The California State Archives holds two series of Mexican land grant records from the Office of the United States Surveyor General for California.
The first series, often referred to as the "Spanish Archives," includes official record copies of the title papers (expedientes) and sketch maps (diseñsos) found at Monterey, transcribed and deposited in the Archives in 1871 at the request of the Legislature.
The diseños in the collection have been digitized and are available to view online.
The second series includes drafts and copies of 665 United States Surveyor General maps acquired by the State Archives perhaps as early as 1937. These survey maps, created between the late 1850s and mid-1880s, include mission, rancho, and pueblo lands, as well as a few miscellaneous surveys of Indian reservations and government lands.
Index of United States Surveyor General for California Maps
Online catalog record for Spanish and Mexican Land Grant Records
(contact our Reference Desk for additional information)
