Core Concepts
The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 was a chaotic event that attracted tens of thousands of people seeking to stake a claim on free land.
Abstract
The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 was a significant event that attracted a large number of individuals seeking to claim land in the Oklahoma Country. Here is a breakdown of the key points:
- President Benjamin Harrison's proclamation opened two million acres of the Oklahoma Country to non-Indian settlement.
- An estimated 50,000 people participated in the land rush on April 22, 1889, hoping to stake a 160-acre claim.
- The event attracted a diverse group of individuals, including farmers, cowboys, tradesmen, and carpetbaggers.
- The rush resulted in chaos, with broken vehicles, abandoned goods, and a celebratory atmosphere among the participants.
Stats
President Benjamin Harrison signed a proclamation on March 23, 1889, opening two million acres of the Oklahoma Country to non-Indian settlement.
Quotes
“The history of this one day will forever be memorable in the frontier annals and will leave behind a heritage of litigation which will be fruitful to land sharks and claim attorneys, but will be destructive to the claims of the poor and honest settlers.” - Dallas Morning News, April 23, 1889
Osburn documented the scene as "probably 2,000 wagons — trains 5 to 8 miles in length” and “hundreds of horsemen in a dead run.”