Where can I find old mining company records and papers?

For example, the Vulture Mine records for 1921 to 1942, including claim descriptions, payroll and blueprints, are held by the Arizona Historical Society in Tucson, and a 1922 MIT thesis studied specimens from the mine.

Most of these papers are not online. The holding library's special collections staff can tell you what is in a box and often scan pages on request. Land and claim records are with the BLM and county recorders.

Sources: SNAC (Social Networks and Archival Context); OpenAlex; ArchiveGrid (OCLC).

How can I find old mines near me? Old mines are listed in geological survey databases such as the USGS Mineral Resources Data System, and marked on old topographic maps with crossed-pick symbols and shafts. Never enter an old mine: shafts, bad air and collapsing tunnels kill people every year.

How can I see what used to be on my land? Look at historic maps and aerial photos of the spot. In the United States, USGS historical topographic maps go back to the 1880s and show buildings, mines, roads and schools; historic aerial photos go back to the 1930s or 1940s in many places; and fire-insurance (Sanborn) maps cover towns. Old county plat maps and deeds name past owners.

How do you find ghost towns? Ghost towns appear on old topographic maps, in old post-office lists and in mining-district records; comparing an old map with today's map shows towns that have gone. Many are on public land, but removing artifacts from historic sites on federal land is illegal.