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The State Soil Conservation Board was created in 1937 to provide for the conservation of the state's soil and soil resources (L. 1937, p. 10). The five-member board consisted of the directors of the Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Illinois who served as ex officio members and three members appointed by the Governor who were owners and active operators of farms. The board's powers and duties included assisting in the establishment of soil conservation districts, coordinating the exchange of information among districts, assisting directors of districts in carrying out their programs, seeking assistance of the federal government and other state agencies in district operations, and reviewing rules and regulations made by districts.
Landowners who wished to organize a soil conservation district petitioned the board and requested a hearing. If the board determined the petition to be administratively feasible a referendum on the question was held within the district.
The State Soil Conservation Board was superseded by the State Soil Conservation Districts Board in 1943 (L. 1943, vol. 1, p. 14). This board was abolished in 1961 and its duties were transferred to the newly created State Soil and Water Conservation Districts Advisory Board (L. 1961, p. 530).
304.001
PETITIONS FOR THE CREATION OF SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. 1941-1949. 14 cu. ft. No index.
File contains individual and group petitions for the creation of soil conservation districts or the annexation of additional land to existing districts. Petitions are arranged by county and include a legal description of the proposed district, name proposed for the district, signatures and addresses of petitioning landowners, and date petition signed. Also included are lists of landowners in each district and the number of acres owned by each. File occasionally includes township maps and correspondence concerning referendum results.
These records are available at the Illinois State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State.
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