request. All plats filed with the Clerks of Courts before June 1,
1945, are also being microfilmed by the Land Office. (Code 1951, Art.
17, secs. 69, 70, 73, 74; Art. 56, secs. 1-16, 18, 19, 25).

All land now included in the limits of the State of Maryland was
granted to Cecil, Lord Baltimore, in 1632. In 1680, there was estab-
lished a Land Office, and four years later "The Land Council". This
body was authorized to hear and determine all matters relating to
land. Four years later when Maryland became a crown colony, the
Land Office was closed. In 1715, after a long contest with the Gover-
nor and Council, the Secretary and the Assembly, the Lord Proprietor
emerged with his rights restored, and the Land Office was reopened.
After the Revolution, the State assumed the control of the Land
Office (Acts Feb. sess. 1777, ch. 16). From 1781 until 1841, there
was a Land Office for the Western Shore and another for the Eastern
Shore. The Constitution of 1861 created the office of the Commis-
sioner of the Land Office.

Appropriations 1955 1956
General Fund ................................ $29,315 $29,683
Staff: 7.

HALL OF RECORDS COMMISSION

Chairman: Frederick W. Brune, Chief Judge Court of Appeals

Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor; J. Millard Tawes, Comp-
troller; Richard D. Weigle, President, St. John's College;
George L. Radcliffe, President, Maryland Historical Society;
William L. Marbury, President, Board of Peabody Institute;
Lowell J. Reed, President, Johns Hopkins University.
Morris L. Radoff, Archivist and Records Administrator

Gust Skordas, Assistant Archivist
Rex Beach, Assistant Records Administrator

Hall of Records, Annapolis Telephone: Colonial 3-4111

The Hall of Records Commission was created by an act of the Gen-
eral Assembly of 1935. The Commission is an ex-officio body. It su-
pervises and controls the Hall of Records and appoints the Archivist,
who is responsible for the functioning of the agency (Code 1951, Art.
41, secs. 148,149).

State agencies as well as the counties, cities and towns of Mary-
land are authorized to offer for deposit at the Hall of Records, all files,
documents and records not in current use. Should the Archivist decline
to accept the materials offered, permission to destroy them may be
requested from the Board of Public Works. If permission is granted
and destruction is completed, a certificate of destruction must be filed
with the Hall of Records (Code 1951, Art. 41, secs. 153, 166).

While many records are offered to the Hall of Records Commission
at the discretion of the custodians, it is required that all records, which
are in the courthouses of the State and which were created prior to
April 28, 1788, the date of ratification of the United States Constitu-
tion by the State of Maryland, be deposited at the Hall of Records
(Code 1951, Art. 41, sec. IB2). In addition to the above, the non-
current records of many State agencies have been deposited with the
Hall of Records and the Archivist has on file microfilm copies of all
county deeds as well as miscellaneous probate records through 1850
and of wills and Orphans' Court proceedings through 1960. Where