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Collection M 028:
La Plata County (Colo.) government records:
inventory of the collection

Links to contents

Preface	Introduction/ Scope and contents		Historical note	County organizational chart
Preface	Introduction/ Scope and contents		Administrative info	Records series descriptions
Container list		Glossary of terms	Marriage records	Register of the Poor
Other Center of Southwest Studies collection inventories				Center of Southwest Studies

Introduction/ Scope and contents

Collection M 028:
La Plata County (Colo.) government records

Years this material was created: 1874-2000's (bulk years 1874-1970)
approximately 260 linear shelf feet (approx. 60,000 items in approx. 100 document cases and nearly 1,000 unboxed oversize shelved ledger volumes )

This collection consists of historically significant inactive records transferred to the Center of Southwest Studies from the La Plata County (Colorado) government. This inventory shows the established record groups and series for the records--at this time the Center does not actually have records of all agencies of the County Government, only the records actually described in this inventory.

Historical note

La Plata County was established in February of 1874. By 2003, the County's estimated population was 47,467, its area had grown to 1,690 square miles, and the total 2003 assessed property value was $1,874,127,630 (up from $516,264,940 in 1993). Its present form of government is Statutory County, with a three member Board of Commissioners. Voters elect the County Commissioners, the Sheriff, District Attorney, Coroner, Assessor, Clerk and Recorder, Surveyor, and the Treasurer and Trustee. The County Commissioners appoint the County Attorney, County Manager, and members of boards and commissions. The County Manager hires, directly supervises, and fires all department heads, with the sole exception of the County Attorney, and each of the department heads serves at the pleasure of the Board of County Commissioners.

The three Commissioners, elected for four-year terms, are responsible for policy and direction. The Manager is the chief administrator of the County government. The County Clerk and Recorder is responsible for such matters as elections and recording. The Treasurer handles tax collection.

The Assessor handles property assessment. The Sheriff handles public safety issues. The Human Services Director is responsible for such matters as family counseling, adoption, and public assistance.

Justice of the Peace records are included in this collection because they originally were county records, parallel to the County Courts (which handled probate) and District Courts that were all part of a Judicial District. The office of Justice of the Peace served as a subordinate magistrate for the preservation of the peace in a specified district, namely La Plata County. Other incidental administrative and financial powers were specified in the office holder's commission. The principal duties were to administer summary justice in minor cases, sometimes involving committing a case for trial in a superior court. The office was used in cases of complaints, suits, prosecutions, and in actions of debt, bond, contracts, agreements and suits.

In 1965 the office of Justice of the Peace was abolished. Most of its functions were placed under State Judicial SC Article III and various duties previously handled by the Justice of the Peace were redistributed to other offices within the La Plata County Government.

There are no Justice of the Peace records in this collection for the years 1920 through 1923. Order books, index books, and the register of actions were retained at the County Courthouse, either at the District or County Clerk's office. Files for permanent retention were sent to the State Archives.

Administrative information

Acquisition information: According to a resolution of the County Commissioners, the Center of Southwest Studies is the official repository for historically significant records of La Plata County. Fort Lewis College Professor of History and Southwest Studies and Durango historian Duane Smith notes that County Commissioner R. G. Scott pushed for this. In the early 1980s many county records now at the Center were sacked in black plastic and headed for the dump when Dr. Smith and Commissioner Scott rescued them. The records had previously already had a difficult life: Durango residents found some of them blowing down the street when the clock tower portion of the old courthouse was being torn down and rebuilt in 1964. By the time these records reached the Center, any semblance of original order had been lost. Soon after (but before there was an archival program), someone at the College began organizing them into a single arrangement scheme, by year. In the fall of 2006, the Center's archival team (primarily, Professional Archival Intern Jerrid Miller) began reconstructing their order, according to modern principles of archival arrangement and description to reflect the organizational chart of the County government.

Subsequently to the Center's acquisition of those earlier records, the County has been transferring historically significant County government records to the Center of Southwest Studies for preservation and long-term access, once the County has stored their content in some other format (e.g., microfilm and/or electronically as digital image files) and they are no longer needed in their original form for active use at the County offices. The most recent large addition to the collection at the Center of Southwest Studies (accession 2006:004) is 797 bound ledger volumes from the vault of the La Plata County Clerk and Recorder (which has made these available digitally on-site at the County Courthouse in Durango).

Processing information: This inventory was prepared by J. Todd Ellison (who did the bulk of the initial arrangement and description of the collection in the 1990s); it was last revised in January of 2007. It remains a work in progress. Initial html conversion was by Jesse Davila in September, 1998, with subsequent html work by Fort Lewis College student, Debra Lehl, in April, 1999.

Fort Lewis College archives student Lisa Saliman helped process the Justice of the Peace records in the fall 1992 trimester. Center of Southwest Studies (CSWS) archival student worker Jennifer Leithauser organized those same records into one alphabetical series in the 2002-03 school year, and Logan Morley, another CSWS student worker, did the data entry of all the JP folders in the 2003-04 school year. Durango volunteer Cindy Beam entered data from the Poor Register in the early 1990s. CSWS student worker Bret Connor and other student workers unfolded tri-folded documents and placed them in archival folders. In the fall of 1998, the County and Microfilm & Imaging of Durango, Inc., produced a microfilm and a CD-ROM (#LPRB0001) of La Plata County Road and Bridge historic road records dating from 1877 to 1922. In the summer of 2000, CSWS archival student worker Paul Beckler organized the marriage records (Series 3.2 and 3.3); during the 2002-03 school year, archival student worker Logan Morley entered the data on each of the 5,000 documented marriages. CSWS student worker Nicholas Sandner organized the Colorado hunting and fishing licenses during the 2003-04 school year (it is unclear why or how those records found there way into the County government records, but that is the way they reached the Center). From September of 2006 until January of 2007, Native American Professional Archival Intern Jerrid Miller arranged and described much of the hitherto unprocessed portions of this collection, focused on the large portion of the collection that had been tossed about as described above.

Series descriptions

Note: Record groups (RGs), shown in boldface, are numbered consecutively. The lower levels of organization, following the RG number, are subgroups (SGs) and series. Box numbers start with 1 in each record group, or sub-group or (if there is no subgroup) in each series.

Most record groups are organized from highest hierarchical level to lowest, or from most general to most specific. Items within each series (e.g., arrest warrants, attachment writs) and within each folder are arranged chronologically.

RG 1: Board of County Commissioners	RG 2: County Manager	RG 3: Clerk and Recorder	RG 4: Assessor
RG 5: Treasurer and Trustee	RG 6: District Attorney	RG 7: County Attorney	RG 8: Sheriff
RG 9: Coroner	RG 10: Planning	RG 11: Roads and Bridges	RG 12: Building and Emergency Services
RG 13: Finance	RG 14: Social Services	RG 15: Aviation	RG 16: Fairgrounds Operations and County Extension Office
RG 17: Justice of the Peace	RG 18: County Court	RG 19: School District	RG 20: Photographs

RG Subgroup/Series

Record Group 1: Board of County Commissioners

Series 1.1: Minutes and bids printed materials (interfiled), 1876-1997. Includes 32 volumes of the records of proceedings of the County Commissioners, 6/1876 through 5/31/1994, and 7 volumes of indexes to those proceedings, 6/1876 through 12/1997. Also includes unbound records dated 1/1985 - 1/1993 that were compiled by former County Commissioner Doris Brennan during her period of service on the Board.

Series 1.2 Meeting notes, 1911-1931, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains mostly hand-written notes from the monthly commissioner meetings.

Series 1.3 Resolutions, 1906-1946, 2 document cases. Chronological order. Contains the various dated and undated resolutions passed by the commission during those years.

Series 1.4 Annual reports, 1908-1924, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains various annual reports that mention the La Plata County Commissioners as a party of interest.

Series 1.5 Petitions and grievances, 1904-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains various petitions and grievances written to the commissioners by the citizenry concerning issues of voting precincts and road easements.

Series 1.6 Bids and related materials, 1916-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains the various bids put forth by companies and contractors for county related contracts and services.

Series 1.7 Contracts and agreements, 1909-1925, 2 folders. Chronological order. Contains the various legal agreements between the county and those individuals who won advertised bids.

Series 1.8 Notices of settlement, 1922, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 1.9 Public relations printed materials, 1992-ongoing. Includes published annual reports.

Series 1.10 Applications and resignations for positions, 1901-1925, 3 folders. Chronological order. Note: Contains an assortment of letters addressed to the County Commissioners from individuals requesting placement in county-appointed jobs.

Series 1.11 Road overseer applications, 1924-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains letters addressed to the County Commissioners from various applicants asking for appointment as a road overseer.

Series 1.12 Driver and road worker applications, 1924-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 1.13 Election judges lists, 1908-1918, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 1.14 Incoming correspondence, 1900-1928, 12 folders. Chronological order. Includes one folder of junk mail and another folder of undated letters.

Series 1.15 Outgoing correspondence, 1914-1927, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 1.16 Related correspondence, 1908-1919, 1 folder. Chronological order. Note: While the La Plata County Commissioners or their support staff are not named in the letterhead, the issues addressed in these letters either indirectly mention or fall within the dominion of the La Plata County Commissioners.

Series 1.17 Individual County Commissioners' records and correspondence, 1983-1993. Grouped alphabetically by surname of Commissioner. So far, this comprises records and correspondence of County Commissioner Doris Brennan, 1983-1993.

Series 1.18 Other documents (personal notes), undated, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes personal memos and other miscellaneous notes.

Series 1.19 Bills payable, 1907-1928, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes various bills and receipts that document county spending.

Subgroup 1.20 County Board of Equalization records
Historical note: The County Board of Equalization was a board made up of the county commissioners of La Plata County which served as an appeals board if one had a disagreement with the Assessors' Notice of Final Determination over taxes.

Series 1.20.1 County Board of Equalization legal documents, 1921-1922, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes legal documents pertaining to individual citizens and their appeals.

Series 1.20.2 County Board of Equalization other documents, 1920, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes hand-written notes pertaining to individual citizens who appealed to the board. Possibly documents the ye or neigh votes on individual decisions.

Subgroup 1.21 County Board of Health records
Historical note: The County Board of Health was a board made up of the county commissioners of La Plata County whose job it was to institute quarantines, pass ordinances regarding sanitation and provide for the overall general health and welfare of the county.

Series 1.21.1 County Board of Health regulations and resolutions, 1920-1921, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes notices, regulations and resolutions pertaining to the affairs of health and hygiene.

Record Group 2: County Manager

Subgroup 2.1 County Manager's office records

Subgroup 2.2 Assistant County Manager/ Administrative Assistant's records

Subgroup 2.3 Buildings and Grounds records

Subgroup 2.4 Personnel records (note: scarcely any are in this collection)

Record Group 3: Clerk and Recorder

Series 3.1 Records and correspondence, 1874-1989. Includes 218 volumes of general indexes of grantors and grantees, April 1874-Oct. 1989 (numbered from [1] through 109, with two volumes for each volume number), and 525 volumes of legal instruments recorded with the County Clerk and Recorder, from 1874 (of the California Mining District) through 1968 (these volumes are numbered starting with the letter B, then volume #s 2 through 527; except that volume numbers 111 and 408 are non-existent, volume 526 is an unbound set of a few pages between boards, and there are two volumes, A and B, of Volume #344; volume 95 is empty except for pages 1 and 2). Note: as a result of an error when the County was manually producing indexes in the early 1960s, some of the references to Book 414 are actually references to Book 413. So, if a search from the general indexes to some record in Book in 414 is unsuccessful, check also in Book 413.

Series 3.2 Marriage licenses and certificates, 1876-1908, 1915-1919, 1921-1959 June (in 6 records boxes and 4 flat boxes, and 15 volumes of indexes/records of marriage licenses and certificates, 12/14/1880 - 1/8/1974).

Series 3.3 Marriage license applications, 1881-1919 (in 2 records boxes and 1 document case).

Series 3.4 Colorado hunting and fishing license applications, 1929 December 30 - 1930 October 25 (in 2 document cases; arrangement is by date of application). Also includes (at the end of this series) four folders of Colorado resident general hunting and fishing licenses, 1908-1910, 1917-1919, and 1922-1937. Each license application contains descriptive information about the applicant (citizenship, age, height, weight, gender, eye color, hair color, and other distinctive marks). Note: it is unclear why these state records were mingled in with county government records, but that is how they reached the Center.

Series 3.5 Documents on record, 1894-1931, 1 folder. Chronological order. Various individual documents that were put on record with the county clerk's office.

Series 3.6 Documents on record (oaths of political office and appointments), 1914-1924, 1 folder. Chronological order. Various notices of appointment and affidavits relating to political officials which were put on record at the county clerk's office.

Series 3.7 Legal documents, 1908-1926, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes several legal documents that relate to or involve the county clerk's office in legal affairs.

Series 3.8 Other documents, 1911-1929, 1 folder. Chronological order (when applicable). Various documents that while are of a miscellaneous nature, pertain to the daily activities of the County Clerk's office. Includes blank forms, political official lists and revenue sheets.

Series 3.9 Records index, 1921-1931, 1 folder. Chronological order. Various weekly reports by the county clerk of who filed in their office and what category it exactly falls into.

Series 3.10 Incoming correspondence, 1906-1930, 12 folders. Chronological order. Includes one folder dedicated to the "junk mail" the county clerk received.

Series 3.11 Outgoing correspondence, 1911-1930, 6 folders. Chronological order.

Series 3.12 Undated correspondence, 1 folder.

Series 3.13 Related correspondence, 1914-1930, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains all mail that either mentions the county clerk by name or is correspondence requesting some sort of service the county clerk provides.

Series 3.14 Personal notes, c.1912-1928, 1 folder. Chronological order (when applicable). Includes doodles, personal notes, memos and calculations by the county clerk or his/or her deputies.

Series 3.15 Bills payable, 1910-1946, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes various bills and receipts that document the county clerk's expenditures.

Series 3.16 Other records (check receipts), 1929-1930, 3 folders. Chronological order, then numeric by check number. Also contains 1 folder of undated check receipts. Documentation of specific check numbers and the names of whom the county clerk wrote them out to.

Series 3.17 Other records (warrant certificates), 1889, 5 folders. Numeric order. Contains the warrant certificates of audited claims against La Plata County.

Series 3.18 Oversized records, circa1906-1940s, 3 boxes and 1 ledger book. Unsorted as of yet. Contains election materials as well as public notices clippings.

Record Group 4: Assessor

Series 4.1 Tax lists and assessor's rolls, 1879-1948. 154 volumes. Prior to 1922, there is a separate series of tax list and assessment roll books. For 1918 and then from 1922 forward, the assessment roll and tax list are combined in one alphabetized series (usually, 2

volumes for each year). The earliest tax list book is dated 1879; we are missing the volumes for 1880 and 1883-1885. The 1874 La Plata County tax ledger and Commissioners' minute book are in a vault at the San Juan County Historical Society in Silverton, Colorado (the County seat was in Howardsville in those early years of the County's history). The earliest assessment roll book is from 1879; we are missing the volumes for 1880, 1886, 1910 (half of it) and 1919-1921. The three consecutive years of missing

assessment rolls occur just prior to the combined books; it is possible that those rolls were included with the tax lists for those years. These huge volumes were filmed by Kirk Tracy of Mountain Microfilm in Glenwood Springs in the fall of 1992; the original

silver microfilm was filed at the State Archives in Denver, and a duplicate roll was delivered to the County Treasurer in Durango. See microfilm roll list in our collection folder.

Series 4.2 Tax assessment abstracts and taxes summaries, 1992.

Series 4.3 Corporation statements and annual reports, 1899-1904. Arrangement is alphabetical by name of corporation. This is a one-page form listing the full corporate name, the name of the city in which its principal office is located and where its principal

business is carried out, and financial details regarding capital stock, bonds, indebtedness, gross annual earnings, net earnings during the past year, the net value of its tangible property and capital stock, and a description of any franchises and privileges of

the company. See also related documents found with the Assessor's records: statement of indebtedness for which a deduction is claimed.

Series 4.4 Chattel mortgages, 1890-1891, 14 folders. Arrangement is alphabetical by name of person or business.

Series 4.5 Statements of indebtedness for which a deduction is claimed, 1899-1942. Arrangement is alphabetical by name of person or business/ corporation.

Series 4.6 Oversize records, 1914-1944, 7 boxes. Chronological order (when applicable). Includes inheritance tax ledgers (3 volumes), tax assessment ledgers (2 volumes) as well as tax schedules.

Series 4.7 Reports, 1920, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains the abstract of assessment of La Plata County for the year 1920.

Series 4.8 Legal documents, 1911-1915, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains several legal cases that either name or relate to the office of the county assessor.

Series 4.9 Petitions for tax abatement, 1922-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 4.10 Affidavits and non-deductible statements, 1907-1919, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Subgroup 4.11 County surveyor's records

Series 4.11.1 Records, 1909, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 4.11.2 Appointments, 1894-1919, 1 folder. Chronological order. Pertains to the appointments of deputy surveyors by the county surveyor.

Subgroup 4.12 Other documents pertaining to the Assessor's Office

Series 4.12.1 Appointments, 1896-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. Pertains to to the appointments of deputy assessors by the county assessor.

Series 4.12.2 Other documents, 1906-1924, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes statements of taxes due, double assessment documents and the assessor's tax schedule for 1924.

Series 4.13 Incoming correspondence, 1910-1921, (3 boxes, unsorted), 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 4.14 Related correspondence, 1920, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 4.15 Bills payable, 1909, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Record Group 5: Treasurer and Trustee

Subgroup 5.1 Treasurer's reports

Series 5.1.1 Auditor's reports, 1923-1935, 1 box. Draft (these have yet to be arranged and described further).

Series 5.1.2 Annual reports, 1910, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes information on fees collected, delinquent taxes, disbursements, salaries of county officials paid out and various revenues collected on an assortment of licenses between the years of 1909-1910.

Subgroup 5.2 Other records of the Treasurer

Series 5.2.1 Treasurer's appointments,1888-1924, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 5.2.2 Documents on record, 1921-1930, 5 boxes (have yet to be sorted), 1 folder. Chronological order (when applicable).

Series 5.2.3 Other documents, 1906-1926, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes certificates of purchase, appropriations document and a permission slip.

Subgroup 5.3 Treasurer's correspondence

Series 5.3.1 Incoming correspondence, 1906-1930, 4 boxes (have yet to be sorted), 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 5.3.2 Outgoing correspondence, 1921-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. A large portion of the outgoing correspondence in this folder was addressed to Clara C. Goeglein, county clerk from D. E. Davies, county treasurer.

Subgroup Subgroup 5.4 Records of Treasurer's Office related expenditures

Series 5.4.1 Oversize records, 1889-1997, 1 box. Chronological order. Includes 1 ledger having to do with the Treasurer's accounts during the late 19th century as well as several handouts.

Series 5.4.2 Vouchers, 1890-1891, 1 box. Chronological order. Includes all related vouchers, bills payable and check stubs during the time John Reid was La Plata County treasurer.

Series 5.4.3 Bills payable, 1907-1930, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 5.4.4 Cancelled checks, bonds and certificates, c.1930s, 4 boxes (have yet to be sorted).

Record Group 6: District Attorney

Record Group 7: County Attorney

Series 7.1 Reports, 1908, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 7.2 Incoming correspondence, 1910-1928, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 7.3 Outgoing correspondence, 1914-1927, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Record Group 8: Sheriff (click here for a historical list of the La Plata County sheriffs)

Subgroup 8.1 Sheriff's Office's records

Series 8.1.1    Reports, 1910-1915, 1992, 2 boxes. Chronological order. Includes both monthly reports and statements as well as an annual report.

Series 8.1.2    Financial reports and statements, 1921-1963, 2 boxes (1 unsorted). Chronological order. Contains an assortment of financial reports, certificates of purchase as well as several La Plata County Sheriff Auditor's Reports.

Series 8.1.3    Office related material, 1935-1963, 5 folders. Chronological order. Includes office inventory lists, listings of deputy names, telephone log entries as well as other miscellaneous materials.

Series 8.1.4    Criminal and civil records, 1938-1960, 5 boxes. Chronological order (with the exception of 3 boxes of FBI criminal records which are alphabetized).

Series 8.1.5    Criminal and civil day books, 1894-1963, 3 boxes. Chronological order.

Series 8.1.6    Correspondence, 1931-1954, 8 folders. Chronological order.

Series 8.1.7    Other documents, 1926-1961, 27 folders. Chronological order. Contains documents relating to stolen car lists, sale reports, revoking a deputized sheriff, a list of aid to dependent children, an AWOL notice as well as several other documents

                      pertaining to law enforcement and individual cases.

Series 8.1.8    Other documents (appointments), 1890-1926, 1 document case. Chronological order.

Subgroup 8.2 Airport security records

Subgroup 8.3 Jail records

Series 8.3.1 Rules and regulations, 1921, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Subgroup 8.4 Durango Fire and Rescue Authority's records
Historical note: Prior to the Durango Fire and Rescue Authority coming into existence as a government entity in 2002 that consolidated the various firefighting units in the area under its jurisdiction, La Plata County relied on intergovernmental cooperation

and cohesion of the area's firefighting units to fight fires within the county's boundaries. The following records are broken down by the government agency they fell under prior to the Durango Fire and Rescue Authority's inception.

Series 8.4.1 Bureau of Land Management firefighter related documents,1950-1960, 5 folders. Chronological order. Includes documents pertaining to government official contact information, firefighter pay scales, fire plans as well as other relevant information.

Series 8.4.2 Colorado State Board of Forestry and Forest Services firefighter related documents, 1946-1962, 10 folders. Chronological order. Includes documents pertaining to fire expenditure reports, fire reports, newsletters as well as other miscellaneous

documents that include equipment lists, a Smokey the Bear media packet and a conversion chart.

Series 8.4.3 La Plata County firefighter related documents,1942-1962, 9 folders. Chronological order. Includes documents pertaining to fire reports, correspondence, receipts as well as interagency agreements and sheriff's incident reports.

Series 8.4.4 San Juan National Forest firefighter related documents, 1962, 1 folder. Chronological order. Contains the San Juan National Forest fire plan for 1962.

Record Group 9: Coroner

Series 9.1 Reports, verdicts and rulings, 1914, 7 folders. Chronological order.

Series 9.2 Appointments, 1909-1915, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Record Group 10: Planning

Subgroup 10.1 Planning Director's records

Subgroup 10.2 Historic Preservation records

Series 10.2.1 La Plata County Historic Preservation Review Commission Materials. Meeting Minutes 5/2005-3/2010. Meeting Agendas 2/2005-1/2012. Member Lists 2010-2011. New Member Orientation Materials.

Series 10.2.2 La Plata County Historic Sites

East Creek, Beaver Meadows, Mosca Creek Environmental Assessment; La Plata County Fairgrounds Informal Review, News Clippings, Maps (Durango, Colo.); Animas City Cemetery Plot Map; Harris Cabin (Durango, Colo.); Grey Snake

Railroad Watering Station (Durango, Colo.); La Plata County Road 207, Lightner Creek Bridge Project; Smith House (Durango, Colo.); Old La Plata City Post Office; State Highway 172, County Road 513, County Road 311 Oxford Intersection

Improvements; Kerr House (Durango, Colo.); A Historic Resource Survey of 100 Sites in La Plata County, Project #2008-01-012.

Record Group 11: Roads and Bridges

Subgroup 11.1 Roads and Bridges Director's records (and general roads and bridges topics)

Series 11.1.1    Annual reports. Arrangement is chronological. Includes District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1877-1892, which are in District # order within each folder. Note: in some cases it has been difficult to distinguish overseers' annual reports from their quarterly reports. The annual reports generally seem to have been submitted in January or October.

Series 11.1.2    Quarterly reports. Arrangement is chronological. Includes District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1877-1892, which are in District # order (preceded by the General Road Overseer's report, if any) within each folder.

·         Monthly reports. Arrangement is chronological. Includes District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1877-1892, which are in District # order within each folder.

·         Road petitions. Arrangement is chronological (filing each clump of related records by the date the earliest document was filed with the County Clerk's office). Grouped records in this series may include additional records pertaining to the petitions. Includes other types of citizen petitions, such as a petition to appoint a Road Overseer, complaints by citizens protesting road conditions, protesting a petition, etc. (The County had filed some of these records together with petitions for adjustment of tax assessment, which have now been placed with the Assessor's records in R.G. 4.)

Access note: 1998, the County and Microfilm & Imaging of Durango, Inc., produced a microfilm and a CD-ROM (#LPRB0001) of La Plata County Road and Bridge historic road records dating from 1877 to 1922. Both the microfilm and the CD are available for use at the Center of Southwest Studies.

·         Road-viewers' reports. Arrangement is chronological (filing each clump of related records by the date the earliest document was filed with the County Clerk's office). Grouped records in this series may include additional records pertaining to the reports, such as field notes and maps.

·         Bills submitted by District Road Overseers, et al., 1877- . Arrangement is chronological. See also related series: road warrants/ claims, also referred to as road orders.

·         Road warrants/ claims, also referred to as road orders, 1885-1888, 1892. Includes La Plata County road bonds and road coupons, 1885. Arrangement is by the County's assigned claim number.

·         Road and bridge construction contracts and records, including bids.

·         Affidavits of posting of notices for/ meeting of road viewers/ opening county road, 1888.

·         Notices of appointment and warrant to road viewers, 1888.

·         Road notices to work.

Series 11.1.3 Resolutions, 1921-1923, 2 folders, Chronological order. Includes resolutions that were passed by the La Plata County Commissioners that relate specifically to the county's highways, road districts and redistricting.

Series 11.1.4 Regulations and policies, 1921, 1 folder. Chronological order. Documents the expected procedures and instructions for Road Overseers as put forth by the La Plata County Board of Commissioners.

Series 11.1.5 Contracts and agreements, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes legal documents specifically related to contractual agreements about road construction, submissions and contract proposals.

Series 11.1.6 Notices of appointment, bonds and warrants, 1910-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. Note: the documents contained in this file were excluded from the above mentioned CD-Rom that was made in 1998. Includes notices of

appointments for road viewers, affidavits as well as petitions that recommend specific appointees.

Series 11.1.7 Other notices, 1907-1922, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes a notice for owners of city lots to construct a sidewalk as well as several newspaper clippings.

Series 11.1.8 Maps, undated, 1 folder. Arranged by township number (when applicable). Includes several maps which indicated proposed changes to the roads etc.

Series 11.1.9 Other records, 1909-1926, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes tool inventory list for the various road districts, inventory of other county property as well as a national road work project lists that documents what construction was going on in La

Plata County.

Series 11.1.10 Incoming correspondence, 1906-1922, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes letters of solicitation, equipment orders and legal matters.

Series 11.1.11 Outgoing correspondence, undated, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Subgroup 11.2 Engineering Office records

Subgroup 11.3 Road overseer's records

Series 11.3.1 Road overseer bills payable, 1906-1926, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Subgroup 11.4 Landfill records

Subgroup 11.5 District supervisors' records

Subgroup 11.6 Weed Eradication Program records

Record Group 12: Building and Emergency Services

Subgroup 12.1 Building and Emergency Service Director's records

Subgroup 12.2 Inspector's records

Record Group 13: Finance

Subgroup 13.1 Finance Director's records

Subgroup 13.2 Information Services Office records

Subgroup 13.3 Purchasing and Warehouse Office records

Subgroup 13.4 Accounting Office records

Record Group 14: Social/ Human Services

Subgroup 14.1 Social Services Director's records

Subgroup 14.2 Adult Protection Services Office records

Subgroup 14.3 Business Office records (general social services topics)

Series 14.3.1 Incoming correspondence, 1907-1920, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 14.3.2 Other documents, circa 1920s, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 14.3.3 Old age pension eligibility list, 1939, 1 folder.

Subgroup 14.4 Child Support records

Subgroup 14.5 Children's Services records

Subgroup 14.6 Family Therapy records

Subgroup 14.7 Foster Care records

Subgroup 14.8 Veterans Services records

Subgroup 14.9 Youth Home records

Subgroup 14.10 Poor House and Poor Farm records

Series 14.10.1    Register of the poor, 1891-1942, with indexes compiled by the Center of Southwest Studies.

Series 14.10.2    Statements of paupers, 1891-1896, 7 folders. Chronological order

Series 14.10.3    Incoming correspondence, 1907-1926, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 14.10.4    Related correspondence, undated, 1 folder. Includes a questionnaire about the state of the county poorhouse.

Series 14.10.5    Bills payable, 1925, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Subgroup 14.11 Public Welfare Office records

Series 14.11.1 Welfare disbursement order books, c.1930s-1942, 1 box. Has yet to be sorted. Includes 5 welfare disbursement books as well as several other miscellaneous documents.

Subgroup 14.12 County Hospital records

Series 14.12.1 Financial records, circa 1905, 1 box. Chronological order. Contains 1 ledger from the County Hospital that was located in Animas City.

Record Group 15: Aviation/ Airport

Subgroup 15.1 Airport Director s records

Subgroup 15.2 Airport records, other

Record Group 16: Fairgrounds Operations and County Extension Office

Subgroup 16.1 Fairground Manager's records

Subgroup 16.2 County Agriculturalist (County Agent) records

Series 16.2.1 Reports and statistics, 1921-1926, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes crop reports, livestock reports and agricultural statistics for La Plata County as well as for the state.

Series 16.2.2 Job description, 1920-1921, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes correspondence and project drafts relating to the establishment of the office of county agent.

Series 16.2.3 Incoming correspondence, 1915-1921, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 16.2.4 Outgoing correspondence, 1919, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 16.2.5 Related correspondence, undated, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Record Group 17: Justice of the Peace {See Appendix for glossary of legal terms.}

{Note: prior arrangement of this record group years previous had destroyed the original order of these records and placed them into an arrangement by type of legal form (e.g. summons/subpoena, warrant, criminal complaint, defendant's and/or witness's recognizance, and transcript for a given case). In the 2002-03 school year, student archival assistant Jennifer Leithauser re-organized these documents into one series of case files, arranged alphabetically by claimant, making at least one folder per claimant. During the 2003-04 school year, student archival assistant Logan Morley entered the data of each case/folder into an Access database.}

Series 17.1    Case files, 1880-1954, 1,640 folders in 25 document cases. Includes the following legal forms: Complaints, 1889-1954; Summons and subpoenas, including venire for jurors, 1888-1949; Juror records, 1914-1938; Location certificates, 1894;

                     Change of venue affidavits, 1895-1938; Witness affidavits and certificates, 1899-1906; Nonmilitary service affidavits, 1918-1919; Search and seizure complaints, affidavits, and warrants, 1899-1950; Arrest warrants and commitments, 1892-                     1954; Recognizances, 1892-1948; Dockets, 1887-1888 {see also individual Justice of the Peace docket ledgers, series 17.2, which also contain completed legal forms}; Attachment notices, 1888-1918, 1938; Affidavits in attachment, 1894-                     1942; Attachment writs, 1894-1942; Undertakings on attachment, 1894-1942; Replevin affidavits, writs, and bonds, 1894, 1904-1940; Garnishment summons, notices, and indemnification bonds, including Denver and Rio Grande, 1894-                     1942; Execution transcripts, judgments, mittimus, orders for prisoners, statements, monthly statements, and procedendo's, 1888-1941; Justice's mittimus, 1939-1951; Justice capias, 1939-1940, 1947-1954; Appeal bonds, 1905-1906;

                     Constable's sale records, 1894-1940; and Sheriff's forthcoming bond, 1894. Click here to access the folder list (1,640 records; it prints out as 57 pages).

Series 17.2    Justices of the Peace docket ledgers, 1953-1960, 8 volumes. Ledgers of individual justices of the peace: Erwin R. De Luche, Laurence Marker, and Joseph E. Kolz. The ledgers allocate one case per page. Completed legal forms (criminal

                     complaint, warrant for arrest, etc.) and receipts are attached or filed next to the relevant case. When handling these volumes, one must be careful to keep the loose interfiled papers in place. Some of the volumes are indexed; otherwise, the

                     Justices did not complete the name index section in the front of each ledger.

Series 17.3    Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1878-1930, 21 folders. Includes related bills and receipts for payment. {Note: These had been arranged into this grouping years before our archival processing of the collection. Forms that

                     correlate to the previously listed series have been filed there. We have no re-organized these by name of claimant. See also the garnishment records.}

Series 17.4    Justice of the Peace nomination notice and certificate, 1912, 1 folder.

Series 17.5    Petitions, undated, 1 folder.

Series 17.6    Official bonds, 1916-1921, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes bond documents pertaining to the office of Justice of the Peace.

Series 17.7    Financial documents, 1921, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 17.8    Incoming correspondence, 1914-1928, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Record Group 18: County Court (includes district courts)

Click here for a historical and photographic sketch of judges in the La Plata County and San Luis Valley regions.

Subgroup 18.1 County Court records

Series 18.1.1          County civil court proceedings and cases. Including county court judges' manuals .

Series 18.1.2         County criminal court proceedings and cases

Series 18.1.3         Small claims court records,

Series 18.1.4     Orders, 1919-1922, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 18.1.5     Order fixing allowances, 1920-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 18.1.6          Police Magistrate's court records

Series 18.1.7         Minute order dockets, 1972-1981, 3 document cases.

Series 18.1.8          Criminal capias forthwith, 1899-1906, 11 folders. Chronological order

Series 18.1.9          Voting/ election documents, 1893-1910, 12 folders. Chronological order. Includes certificates of nominations, voter precinct certificates as well as other documents pertaining to early La Plata County elections.

Series 18.1.10   Jury lists, 1906-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes the names of individual jurors that were selected to serve.

Series 18.1.11   Other documents, c.1881-1920, 3 Document cases. Chronological order (when applicable). Includes appointments of court clerks and deputy court clerks, parent's petition, witness certificates, claims, warrants of commitment, transcripts of

                         court cases, blank documents as well as several other documents that pertain to the La Plata County Court.

Series 18.1.12   Court Attorney's Receipts For Files Ledgers, 1929-1965, 1 Document case. Includes 1 ledger book dedicated to the court attorney's recorded receipts.

Subgroup 18.2 County Judge records

Series 18.2.1 Reports, 1893-1901, 7 folders. Chronological order. Includes the County Judge's monthly and quarterly reports (the bulk of which are between the years 1896-1901).

Series 18.2.2 Incoming correspondence, 1915-1916, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 18.2.3 Bills payable, 1930, 1 folder. Chronological order.

Series 18.2.4 Manuals, 1970-1981, 1 Document case. Includes manuals entitled Colorado Trial Judge's Bench book, Search and Seizure Case Law, Colorado County Judges Manual, Annual Statistics Report of the Colorado Judiciary, Colorado Rules

and Criminal Procedure and Colorado Municipal Court Rules of Procedure, Annual Statistics Report of the Colorado Judiciary and Laws Passed at the First Extraordinary Session of the Fiftieth General Assembly of the State of

Colorado.

Subgroup 18.3 District Court records

Series 18.3.1 Specific court cases, 1881-1909, 6 folders. Chronological order. Includes information about the court cases of Colorado v. J.M. Rush, Rapp Abram v. Isaac Lazarus, Embling Williams v. The Farmers and Merchants Insurance Co., Colorado

v. Manford C. Jones, Colorado v. Martin Weiland & Albert Zindars and Colorado v. Peter Jackson.

Series 18.3.2 Court documents, 1883-1908, 24 folders. Chronological order.

Series 18.3.3 Judgments and orders, 1886-1922, 6 folders. Chronological order.

Series 18.3.4 Criminal capias, 1883-1907, 9 folders. Chronological order (when applicable).

Series 18.3.5 Subpoenas, 1883-1910, 17 folders. Chronological order.

Series 18.3.6 Affidavits, 1883-1909, 13 folders. Chronological order. Includes affidavits of both witnesses as well as jurors.

Series 18.3.7 Attachments for contempt of court, 1882-1887. Chronological order (when applicable).

Series 18.3.8 Jury lists, 1882-1891, 7 folders. Chronological order (when applicable).

Series 18.3.9 Jury instructions, 1884-1912, 16 folders. Chronological order (when applicable).

Series 18.3.10 Certificates, 1886-1906, 7 folders. Chronological order.

Series 18.3.11 Bond related materials, 1892-1894, 4 folders. Chronological order.

Series 18.3.12 Appointments, 1896-1925, 3 folders. Chronological order.

Series 18.3.13 Other documents, 1883-1935, 18 folders, Chronological order. Includes receipts, witness testimonies, motions, complaints as well as other relevant material pertaining to the district court.

Subgroup 18.4 District Court Clerk records

Series 18.4.1 Financial records, c.1892-1922, 3 folders. Chronological order.

Series 18.4.2 Incoming correspondence, 1881-1928, 2 folders. Chronological order.

Subgroup 18.5 Other court related documents

Series 18.5.1 Claims allowed, 1896-1912, 35 document cases. Chronological order (when applicable).

Series 18.5.2 Chattel Mortgages, 1874-1908, 8 document cases. Chronological order (when applicable).

Series 18.5.3 7th Judicial District specific court cases, 1882-1884, 1 document case. Chronological order.

Series 18.5.4 Other records, circa 1876-1980s, 1 document case. Includes juror's lists from the 7th Judicial District Court, juror's certificates from both the 6th and 7th Judicial District Courts, Judge James M. Noland's correspondence, a Durango police court

petty docket, judge's lists, photo prints of past judges, as well as other documents that pertain to the the history of the 6th and 7th Judicial District Courts.

Record Group 19: School District (and county schools)

Series 19.1          Annual reports and census lists, c.1925-1940, 1 document case. Unsorted.

Series 19.2          Financial records, c.1883-1916, 1 document case. Unsorted.

Series 19.3    School levy notes, 1919-1925, 1 folder. Chronological order. Includes the individual school levy notes for specific districts as well as outgoing correspondence pertaining to them.

Series 19.4         Warrants and warrant stubs, c.1922-1945, unsorted as of yet. Includes 3 warrant books and several stacks of warrants.

Series 19.5     Related correspondence, 1895-1929, 2 folders. Chronological order. Includes all incoming, outgoing and related correspondence regarding the county schools and/or their superintendent.

Record Group 20: Photographs (separated out from the other series)

Container list (only those Record Groups with hyperlinks have been arranged and described to the folder level at this time)

RG 1: Board of County Commissioners	RG 2: County Manager	RG 3: Clerk and Recorder	RG 4: Assessor
RG 5: Treasurer and Trustee	RG 6: District Attorney	RG 7: County Attorney	RG 8: Sheriff
RG 9: Coroner	RG 10: Planning	RG 11: Roads and Bridges	RG 12: Building and Emergency Services
RG 13: Finance	RG 14: Social Services	RG 15: Aviation	RG 16: Fairgrounds Operations and County Extension Office
RG 17: Justice of the Peace	RG 18 County Court	RG 19: School District	RG 20: Photographs

RG 1 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RECORDS:

Box 1
Series 1.3.1 Letterpress copybook, 1888 March 8-1896 Nov. 18. Pages 254-496 are blank. Page 497 has a copy of a letter May 29, 1899. A few of the letters are from the County Assessor.

RG 3 CLERK AND RECORDER RECORDS:

RG 4 ASSESSOR'S RECORDS:
Listed in one series, by year (and this is how they are shelved, too.)

Assessment roll, 1879 (1 vol. -- as each each title listed below -- unless noted otherwise)
Tax list, 1879
Assessment roll, 1881
Tax list, 1881
Assessment roll, 1882
Assessment roll for Durango, 1882
Tax list, 1881-1882
Assessment roll, 1883
Assessment roll, 1884
Assessment roll, 1885
Tax list, 1886
Assessment roll, 1887
Tax list, 1887
Assessment roll, 1888
Tax list, 1888
Assessment roll, 1889
Tax list, 1889
Assessment roll, 1890
Tax list, 1890
Assessment roll, 1891
Tax list, 1891
Assessment roll, 1892
Tax list, 1892
Assessment roll, 1893
Tax list, 1893
Assessment roll, 1894
Tax list, 1894
Assessment roll, 1895
Tax list, 1895
Assessment roll, 1896
Tax list, 1896
Assessment roll, 1897
Tax list, 1897
Assessment roll, 1898
Tax list, 1898
Assessment roll, 1899
Tax list, 1899
Assessment roll, 1900
Tax list, 1900
Assessment roll, 1901
Tax list, 1901
Assessment roll, 1902
Tax list, 1902
Assessment rolls, 1903
Tax list, 1903
Assessment roll, 1904
Tax list, 1904
Assessment rolls, 1903
Tax list, 1903
Assessment roll, 1904
Tax list, 1904
Assessment roll, 1905 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1905 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll, 1906 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1906 (2 vol.)
Assessment rolls, 1907 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1907 (2 vol.)
Assessment rolls, 1908 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1908 (2 vol.)
Assessment rolls, 1909 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1909 (2 vol.)
Assessment rolls, 1910 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1910 (2 vol.)
Assessment rolls, 1911 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1911 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll, 1912 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1912 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll, 1913 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1913 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll, 1914 {A-N only}
Tax list, 1914 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll, 1915 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1915 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll, 1916 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1916 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1917 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1918 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1918 [Note: the Center of Southwest Studies has no Assessment Roll ledgers for the years 1917, 1919-1921]
Tax list, 1919 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1920 (2 vol.)
Tax list, 1921 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1922 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1923 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1924 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1925 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1926 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1927 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1928 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1929 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1930 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1931 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1932 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1933 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1934 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1935 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1936 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1937 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1938 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1939 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1940 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1941 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1942 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1943 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1944 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1945 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1946 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1947 (2 vol.)
Assessment roll and tax list, 1948 (2 vol.)

RG 11: Roads and Bridges records, folder list

Box	Folder	Series	Folder title
1	1	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1877 Sept. - Nov., for District #s 5 and 7.
1	2	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1878 Oct., for District #s 2, 5 and 7.
1	3	11.1.1	District Road Overseers annual ' reports, 1879 July, Sept., for District #s 6 and 8.
1	4	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1880 Jan., for District #s 2 and 5.
1	5	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1881 Jan. - Oct., for District #s 1, 4, 6, 10, and 12.
1	6	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1882 Jan., Oct., for District #s 1, 6, 8, 12, and 14.
1	7	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual report, 1883 Jan., for District # 14.
1	8	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1884 Oct., for District #s 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, and 15.
1	9	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1885 Oct., for District #s 5, 10, 11, and 15.
1	10	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1886, for District #s 4, 6, and 8.
1	11	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1887 Jan., for District #s 2 and 3.
1	12	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1887 June-July, Oct., for District # 2.
1	13	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1888 Jan., Oct., for District #s 2, 3, and 5.
1	14	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual report, 1889 Oct., for District # 3.
1	15	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1890 Jan., for District #s 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
1	16	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1890 Oct., for District #s 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7.
1	17	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1891 Jan., for District #s 3, 4, and 6.
1	18	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1892 Jan., for District #s 1 and 3.
1	19	11.1.1	District Road Overseers' annual reports, 1892 Oct., for District #s 6, 7, and 8.
2	1	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1881 March-July, for District #s 12 and 14.
2	2	11.1.2	1. District Road Overseers' quarterly report, 1886 July, for District # 2.
2	3	11.1.2	2. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1887 Jan., for District #2.
2	4	11.1.2	3. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1888 Oct., for District #s 1, 3, and 4.
2	5	11.1.2	4. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1889 Jan., for District #s 1 though 6.
2	6	11.1.2	5. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1889 April, for District #s 1 and 2.
2	7	11.1.2	6. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1889 July, for District #s 3, 4, 6, and 7.
2	8	11.1.2	7. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1889 Oct., for District #s 2, 4, 5, and 7.
2	9	11.1.2	8. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1890 Jan., for District #s 2 and 4.
2	10	11.1.2	9. District Road Overseers' quarterly report, 1890 April, for District # 4.
2	11	11.1.2	10. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1890 July, for District #s 1 through 7.
2	12	11.1.2	11. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1890 Oct., for District #s 2 and 8.
2	13	11.1.2	12. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1891 Jan., for District #s 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7.
2	14	11.1.2	13. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1891 April, for District #s 2 through 5 and 8.
2	15	11.1.2	14. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1891 July, for District #s 1 through 8.
2	16	11.1.2	15. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1891 Oct., for District #s 1 through 4 and 6 through 8.
2	17	11.1.2	16. District Road Overseers' quarterly report, 1892 Jan., for District # 2.
2	18	11.1.2	17. District Road Overseers' quarterly report, 1892 April, for District # 3.
2	19	11.1.2	18. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1893 Jan., for District #s 1 through 4.
2	20	11.1.2	19. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1894 Jan., for District #s 1, 2, and 4.
2	21	11.1.2	20. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1894 April, for District #s 1, 3, and 4.
2	22	11.1.2	21. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1894 July, for District #s 1, 3, and 4.
2	23	11.1.2	22. District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1894 Oct., for District #s 1, 3, and 4.
3	1	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1895 Jan., for District #s 1, 3, and 4.
3	2	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1895 April, for District #s 1 and 4.
3	2b	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1895 July, for District #s 1, 3, and 4.
3	3	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1895 Oct., for District #s 1, 3, and 4.
3	4	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1896 Jan., for District #s 1 and 3.
3	5	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly report, 1896 April, for District #5.
3	6	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1896 July, for District #s 1, 2, and 4 through 7.
3	7	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1896 Dec. and 1897 Jan., for District #3.
3	8	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly report, 1897 Oct., for District # 3.
3	9	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1898 Jan., for District #s 2 and 6.
3	10	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1898 April, for District #2.
3	11	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1899 June and July, for District #s 3, 4, and 6.
3	12	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1899 Oct., for District #s 3 and 4.
3	13	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly report, 1900 Oct., for District #6.
3	14	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1902 April, for District #s 1, and 3 through 7.
3	15	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1902 July, for District #s 1 through 7.
3	16	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1902 Sept. and Oct., for District #s 1 through 7.
4	1	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1903 Jan., for District #s 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.
4	2	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1903 March and April, for District #s 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
4	3	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1903 June and July, for District #s 1 through 7.
4	4	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1903 Sept. and Oct., for District #s 1 through 7.
4	5	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1903 Dec. and 1904 Jan., for District #s 1 through 7.
4	6	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1904 April, for District #s 1 through 7.
4	7	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1904 June and July, for District #s 1 through 7.
4	8	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1904 Oct., for District #s 1 through 7.
4	9	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1904 Dec. and 1905 Jan., for District #s 1 through 7.
4	10	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1905 March and April, for District #s 4, 5, and 7.
4	11	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' quarterly reports, 1905 Aug. through Dec., for District #s 3, 4, 5, and 7.
5	1	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly report, 1895 April, for District #3.
5	2	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1896 April, for District #s 3, 4, 6, and (?).
5	3	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly report, 1897 April, for District #4.
5	4	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly report, 1905 Jan., for District #5.
5	5	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly report, 1905 Feb., for District #2.
5	6	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 March, for District #s 1 and 3.
5	7	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 April, for District #s 2 through 7.
5	8	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 May, for District #s 2, 3, and 6.
5	9	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 June, for District #s 2, 3, and 6.
5	10	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 July, for District #s 1 through 7.
5	11	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 Aug., for District #s 3, 5, 6, and 7.
5	12	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 Sept., for District #s 1 through 4 and 6.
5	13	11.1.2	District Road Overseers' monthly reports, 1905 Nov. and Dec., for District #s 2, 3, and 6.
6	1	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1877.
6	2	11.1.4	Road petition, 1880 Aug. 26.
6	3	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1881.
6	4	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1883.
6	5	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1884.
6	6	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1885.
6	7	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1886.
6	8	11.1.4	Road petitions, undated [circa 188-?] - [1898?].
6	9	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1888.
6	10	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1889.
6	11	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1890.
6	12	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1891.
6	13	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1892.
6	14	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1893-1894.
6	15	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1895.
6	16	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1896.
6	17	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1897.
6	18	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1899. Includes protests.
6	19	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1900.
6	20	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1901.
6	21	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1902-1903.
6	22	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1904-1906.
6	23	11.1.4	Road petitions, undated [190-?].
6	24	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1912.
6	25	11.1.4	Road petitions, 1922.
7	1	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1881.
7	2	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, undated.
7	3	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1884.
7	4	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1885.
7	5	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1888.
7	6	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1889.
7	7	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1890.
7	8	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1892. (Mostly pertaining to one case; with field notes and maps).
7	9	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1893.
7	10	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1894.
7	11	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1895.
7	12	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1896.
7	13	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1897.
7	14	11.1.5	Road viewers' reports, 1899-1901.
8	1	11.1.6	District Road Overseers' and road viewers' bills and receipts, 1877-1899.
8	2	11.1.6	Road orders, 1883-1884.
8	3	11.1.7	La Plata County road coupons, nos. 1-50, 1884 April and 1885 April.
8	4	11.1.7	La Plata County road bonds, 1885.
8	5	11.1.7	Road orders, 1885, 1892.
8	6	11.1.7	Road warrants/ claims, nos. 75-155, 373-374 incomplete, 1885 Jan.- Oct. and 1888 Jan. Arranged by road order/warrant number.
8	7	11.1.7	Road vouchers opinion, [ca. 1902]. 7 pages.
8	8	11.1.8	Road and bridge construction records, 1880-1881.
8	9	11.1.8	Road and bridge construction contract records, 1884 April through Oct. Includes bids, undated.
8	10	11.1.8	Junction Creek road plans and specifications, 1884 July.
8	11	11.1.8	Junction Creek road construction bids, 1884 Oct. - 1885 July.
8	12	11.1.8	Bear Creek bridge construction bids, 1885 April.
8	13	11.1.8	Roads from North Durango to Animas City, et al., bids, 1885 April.
8	14	11.1.8	Road and bridge construction contracts, 1885 July 18 and 24, etc.
8	15	11.1.8	Road and bridge construction bids records, 1889.
8	16	11.1.8	Road/ deed escrow records, 1892.
8	17	11.1.8	Road and bridge construction contract, 1897 Feb. 16.
8	18	11.1.9	Affidavits of posting of notices, 1888-1890.
8	19	11.1.9	Affidavits of posting of notices for meetings of road viewers, 1895-1900.
8	20	11.1.10	Notices of appointment and warrant to road viewers, 1888-1890, 1896.
8	21	11.1.11	Road notices to work, 1888.

RG 17 JUSTICE OF THE PEACE RECORDS:

Box 1
Folder Series Folder title

Various folders of correspondence, 1906-1918. Includes a 1918 request from Johnson Hospital in Cortez for a case of whiskey from any unlawful whiskey seized by the law.
Folder 20 in Series 17.24:    Financial records, including receipts, mortgages, bonds and security for cost, and tax schedules, 1892-1898, 1904, 1908.
Folder 21 in Series 17.25:    Constable's sale records, 1894-1895, 1904-1906, 1913-1914.
Folder 22 in Series 17.25:    Constable's sale records, 1919, 1927-1928, 1937, 1940.
Folder 23 in Series 17.26:    Sheriff's forthcoming bond, 1894.

Box 13
Folder Series Folder title

Folder 1 in Series 17.2: Justice of the Peace Erwin R. De Luche docket ledger, 1953 May 5-Aug. 26. Indexed.
Folder 2 in Series 17.2: Justice of the Peace Erwin R. De Luche docket ledger, 1954 Feb. 13-Aug. 14.

Box 14
Folder Series Folder title

Folder 1 in Series 17.2: Justice of the Peace Erwin R. De Luche docket ledger, 1955 Jan. 31-Oct. 7. Indexed.
Folder 2 in Series 17.2: Justice of the Peace Erwin R. De Luche docket ledger, 1955 Oct. 8-1956 Apr. 7.

Box 15
Folder Series Folder title

Folder 1 in Series 17.2: Justice of the Peace Erwin R. De Luche docket ledger, 1956 Apr. 13- Dec. 10.
Folder 2 in Series 17.2: Justice of the Peace Erwin R. De Luche docket ledger, 1956 Dec. 11-1957 Oct. 29.

Box 16
Folder Series Folder title

Folder 1 in Series 17.2: Justices of the Peace Laurence E. Marker and Joseph E. Kolz docket ledger, 1955 Jan. 20-1960 Oct. 28. Indexed.
Folder 2 in Series 17.2: Justices of the Peace Laurence E. Marker and Joseph E. Kolz docket ledger, 1957 May 26-1960 June 2. Indexed.

(Arranger's notes: the following are to be merged -- these are mostly Animas City dockets. T.E. 2/8/2002)

La Plata County Precinct No. 5 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace G. S. Flagler docket ledger, 1878 June 11-1881 April 18

La Plata County Precinct No. 5 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace G. S. Flagler docket ledger, 1878 June 11-1881 Nov. 9

La Plata County Precinct No. ?_? (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace J. C. Craig docket ledger, 1881March 4- Dec. 29

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace G. S. Flagler docket ledger, 1981 Nov. 14 – 1885

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace Henry J. Hechtman and H. P. Kean, docket ledgers, 1882 Nov. 10 – 1885 Sept. 21

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace Henry J. Hechtman and J. H. McGolland, docket ledgers, 1885 March 2 – 1887 Jan. 24

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace Charles E. Averill, C. F. Newcomb and H. E. Pack, docket ledger, 1884 Dec. 16 – 1889 Oct. 9

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace C. F. Newcomb, Robert J. Orr, docket ledger, 1892 Sept. 13 – 1892 July 25

La Plata County Precinct No. 5 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace Samuel Johnson, M. G. Meek, W. B. Todd and Joseph Zufett, docket ledgers, 1893 June 12 - 1931 Oct. 6

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace C. F. Newcomb and W. S. Darrow, docket ledger, 1895 Sept. 18 – 1896 Nov. 28

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace J. F. Hechtman and B. F. Houx, docket ledgers, 1895 Jan. 14 – 1897 Feb. 26

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace B. F. Houx, docket ledgers, 1897 March 6 – 1898 August 29

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace S. S. Darrow, H. J. Jecktman and John Warner, docket ledgers, 1897 April 13 – Dec. 15 1905 Dec. 6 – 1908 Feb.5

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace B. F. Houx, docket ledgers, 1898 August 30 – 1900 April 28

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace C. A. Lemmon, docket ledger, 1899 Feb. 15 – 1904 July 2

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace B. F. Houx, docket ledgers, 1902 July 7-1903 Oct. 29

La Plata County Precinct No. 9 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace John Warner, docket ledgers, 1896 April 18 – 1906 August 27

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace H. J. Hechtman docket ledgers, 1907 Feb.11 – 1908 April 4

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace John Hannon, docket ledgers, 1909 March 25 – 1910 March 17

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace William F. Ballreich, docket ledgers, 1910 Dec. 15 – 1911 Dec. 14

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace William F. Ballreich, docket ledgers, 1911 Sept. 26 – 1912 Oct. 5

La Plata County Precinct No. 8 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace William F. Ballreich, J. W. Bowlen, Daniel J. Kelly, George A. Draper and B. F. Haux, docket ledgers, 1912 Oct. 29 – 1914 May. 7

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace George A. Draper, docket ledger, 1921 May 2 – August 23

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace George A. Draper, docket ledger, 1922 April 23 – 1924 Dec.27

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace George A. Draper, docket ledger, 1921 August 2 – 1925 Nov. 5

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace Harley S. Hubbard and Joseph H. Darling, docket ledgers, 1924 May 27 – 1925 March 31

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace Neil Haffey and Florence Ruffe, docket ledgers, 1927 Sept. 20 – 1931 May 2

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justices of the Peace Witt Wigglesworth and H. N. Brindle, docket ledgers, 1944 May 1 – 1946 May 15

La Plata County Precinct No. 1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace Nels Newman, docket ledger, 1948 Sept. 20 – 1949 Dec. 13

La Plata County Precinct No.1 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace Nels Newman, docket ledger, 1949 Dec. 17 – 1950 August 31

La Plata County Precinct No. ?_? (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace Robert G. Long, docket ledgers, 1962 August 12 – Nov. 15

La Plata County Precinct No.2 (Animas City, Colo.) Justice of the Peace Robert G. Long, docket ledger, 1962 August 28 – 1964 June 25

La Plata County Justice of the peace Erwin R. DeLuche, docket ledger, 1953 May 5 – Aug. 26

La Plata County Justice of the peace Erwin R. DeLuche, docket ledger, 1954 Feb. 13 – Aug. 14

Box 17
Folder Series Folder title

1	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1878, 1892 (bulk 1892).
2	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1993-1894 (bulk 1894).
3	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1895.
4	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1899.
5	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1902.
6	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1903.
7	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1904.
8	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1905. Includes the front pages of the Durango Democrat of June 24, 1905.
9	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1906-1907.
10	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1908.
11	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1909.
12	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1911-1912.
13	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1912. Solely contains various commonly used forms, blank.
14	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1913.
15	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1914.
16	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1915.
17	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1916. Includes Justice of the Peace W. Taylor Maddox's application to the Governor, Nov. 25, 1916, for an appointment as a Notary Public in La Plata County.
18	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1917.
19	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1918.
20	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1919.
21	17.3	Justice of the Peace miscellaneous legal papers, 1923-1928, 1930.
22	17.4	Justice of the Peace nomination notice and certificate, 1912.

RG 18 COUNTY COURT RECORDS:

See also Collection M 037 at the Center of Southwest Studies (the Boston-Searcy collection) which contains the following materials pertaining to William N. Searcy, judge of the 6th Judicial District in Colorado:

· "The Fourth Department of State Government" (an address delivered before the Colorado State Bar Assn. July 10, 1914 by W. N. Searcy of Durango, pamphlet, 22 pages, paperbound by The W. F. Robinson CO., Denver);

· "W. N. Searcy for District Judge" (two copies on buff cardstock of a biographically descriptive election campaign broadside that the donor indicates is dated from fall 1930); a copy on yellow cardstock of the Oct. 12, 1912 Silverton Standard editorial for the 1912 primary election; and a copy on tan cardstock of the Sept. 16, 1930 official state notice of his nomination for that position;

· Diary number 3 of W. N. Searcy, newly elected judge of the 6th Judicial District in Colorado, being his private journal of his first few weeks on the job in 1913.

Series 18.1 County court proceedings and cases. Including county court judges' manuals.

Series 18.2 Civil and criminal court cases

Series 18.3 Small claims court records

Series 18.4 Police magistrate's court records

Series 18.5 6th Judicial District District Court records

Series 18.6 Minute order dockets

Series 18.7 Criminal capias forthwith

Series 18.8 Voting/election documents

RG 19 SCHOOL DISTRICT RECORDS:

Series 19.1 Annual reports and census lists

Series 19.2 Taxes and levies

Series 19.3 Warrants and warrant stubs

RG 20 PHOTOGRAPHS (Separated out from the other series.)

Appendices:

Glossary of legal terms {for RG 17, Justice of the Peace records}

Affidavit: a sworn statement in writing made under oath or on affirmation before an authorized magistrate or officer.

Attachment: a judgment for money, obtained against a person who is a creditor of a third party.

Change of venue: a statement showing that a case brought to the proper court or authority.

Commitment: a consignment to a penal institution due to a legislative matter.

Complaint: a formal allegation or accusation against a party.

Docket: a formal abridged record of the proceedings in a legal action.

Execution: enforcement by a public officer of judgments or orders of the courts of justice.

Garnishee: a debtor whose debt to his creditor has been arrested in his hands by a garnishee order which warns not to pay his creditor because a third party holds judgment on his creditor.

Garnishment: a legal summons or warning concerning the attachment of property to satisfy a debt, or the stoppage of a specified sum from wages to satisfy a creditor.

Mittimus: writ used in sending a record from one court to another.

Recognizance: obligation or bond acknowledged before court of person bound to secure performance of some act (pay debt, keep peace, stand trial, etc.).

Replevin: process to obtain redelivery to an owner of chattels wrongfully distrained or taken from that person.

Subpoena: writ issued by a court or other agency requiring a person to come before it at a stated place and time with a penalty if he does not comply.

Summons: document calling on a person to attend before a judge or court for stated purposes.

Undertaking: the act of one who undertakes or engages in a project or business.

Venire: the entire panel from which a jury is drawn.

Warrant: a precept or writ issued by a competent magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search, etc.

Writ: written order or warrant. Order issued in name of the sovereign requiring the performance of an act.

Additional appendices:

Organizational chart of La Plata County Government.

Resolution designating the Center of Southwest Studies a repository for La Plata County Government historically significant records.

Doing your own research: This description of a portion of the collections at the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies is provided to inform interested parties about the nature and depth of the repository's collections. It cannot serve as a substitute for a visit to the repository for those with substantial research interests in the collections.

This collection is located at the Center of Southwest Studies on the campus of Fort Lewis College. Researchers wanting more information about using this material at the Delaney Southwest Research Library at the Center may email the archivist at archives@fortlewis.edu or click here to use our E-mail Reference Request Form (or phone the archivist at 970/247-7126). The Center does not have a budget for outgoing long-distance phone calls to answer reference requests, so please email if you wish to receive a response from the Center. To request reproductions/copies, click here for instructions.

Page last modified: May 23, 2012

Collection M 028: La Plata County (Colo.) government records: inventory of the collection

Collection M 028:
La Plata County (Colo.) government records:
inventory of the collection