Everything about Land Run Of 1889 totally explained
The
Land Rush of 1889 was the first
land run into the
Unassigned Lands and included all or part of the modern day
Canadian,
Cleveland,
Kingfisher,
Logan,
Oklahoma, and
Payne counties of the
U.S. state of
Oklahoma. The land run started at high noon on
April 22,
1889 with an estimated 50,000 people lined up for their piece of the available two million acres (8,000 km²).
The Unassigned Lands were considered some of the best unoccupied public land in the
United States. The
Indian Appropriations Bill of 1889 was passed and signed into law with an amendment by
Illinois Representative
William McKendree Springer, that authorized President
Benjamin Harrison to open the two million acres (8,000 km²) for settlement. Due to the
Homestead Act of 1862, signed by President
Abraham Lincoln, legal settlers could claim lots up to in size. Provided a settler lived on the land and improved it, the settler could then receive the title to the land.
Rapid growth
By the end of
April 22, both
Oklahoma City and
Guthrie had established cities of around 10,000 people in literally half a day. As
Harper's Weekly put it:
"Unlike Rome, the city of Guthrie was built in a day. To be strictly accurate in the matter, it might be said that it was built in an afternoon. At twelve o'clock on Monday, April 22d(sic), the resident population of Guthrie was nothing; before sundown it was at least ten thousand. In that time streets had been laid out, town lots staked off, and steps taken toward the formation of a municipal government."
Many settlers immediately started improving their new land or stood in line waiting to file their claim. Many children sold creek water to
homesteaders waiting in line for five cents a cup, while other children gathered
buffalo chips to provide fuel for cooking. By the second week, schools had opened and were being taught by volunteers paid by pupils' parents until regular school districts could be established. Within one month, Oklahoma City had five banks and six papers.
On
May 2,
1890, the
Organic Act was passed creating the
Oklahoma Territory. This act included the
Panhandle of Oklahoma within the territory. It also allowed for central governments and designated
Guthrie as the territory's capital.
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