Land Run of 1892 facts for kids
| Date | April 19, 1892 |
|---|
Imagine a race where the prize is land! The Land Run of 1892 was one of these exciting races. It happened in Oklahoma, a state in the U.S. This event opened up a huge area called the Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation for new settlers.
This land run took place on April 19, 1892. It was one of seven such land runs in Oklahoma's history. The land opened up that day later became parts of several counties. These included Blaine, Custer, Dewey, Washita, and Roger Mills counties. It also opened up land that became part of Ellis County.
Contents
Why Did the Land Run Happen?
Long ago, in the 1820s and 1830s, the Creek and Seminole tribes were moved to this area. Later, after the Civil War, new agreements were made. These agreements, called the Reconstruction Treaties of 1866, took some land from these tribes.
Then, in 1869, the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes moved to this same area. They came from Colorado. Their reservation was very large, about 3.5 million acres (14,000 square kilometers).
How the Land Became Available
The U.S. government decided to open this land for settlement. President Benjamin Harrison made an official announcement on April 12, 1892. This announcement said the land would be available.
Before the run, parts of the reservation were given to individual Native Americans. Each person received a 160-acre (0.65 square kilometer) plot. After these allotments, the remaining land became "public domain." This means it was owned by the government and open for people to claim.
Who Came to Settle the Land?
Many different kinds of people gathered for the Land Run of 1892. They came from all over. There were people from Kansas, Texas, and Missouri. Many Oklahomans also joined the rush.
People from different backgrounds came too. This included African-Americans, Swedes, Bohemians, Germans, and Russians. A Kiowa chief named Big Tree described the crowd. He said there were "as many [people] as the blades of grass on the Washita in the spring." This shows just how many people were there.
New Towns and Ranching
Settlers quickly claimed over 400 land lots in a place that became Arapaho. This town grew to be the main city of Custer County.
The region soon became known for raising cattle. This was partly because of the land itself. But it was also due to the hard work of cattlemen. Sometimes, these cattlemen would bother the farmers who had settled on the land.
