Title: Wisconsin Land Economic Inventory Records
Inclusive Dates: 1928-1947

Creator:

• Wisconsin Land Economic Inventory

Call Number: Series 1955; Series 1956; Series 1958; Series 1959

Quantity: 35.6 cubic feet (72 archives boxes, 2 flat boxes, and maps) and 2 reels of microfilm (35 mm)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

See the catalog entries for information on possible additional materials and shelf locations: Series 1955, Series 1956, Series 1958, Series 1959

Abstract:

Records documenting the inventory of Wisconsin land undertaken in the 1930s and 1940s which recorded information showing the economic status and relative potential for the land. Records include project material such as articles, notes, and charts and graphs; field maps; and large and small scale cover maps. The inventory was often known as the Bordner Survey after its director, John Bordner.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-ser01955

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The Wisconsin Land Economic Inventory was authorized by chapter 489, Laws of 1929 which created section 20.60(7) of the statutes and appropriated money for land economic inventories and other surveys. Commonly known as the Bordner Survey, after director John Bordner, the Land Economic Inventory was undertaken to promote the most complete and practical utilization of land in Wisconsin. Over-expansion of agricultural land during World War I and the subsequent cutback at the end of the war had resulted in abandoned lands, cutover areas, and unwisely planned drainage projects. This idle land led to an inability to pay taxes, tax delinquency, and reversion of the land to public ownership. The Land Economic Inventory was to show the current economic status and relative potential of Wisconsin lands for farms, forests and recreational purposes so that counties could rezone the land and begin reforestation programs, improvement of watersheds, and development of farm wood lots, recreational areas and agriculture on the better lands. This would encourage return of some of the land to the tax rolls and would guide prospective farmers to good land.

Field workers, mostly trained forestry graduates, crossed the land at intervals of one-half mile, touching each forty and mapping the land. The object of the inventory was to show the current economic status and relative potential for farms, forests, and recreation areas so that counties could zone the land properly and begin reforestation programs, improvement of watersheds, development of farm wood lots, more intensive development of agriculture on better soils, and development of recreational areas.

The Land Economic Inventory operated from various departments, from the Department of Agriculture and Markets beginning in 1929, to the State Planning Board in 1937, and back to the Department of Agriculture in 1941. Chapter 332, Laws of 1947 repealed section 20.60(7) of the statutes.

The records described in this finding aid comprise four different series in the Archives:

• Series 1955, Project Material, 1929-1941, 1947. 0.8 cubic feet (1 archives box and 1 flat box)
• Series 1956, Field Maps, 1928-1938. 27.6 cubic feet (68 archives boxes, 1 flat box)
• Series 1958, Small Scale Land Cover Maps, circa 1932-1944. 1.2 cubic feet (3 archives boxes) and 2 reels of microfilm (35 mm)
• Series 1959, Large Scale Land Cover Maps, circa 1930s-1940s. 6.0 cubic feet

Series 1955, Project Material, 1929-1941, 1947, arranged by subject, consists of typewritten articles, most undated and unsigned but some written by John Bordner and William W. Morris, about the Wisconsin Land Economic Inventory, the condition of the land surveyed, and historical background; field notes arranged alphabetically by county; miscellaneous long-hand drafts of articles and letters, 1947; pie charts, 1938-1939, arranged alphabetically by county, showing classification in percentages of total area, agricultural land, marshland and water, forest cover, woodlands according to type, and possible area for reforestation; bar graphs, interfiled with the pie charts, showing number of miles of roads, railroads, and power and telephone lines; maps, 1936-1939 and undated, for several counties, most showing game count and one map each showing watershed and roads; and photographs which both supplement the field and land cover maps by showing the land surveyed and also document the Land Economic Inventory itself by showing the men as they mapped the land. The photographs have been transferred to the Historical Society's Iconographic section and the maps have been transferred to the Map section. No contents list exists for this series.

Series 1956, Field Maps, 1928-1938, arranged alphabetically by county and thereunder by township, range, and section, consists of hand-drawn maps for 70 counties (excluding Milwaukee county) showing land and forest cover, soil types, streams and lakes, animal tally, highways, improvements, and miscellaneous items such as erosion, gravel pits, orchards, fur farms, beaver dams, logging camps, cemeteries, abandoned railroads, drainage ditches, bogs, and bathing beaches. Summary sheets at the end of each county give land classification in acres by sections and types of land cover, and there are positive and negative photostats of an all-county summary showing totals of homes and businesses, highways and roads, utilities, drainage facilities, fire lanes, cleared agricultural land, marshlands, water, special usage, woodlands, and potential forest land. These maps were compiled as the field workers crossed the land, and they are unlike Series 1958 or 1959 because the field workers have mapped individual sections or groups of sections instead of the entire township. Milwaukee County was not mapped. Land in Menominee County, established in 1961, is included as part of Langlade, Oconto, and Shawano Counties. See the Contents List portion of this finding aid for further details.

Series 1958, Small Scale Land Cover Maps, circa 1932-1944, arranged by county and thereunder by township and range and dating mostly from 1939, consists of printed maps compiled from the original survey plats and field notes (see Series 698 and 701), aerial photographs, and the Wisconsin Land Economic Inventory Field Maps (Series 1956), showing land and forest cover, soil types, streams and lakes, animal tally, highways, improvements, and miscellaneous items. These maps are not as detailed as those in Series 1956 since entire townships are mapped instead of individual sections. Some of the county maps have explanatory notes and data added as late as the 1950s, after the Land Economic Inventory had ended. This series has been transferred to the Map section. Milwaukee County was not mapped, and maps for Lincoln, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan counties were not published. Land in Menominee County, established in 1961, is included as part of Langlade, Oconto, and Shawano Counties. A digitized version of the contents of Series 1958 prepared by the University of Wisconsin is available. See the Contents List portion of this finding aid for further details.

Series 1959, Large Scale Land Cover Maps, circa 1930s-1940s, arranged by county and thereunder by township and range, show land and forest cover, soil types, streams and lakes, animal tally, highways, improvements, and miscellaneous items. Although these maps are not dated, they apparently were compiled after the small scale maps, which had been verified by aerial photographs, and the corrections resulted in these maps. Drawn on a scale of four inches to the mile and showing more detail than those in Series 1958 but less than those in Series 1956, the maps are oversize and have been transferred to the Map section. No contents list exists for this series.

This collection was received in multiple parts from the donor(s) and is organized into major parts. These materials have not been physically interfiled and researchers might need to consult more than one part to locate similar materials.

• Part 1 (Series 1955): Project Material, 1929-1941, 1947
• Part 2 (Series 1956): Field Maps, 1928-1938
• Part 3 (Series 1958): Small Scale Land Cover Maps, 1932-1944
• Part 4 (Series 1959): Large Scale Land Cover Maps, 1930s-1940s

Although the land appraisers' reports found in Series 729 and 1957 are not related administratively to the Wisconsin Land Economic Inventory, all six series provide a unique picture of rural Wisconsin in the 1920s and 1930s.

Series 729, Department of Agriculture, Immigration Division Records, consists of records from the defunct division. Of particular interest are two volumes of Appraisers' Reports to the Commissioner of Agriculture, regarding the application of the Wisconsin Colonization Company and the Chippewa Valley Colonization Company to sell mortgages on improved agricultural land to land mortgage associations. The volumes consist of typewritten reports showing owner and location of farm; local conditions; general topography; surface; character of soil and subsoil; cultivated land; growing crops; character of unimproved land; land, if any, unfit for cultivation and why; location and condition of roads; distance to towns; mil and telephone service, if any; schools and churches; native timber and amount standing; nationality and character of neighborhood; detailed description of buildings on the land; and date of approval to sell the mortgage. The volumes are arranged by colonization company and thereunder roughly by date of approval of the application. A township diagram accompanies each report with the location of the farm marked off.

Series 1957, Land Appraisers' Reports, 1920-1925, records the same information as Series 729, but it is handwritten on index cards which are mounted in albums. The information here is more accessible because there is an alphabetical index of the land owner's name with a corresponding page number at the front of each album. This series also supplements the written reports with the inclusion of photographs of the land and the dwellings.

Processing Information

Processed by Nancy Kaufer, September 1976.

Series 1955	Part 1 (Series 1955): Project Material, 1929-1941, 1947 Physical Description: 0.8 cubic feet (1 archives box and 1 flat box)  Scope and Content Note: Typewritten articles by John Bordner, William W. Morris, and others; field notes; miscellaneous drafts of articles and letters; pie charts and bar graphs; maps.
Series 1956	Part 2 (Series 1956): Field Maps, 1928-1938 Physical Description: 27.6 cubic feet (68 archives boxes, 1 flat box)  Scope and Content Note: Maps drawn by field workers showing land and forest cover, soil types, streams and lakes, wild life tally, highways, improvements, and miscellaneous items. Summary sheets at the end of each county show land classification in acres by sections and types of land cover. Also included are photostats of an all-county summary. The list below indicates the county, approximate date of the survey, and whether township summaries and a county summary are included.	⇧
Box   1	Adams, 1938 Note: 25 township summaries and a county summary
Box   2	Ashland, 1934 Note: 29 township summaries and a county summary
Box   3-4	Barron, 1937 Note: 25 township summaries and a county summary
Box   4-5	Bayfield, 1928 Note: No township summaries but a county summary
Box   5	Brown, 1937 Note: 19 township summaries and a county summary
Box   6	Buffalo, 1938 Note: 28 township summaries and a county summary
Box   7-8	Burnett, 1938 Note: 29 township summaries and a county summary
Box   8	Calumet, 1938 Note: 12 township summaries and a county summary
Box   9-10	Chippewa, 1937 Note: 29 township summaries and a county summary
Box   10-11	Clark, 1937 Note: 34 township summaries and a county summary
Box   12	Columbia, 1937 Note: 24 township summaries and a county summary
Box   13	Crawford, 1938 Note: 27 township summaries but no county summary
Box   14-15	Dane, 1934 Note: 35 township summaries and a county summary
Box   15-16	Dodge, 1936 Note: 25 township summaries and a county summary
Box   17	Door, 1937 Note: 28 township summaries and a county summary
Box   18	Douglas, 1931 Note: Unknown number of township summaries but no county summary
Box   19-20	Dunn, 1937 Note: 24 township summaries and a county summary
Box   20-21	Eau Claire, 1937 Note: 18 township summaries but no county summary
Box   21	Florence, 1937 Note: 18 township summaries but no county summary
Box   22	Fond du Lac, 1936 Note: 22 township summaries and a county summary
Box   23	Forest, 1936 Note: Township summaries (possibly incomplete) and a county summary
Box   23-24	Grant, 1938 Note: 43 township summaries but no county summary
Box   25	Green, 1937 Note: 16 township summaries and a county summary
Box   25	Green Lake, 1937 Note: 12 township summaries and a county summary
Box   26	Iowa, 1937 Note: 26 township summaries and a county summary
Box   27	Iron, 1934 Note: Approximately 26-28 township summaries and a county summary
Box   28	Jackson, 1938 Note: 28 township summaries and a county summary
Box   29	Jefferson, 1936 Note: 16 township summaries and a county summary
Box   30	Juneau, 1932 Note: No township summaries and no county summary - maps only
Box   31	Kenosha, 1934 Note: 9 township summaries but no county summary
Box   31	Kewaunee, 1937 Note: 13 township summaries and a county summary
Box   32	La Crosse, 1938 Note: 18 township summaries and a county summary
Box   33	Lafayette, 1938 Note: 20 township summaries and a county summary
Box   34	Langlade, 1932 Note: 25 township summaries and a county summary
Box   34-35	Lincoln, 1937 Note: 25 township summaries and a county summary
Box   36	Manitowoc, 1937 Note: 21 township summaries and a county summary
Box   37-38	Marathon, 1937 Note: 44 township summaries and a county summary
Box   39-40	Marinette, 1937 Note: 51 township summaries and a county summary
Box   41	Marquette, 1937 Note: 15 township summaries but no county summary
Box   41-42	Monroe, 1937 Note: 26 township summaries and a county summary
Box   43	Oconto, 1937 Note: 23 township summaries and a county summary
Box   44-45	Oneida, 1938 Note: 35 township summaries and a county summary
Box   45-46	Outagamie, 1937 Note: 20 township summaries but no county summary
Box   46	Ozaukee, 1936 Note: 9 township summaries and a county summary
Box   47	Pepin, 1937 Note: 12 township summaries and a county summary
Box   47	Pierce, 1937 Note: 21 township summaries and a county summary
Box   48-49	Polk, 1937 Note: 29 township summaries and a county summary
Box   49-50	Portage, 1937 Note: 22 township summaries and a county summary
Box   51	Price, 1937 Note: 35 township summaries and a county summary
Box   52	Racine, 1934 Note: 12 township summaries and a county summary
Box   52	Richland, 1938 Note: 20 township summaries but no county summary
Box   53	Rock, 1936 Note: 20 township summaries and a county summary
Box   54	Rusk, 1934 Note: 26 township summaries and a county summary
Box   54-55	St. Croix, 1938 Note: 23 township summaries and a county summary
Box   55-56	Sauk, 1938 Note: 28 township summaries and a county summary
Box   57	Sawyer, 1930? Note: 38 township summaries and a county summary
Box   57-58	Shawano, 1937 Note: 25 township summaries and a county summary
Box   58	Sheboygan, 1936 Note: 16 township summaries and a county summary
Box   59	Taylor, 1938 Note: 27 township summaries and a county summary
Box   60	Trempealeau, 1938 Note: 24 township summaries and a county summary
Box   61	Vernon, 1938 Note: 26-28 township summaries but no county summary
Box   62	Vilas, 1929 Note: 34 township summaries and a county summary
Box   62-63	Walworth, 1936 Note: 16 township summaries and a county summary
Box   63-64	Washburn, 1937 Note: 24 township summaries and a county summary
Box   65	Washington, 1936 Note: 12 township summaries but no county summary
Box   65	Waukesha Note: 24 township summaries but no county summary
Box   66	Waupaca, 1937 Note: 21 township summaries but no county summary
Box   67	Waushara, 1937 Note: 18 township summaries and a county summary
Box   67-68	Winnebago, 1937 Note: 16 township summaries and a county summary
Box   68	Wood, 1937 Note: 23 township summaries and a county summary
Box   69 (flat box)	Whole state, Statistical summary of all land-use land-cover types by county Physical Description: Photocopies
Series 1958	Part 3 (Series 1958): Small Scale Land Cover Maps, 1932-1944 Physical Description: 1.2 cubic feet (3 archives boxes) and 2 reels of microfilm (35 mm)  Scope and Content Note: Maps in Series 1958 are arranged by county, and within each county by government township. Each map shows a township identified by town and range number and township name. Each map includes a key identifying the various codes for vegetation and cultural and topographic features. Soils information is not included. Map scale is 1:63,360 (one inch equals one mile). The counties covered, with the approximate date of the survey are listed below.	⇧
Box   1 Reel   1	Adams, 1938/1939
Box   1 Reel   1	Ashland, 1930/1936
Box   1 Reel   1	Barron, 1938
Box   1 Reel   1	Bayfield, 1928
Box   1 Reel   1	Brown, 1945
Box   1 Reel   1	Buffalo, 1945
Box   1 Reel   1	Burnett, 1939
Box   1 Reel   1	Calumet, 1939
Box   1 Reel   1	Chippewa, 1947
Box   1 Reel   1	Clark, 1936
Box   1 Reel   1	Columbia, 1939
Box   1 Reel   1	Crawford, 1943
Box   1 Reel   1	Dane, 1939
Box   1 Reel   1	Dodge, 1939
Box   1 Reel   1	Door, 1942/1945
Box   1 Reel   1	Douglas, 1933
Box   1 Reel   1	Dunn, 1938
Box   1 Reel   1	Eau Claire, 1947
Box   1 Reel   1	Florence, 1941/1942
Box   1 Reel   1	Fond du Lac, 1939
Box   1	Forest, 1938 Note: Not available on microfilm.
Box   2 Reel   1	Grant, 1939
Box   2 Reel   1	Green, 1939
Box   2 Reel   1	Green Lake, 1938
Box   2 Reel   1	Iowa, 1939
Box   2 Reel   1	Iron, 1938
Box   2 Reel   1	Jackson, 1938
Box   2 Reel   1	Jefferson, 1939
Box   2 Reel   1	Juneau, 1933
Box   2 Reel   1	Kenosha, 1934
Box   2 Reel   1	Kewaunee, 1939
Box   2 Reel   2	La Crosse, 1940s
Box   2 Reel   2	Lafayette, 1939
Box   2 Reel   2	Langlade, 1933
Box   2 Reel   2	Marathon, 1939
Box   2 Reel   2	Marinette, 1939
Box   2 Reel   2	Marquette, 1938
Box   2 Reel   2	Monroe, 1939
Box   2 Reel   2	Oconto, 1942/1944
Box   2 Reel   2	Oneida, 1939
Box   2 Reel   2	Outagamie, 1943
Box   2 Reel   2	Ozaukee, 1939
Box   3 Reel   2	Pepin, 1940s
Box   3 Reel   2	Pierce, 1947
Box   3 Reel   2	Polk, 1938
Box   3 Reel   2	Portage, 1938
Box   3 Reel   2	Price, 1938
Box   3 Reel   2	Racine, 1934
Box   3 Reel   2	Richland, 1943
Box   3 Reel   2	Rock, 1939
Box   3 Reel   2	Rusk, 1940s
Box   3 Reel   2	St. Croix, 1947
Box   3 Reel   2	Sauk, 1940s
Box   3 Reel   2	Sawyer, 1932
Box   3 Reel   2	Shawano, 1935
Box   3 Reel   2	Taylor, 1939
Box   3 Reel   2	Trempealeau, 1945
Box   3 Reel   2	Vernon, 1942
Box   3 Reel   2	Vilas, 1931
Box   3 Reel   2	Walworth, 1939
Box   3 Reel   2	Washburn, 1938
Box   3 Reel   2	Washington, 1939
Box   3 Reel   2	Waukesha, 1937
Box   3 Reel   2	Waupaca, 1938
Box   3 Reel   2	Waushara, 1939
Box   3 Reel   2	Winnebago, 1940s
Box   3 Reel   2	Wood, 1938
Series 1959	Part 4 (Series 1959): Large Scale Land Cover Maps, 1930s-1940s Physical Description: 6.0 cubic feet  Scope and Content Note: Maps made on a scale of four inches to a mile showing land and forest cover, soil types, streams and lakes, animal tally, highways, improvements, and miscellaneous items. Counties not in Archives' custody are Dane, Douglas, Milwaukee (never done), and Racine.	⇧