Territorial Arizona: San Rafael de la Zanja Land Grant/ San Rafael Natural State Area

These images are held in a case file created by the Court of Private Land Claims for Arizona.  After the Mexican American War, persons that had held grants to land from the Spanish or Mexican governments could petition this new court in order to maintain ownership of the land.  The case files are full of evidence, such as hand-drawn survey maps, correspondence, testimonies, and photos.  The evidence was to show not just that the petitioners held legal rights to the land, but also to prove the established boundaries for each land grant.

The pile of rocks shown  in each picture is one of the markers for a corner of the land.  Today, the area depicted in these photos is called the San Rafael State Natural Area, and is located near Arizona’s southern border.  Because this land grant was so enormous, much of the land was kept in very good condition and was not invaded by non-native species of plants.  

If the area looks familiar, it might  be because the 1955 movie Oklahoma was shot on this land!

These images, plus many more, are part of the records of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.  They are part of a series called Numbered Case Files of the Court of Private Land Claims for Arizona, created between 1891-1903.  The records are held at the National Archives at Riverside.

Throughout the month of July, the National Archives at Riverside is taking the opportunity to share images, documents, and records that celebrate our local history.  As the archives that holds permanent federal records for Southern California, Arizona, and Clark County, we have records from the states’ Territorial eras, records relating to the development of the region as a center of commerce and culture, and records depicting the natural beauty and built environments of our unique home.  This July, join us in celebrating our heritage as Americans and our heritage as stewards of the Pacific Southwest!