If you own a bike trail, or plan to build one, and don’t know precisely where the railroad operations were located, or the past history of the land, then Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) Railroad Valuation Maps and associated historical records, are key. The presenter of this session is a former trial attorney that has spent over 5 years obtaining and relying on ICC Valuation Maps to help resolve land title disputes, as well as point the way to resolve past and current land ownership. This session will explore ICC Valuation Maps and Records, the history of land distribution in NW PA (as well as earlier locations in the state), and how one goes about determining title based on historical treatises and county recorders records – as often partially or completely obtaining by inexpensive on-line subscription services.
