The records are manuscript volumes which have been grouped into subseries based on the apparent use/purpose of each volume. Before May 5, 1840, ordinances and resolutions are arranged by date. At this time, laws were then assigned numbers and are arranged in numerical order. Except for the 1840-1843 volume of series 1, there is no extant indexing for these ordinances.

• Sub-Series 1: Original ordinances and resolutions, signed by the Recorder and the Mayor. The pre-May, 1840 volumes in this subseries contain ordinances and resolutions that for the most part are signed by the Recorder only, although some are also signed by the Mayor. These books, however, do contain letters addressed to the Mayor, suggesting that they are indeed made up of the original laws as submitted to the Mayor. That these laws are actually written on individual sheets that were later bound into volumes further supports this interpretation.


• Sub-Series 2: Copies of ordinances and resolutions retained by the Council while the original ordinances and resolutions were being considered by the Mayor.


• Sub-Series 3: Ordinances and resolutions passed at secret sessions (Additional ordinances and resolutions passed at special sessions are included in the general ordinance and resolution books.


• Sub-Series 4: Miscellaneous additional versions of ordinances and resolutions.