homesteading era over 1.6 million people stepped-up to the challenge to claim and settle more than 270 million acres of public land. Throughout the course of the year BLM will be offering many opportunities for the public to learn more about these key dates in our Nation's history. Additional information about Homesteading and upcoming events read more>>.

http://www.blm.gov/or/landsrealty/homestead150/

General Land Office 200 Year Anniversary

The Bureau of Land Management was officially established in 1946, but it has roots dating back two hundred years, since the foundation of the General Land Office (GLO) in 1812. The "Gateway to Land Ownership" as it was colloquially dubbed, helped millions of Americans in the 19th and 20th centuries acquire public lands for private and agricultural usage, while simultaneously generating income for the Federal Government.

This April, the GLO will celebrate its 200th birthday. The Oregon/Washington BLM invites you to learn more about our historic lands, and the enduring legacy of the General Land Office read more>>.