Land Run of 1891 facts for kids
| Date | September 22, 1891 |
|---|---|
| Location | Tecumseh, Oklahoma |
| Also known as | 1891 Oklahoma Land Rush |
The Land Run of 1891 was a series of exciting races. People on horses would rush to claim new land. This land was in Oklahoma Territory. It used to be part of several small Native American reservations.
About 20,000 people, called homesteaders, took part. A homesteader was someone who wanted to claim land for a farm or home. They gathered to claim 6,097 plots of land. Each plot was about 160 acres (0.65 km2) in size.
The settlement happened in September 1891. There were three separate land runs.
- On September 22, 1891, a run opened lands belonging to the Iowa, Sac and Fox, Potawatomi, and Shawnee tribes.
- On September 23, 1891, another run took place. This one was for Tecumseh. Tecumseh was chosen to be the main town, or county seat, for County B. This county was later named Pottawatomie County.
- Finally, on September 28, 1891, a run happened for Chandler. Chandler was chosen as the county seat for County A. This county was later named Lincoln County.
These land runs also helped expand nearby counties. These included Payne, Logan, Oklahoma, and Cleveland counties.
Why the Land Runs Happened
The Native American reservation land was divided up. This happened after a special announcement from President Benjamin Harrison. Each member of the tribes received 160 acres (0.65 km2) of land. This process was called "allotment."
Once every tribe member had their land, some land was left over. This leftover land was called "surplus." The government bought this surplus land from the tribes. Then, it was offered for sale to settlers. People could buy it for $1.25 per acre.
- The Iowa tribe agreed to 80-acre plots for each of its 86 members. They sold about 221,528 acres (896.49 km2) of "surplus" land. They received less than $0.28 per acre for it.
- The Sac and Fox tribe agreed to 160 acres per member. They sold about 391,189 acres (1,583.09 km2) for $1.25 per acre.
- The Citizen Band Potawatomi tribe agreed to 160 acres per member for their 1,498 members.
- The Absentee Shawnee tribe took 569 allotments. They sold their remaining 325,000 acres (1,320 km2) for $0.68 per acre.
- The Kickapoo tribe did not agree to this plan at the time. So, their land was not opened until 1895.
The September 22 Race
On September 22, 1891, before noon, many settlers gathered. They lined up at different starting points. These points were along the western border of the Creek Nation. Some of these starting places included Oklahoma City, Norman, and Guthrie.
Unlike earlier land runs, there were no land offices inside the new area. This meant that people who claimed land had to travel back. They went to Guthrie or Oklahoma City to officially file their claims.
Two new counties were created in Oklahoma Territory. These were County A and County B. County A later became Lincoln County. County B later became Pottowatomie County. The land within the future towns of Chandler and Tecumseh was not part of this run. This was because the towns had not yet been fully planned out.
