Original papers filed for land commission proceedings to open or alter streets and roads, 1785-1837, to divide or sell inherited land, 1791-1850, to perpetuate or restore land boundaries, 1796-1882, and to condemn land for public purposes, 1820-1908. Documents include petitions, exhibits, court orders, depositions, commission reports, and surveys and plats. The files are arranged chronologically by the beginning date for each case. Access available in electronic form, derived from a database for each case file and posted on the Archives' web site. Index available at Baltimore County & Baltimore City Equity Papers, Index. The description for each case includes case number if known, date the case began, names of the parties, subject matter of the case, and, if applicable, names of tracts and places, and the existence of plats. The case number consists of a number prefaced by the letter C, which may mean both chancery and commission. Each such number usually encompassed multiple cases because it actually referred to a drawer in which all files received the same designation. The numbering system apparently was imposed after the fact. After 1852 almost all the files consisted of condemnation cases for railroad tracks, depots, and yards. The companies included Baltimore & Susquehanna, Baltimore & Ohio, Baltimore & Port Deposit, Northern Central, Baltimore & Potomac, Union, Western Maryland, and Baltimore Belt. Other purposes involved the improvement of Jones Falls, grading of streets, private railways, Patapsco River Bridge, Richmond Market, Clifton Park, and a water system. One of the 1841 files pertained to the boundary between Baltimore and Carroll counties. Some of the case files were recorded in (Land Commissions) in series C350 and in (Land Records) in series C352 and C205. The recording information, along with case numbers, is found in (Land Commission Docket) in series C348 and C202. The (Land Commissions) series also contains proceedings prior to 1785. The papers are housed in 690 folders, each containing an average of 20 pages of text and plats.