“AFAIK, no state ever had federal lands within its boundaries handed over to state title. “
ALL states except the first thirteen have had land transferred to them from the federal government.
The Northwest territories for example had to give the federal government a percentage of their land- which was returned. Florida and Missouri were, at one time, 90% owned by the federal government.
These early states got the federal government to release it’s title through legislative measures in congress.
Today’s western states don’t have the clout the early states did- simply because of numbers: they can’t form a majority as easily to pass legislation.
States had various amounts of public land deeded to them to help pay for schools, roads and other infrastructure project.
But as far as I know not a single state had all or even most public lands not already sold to private parties while it was a territory deeded to it at statehood.
I’m not wedded to this idea. If anybody has evidence to the contrary I’d really like to see it.
The NW territories were a little unusual. As I understand it, multiple states had claims. They ceded this land to the federal government. Two states, VA and CT, reserved some of the land to pay off their veterans.
I think it’s wildly inaccurate to say the NW territories “gave” some of their land to the federal government. The NW territories, like all other territories, had no existence except as provided for by Congress.
http://www.nplnews.com/toolbox/history/publiclandhistory.htm
From what I can tell, the site is non-partisan or at least centrist. though possibly that's a mistaken impression.
Here's what it says about Ohio entering the Union.
Ohio entered the Union as first state carved from the public domain. The federal government retained title to public lands within Ohio's boundaries but gave the state Section 16 in each township to help promote the establishment of public schools.
AFAIK, this precedent was followed for all subsequent states with the exception of TX. Also possibly AK and other states.
If anybody has evidence to the contrary, I'd be real interested to see it.