This was in my inbox- another research resource in the landfill.
"As most people know, the court house is being remodeled and the plat room is temporarily moving to the Earl Bennett Building. Upon their return to the court house, the new floor plan for the remodeled court house only gives the plat room two rooms for staff and records. Because of this, the plat room has been forced to archive and clean out records. According to Vicki they have not been given enough space in the archives south of town for records, nor have they been given enough space for storage in the remodeled court house. Vicki said they have been left with no choice but to throw old records away. I learned yesterday that the old tract maps (some as old as 80-100 years) that were kept in the northwest corner room have been thrown away. For anyone who has used these, they know that they were incredibly valuable records when it came to county road research. The county commissioners make the final decision in this remodel. Please, everyone, contact the county commissioners and request that they give the plat room more storage space for records. Explain to them the importance of the old records from the plat room. It is imperative that we contact them ASAP, as each day the plat room is making decisions as to what records are to be tossed."
Makes you want to throw something at someone, much like when one gets angry at the football game and you want to throw something at the TV. Maybe someone would offer up some space somewhere.
I think someone would have made an offer- even the local MARLS Chapter- - Hopefully they can make an arrangement before pitching any more records.
I am sure there is a law against that.
Should any member of the public deface or destroy public records the DA would prosecute them.
A call to the State's attorney should be made and heads should roll.
:pissed:
Wow... How utterly disgusting... they are throwing away the future, by throwing away the past.
Scan
Scanner? Digital won't take up much room.
Mark,
You should contact Jaimie and see if she has had any contact with the Clerk and Recorder. Your chapter should definitely be discussing this with them before they make a poor decision.
Kurt- The email was a fwd from Jamie to all Chapter members- I'll be contacting her later today to see what the current status is.
I'll second that.
Destroying land records is a crime, and should be prosecuted.
Scan
> Scanner? Digital won't take up much room.
I second that. Scanned images don't take up much physical space.
GIS Dept. Consipracy
Evil GIS Guy - Hmmm, if we can somehow get them to destroy all those old plat & map records then our GIS mapping system will totally reign supreme!!! Buwah ha ha ha!
GIS Dept. Consipracy
Actually, the GIS guys would be the first to want to scan and preserve these maps. These are what they work from and give them job security. Scanning, cogo'ing, and putting them on a sound digital framework.
What we see hear is just decisions by people that have no idea of the true value of these legacy documents.
GIS folks understand them. Politicians and bean counters do not.
Same crap goes on here and many other courthouses and counties. My question is how did we go from a society of people (workers in a courthouse especially) that puts no weight of how valuable that information is for everyone. It is a direct and only way to follow the history of property and title. Most that I have dealt with have no idea how important it is and actually doesn't care. Same goes for the markers out in the field. Amazingly all old rancher and farmers knew and respected section and quarter corners. Now you talk to the young rancher and farmers and they have no clue. All I hear is "I didn't know there was a survey marker there!" after a bulldozer cleared a path for their new fence line. Job security, but dang it.
GIS Dept. Consipracy
Deral wanted to ask you how your weather is, wife is flyin' there in the AM...only sorta!!! This situation with old records being farted off is not right!!! Newbies with their megabyte this or that, do not understand what the old mapping is worth. I live in a colonial survey situation, and you are in a PLSS, but the old stuff is what counts!!! There has to be a way, for instance around here if there is a hint of ancient Indian occupation of the area, an archelogical investigation has to be done.
I submit that old farts like you and I should find a way to save our history, and in this case maybe a storage shed situation for a month or so...in the area mentioned, just to prevent it from going to a landfill...to be forever lost. I am curious, because our area has gone digital?
