Cherokee Strip (Kansas) facts for kids

The Cherokee Strip in Kansas, United States, was a piece of land on the state's southern border that was part of a big argument. People weren't sure who it belonged to.

What Was the Cherokee Strip?

This strip of land was about 2.46 miles (3.96 km) wide. It stretched across Kansas from the Neosho River all the way to the 100th meridian west, which is another line on the map. In total, it was a huge area, about 434,679 acres!

How the Problem Started

Back in 1825, the Osage Nation was given a special area of land in what was then called Indian Territory (which is now part of Kansas). Later, in 1836, an agreement called the Treaty of New Echota said that the northern edge of the Cherokee Nation's land was the same as the southern edge of the Osage lands.

Then, in 1854, the U.S. government passed a law called the Kansas–Nebraska Act. This law set the southern border of the new Kansas Territory at the 37th parallel north, which is a specific line on a map. At the time, everyone thought this line was also the southern border of the Osage lands.

The Cherokee Complaint

The Cherokee people quickly said that this was wrong. They knew the true border of their land was actually a bit further north than the 37th parallel. They wanted the border of Kansas to be moved north to match the real Cherokee land line.

Solving the Dispute

The argument about the land continued for many years. It was a very busy and difficult time in Kansas, known as Bleeding Kansas, and then the country was involved in the American Civil War.

After the Civil War, in 1866, the Cherokee Nation made a new agreement. They decided to give up control of the land in present-day Kansas to the United States government. A special group was then sent to measure the land very carefully. Their survey, finished in 1871, showed that the border was indeed "off by 2.46 miles."

Selling the Land

According to the 1866 agreement, this land was to be sold. The price was set at no less than $1.25 per acre. In the first year, a large part of the land (about 156,848 acres) was sold. The rest of the land (about 277,830 acres) was put up for sale in 1879.

The money from these sales went to the United States Treasury. This money was held there for the Cherokee leaders to decide how to use it for their people.