Public Domain Lands

A visual representation of the United States with the State Land States and Federal Land States or land on the Public Domain is given in below.

These addresses may be helpful for states which do not have a name index to the land entry files.

California State Office, BLM, Federal Office Bldg., Room E-2841, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825-1889. [Has tract and plat books for California land offices only.]

Colorado State Office, BLM, 2850 Youngfield St., Lakewood, CO 80215. [Has tract and plat books for Colorado land offices only.]

Idaho State Office, BLM, 3380 Americana Terrace, Boise, ID 83706. [Has tract and plat books for Idaho land offices only.]

Montana State Office, BLM, Granite Tower, 222 N. 32nd St., PO Box 36800, Billings, MT 59107. [Has tract and plat books for Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota land offices only.]

New Mexico State Office, BLM, Joseph M. Montoya Federal Building, South Federal Place, PO Box 1449, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1449. [Has tract and plat books for New Mexico, Kansas, and Oklahoma land offices only.]

Oregon State Office, BLM, 1300 N.E. 44th St., PO Box 2965, Portland, OR 97208. [Has tract and plat books for Oregon and Washington land offices only.]

Wyoming State Office, BLM, 2515 Warren Ave., PO Box 1828, Cheyenne, WY 82003. [Has tract and plat books for Wyoming and Nebraska land offices only.]

Kansas Example
Kansas is a public-domain state, meaning the federal government sold or gave away Kansas land. The transfer of land from the federal government to the first private owner (by purchase, homestead, timber claim or land bounty) is described in the Kansas Tract Books. These books list land by legal description (township and range). They include a description of the tract, the number of acres, the rate (price) per acre if applicable, the purchase amount if applicable, the name of the purchaser (grantee), the date of sale, etc. The tract books are on microfilm. The finding aid Kansas Tract Books on the Kansas reference shelf describes the tract books. It includes a list of microfilm reels.