26 THIRTIETH ANNUAL REPORT

is described in detail elsewhere in this report. The work was done
mainly by our own photographers, but with some help from other
sources. The Commissioner of the Land Office kindly loaned us the
negative microfilm of the General Index of Land Records, 1777-1932,
of Washington County in order that we might have a positive print
made for our own use; otherwise the records listed under the Washing-
ton County Circuit Court, the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, the
Baltimore City Superior Court and the Harford County Register of
Wills were filmed for us by staff members of these offices.

We also made microfilm copies of the assessments of 1783 and
1798 from the original returns which were loaned to us by the Mary-
land Historical Society. The assessment of 1798 is, of course, not a
State archive, as it was authorized and carried out by the Federal govern-
ment. However, for the sake of convenience, it has been listed here
with the assessment of 1783, which was authorized by State law. The
information furnished in the Federal returns about dwelling houses is
remarkably detailed, providing such information as, the number of
stories, length and width, whether of brick or wood, and outbuildings,
if any. Anticipating extensive use of the returns, we have prepared
photostatic copies of some of them. The returns of a few counties are
missing from each assessment.

Perhaps the most interesting of the original records received last
year were sixteen small volumes of proceedings of the Baltimore County
Levy Court, which served as the administrative body of the County until
it was superseded by the County Commissioners in 1827. The volumes
are dated from 1772 to 1803, and they supplement similar records
already on hand very nicely, filling in gaps that we had feared were
permanent. However, the series is still not complete. Recently, we were
informed that a few of the missing volumes had been rescued from
mass destruction some years ago when the Courthouse attic was being
cleaned. They are now in private hands, but we are hopeful that
eventually they will be restored to official custody.

The seemingly random selection of records transferred from the
office of the Register of Wills of Anne Arundel County has a simple
explanation. The earlier records of the office, those dating before 1850,
have been in our custody for some time. When the Register sought our
help in solving his space problem, it was mutually agreed to extend
the cut-off date from 1850 to 1875, thus affording temporary relief.
Plans now underway for the construction of additional office space
will eventually provide a more permanent solution to the problem.