Blackdom, New Mexico was the most important black homesteader colony in New Mexico. Located fifteen miles south of Roswell, Blackdom was incorporated by thirteen African Americans from Roswell, New Mexico, in 1903.
Daniel Freeman's homestead claim in Gage County, Nebraska was likely the very first to be made and successfully "proved up" under the Homestead Act of 1862. Today, the claim is a part of Homestead National Historical Park.
The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) created the first physical monument of Daniel Freeman's land. Attempts at creating a national monument on Daniel Freeman's homestead claim had failed and the DAR chapter in Beatrice, Nebraska wanted to help preserve the story of homesteading. In 1925 the DAR placed a stone monument on Daniel Freeman’s plot of land commemorating it as the first homestead filed under the Homestead Act of 1862.
DeWitty began forming in 1904 with the Kinkaid Act. This act expanded the Homestead Act allowing individuals to claim 640 acres of land in Nebraska's sand hills. It grew to be the most populous, long-lived, and successful settlement of black homesteaders in Nebraska.
Dearfield, in Weld County, about 70 miles northeast of Denver, was the largest black homesteading settlement in Colorado. At its peak between 1917 to 1921, Dearfield may have housed as many as 300 residents.
Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company provided water for farmers for over one hundred years. Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company is one of the the longest running wind-powered water pump manufacturer in the United States. The company produced windmills from 1885 until 2009. Dempster Mill Mfg. Co. employed hundreds of people in the local area allowing the surrounding communities to thrive.
The Living Wall just outside of Homestead National Historical Park's Heritage Center shows percentages of each homesteading state that were homesteaded.
Empire was the most important community of African American homesteaders in Wyoming. Although small, it was closely linked to similar communities in other states. The founders of Empire arrived with substantial financial resources and farming experience. Ten claimants proved up homesteads, supporting a population of approximately forty.
The Freeman School serves as a reminder of the role the schoolhouse played in the history of the prairie frontier. Officially known as school District Number 21, the school was a center of education for prairie children from 1872 until 1967.
The land on which Homestead National Historical Park stands today has water, trees, grass, and good soil. It has been rediscovered by many generations of Native Americans both as a point to live and perhaps even grow crops. Before Daniel Freeman, there is evidence of other squatter homes on the claim.
Walking path through restored tallgrass prairie. Wayside provides details about an old "Grain Growers Highway" that passed through what is now Homestead National Historical Park.
Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera) is native to parts of Texas and Oklahoma but was commonly planted as hedgerows in Nebraska and other Midwestern states. The original Osage orange hedgerow planted on Daniel's homestead has survived a century.
In the years following the Civil War, black homesteading colonies dotted Kansas including one in Hodgeman County. The group of Exodusters made land claims under the Homestead Act of 1862, but a town never materialized. A dream of free land spurred them on, but the lack of rain in the late 1870s meant it was a tough time to be farming in southwestern Kansas. Over time, most of the settlers moved away though some remained.
Homestead National Monument of America, managed by the National Park Service, remembers the Homestead Act of 1862 and the lives of those affected by it. The Act brought about significant changes to the United States, including opening up federal land to a diverse group of people.
Informational panel shows a range of early barbed wire designs. The nearby fencing reinforces this diversity of form, showing examples of different types of barbed wire.
The land on which Homestead National Historical Park stands today has water, trees, grass, and good soil. However, trees were not part of the package for many early homesteaders. How might life be different without trees, and what difficulties might occur?
Nicodemus is the longest-lasting black homesteader colony in America. In 1877 six black entrepreneurs in Topeka joined with a local white developer to form the Nicodemus Town Company. They located their town in the Solomon River valley in north-central Kansas. Most who stayed filed homestead claims. By 1899 they had received 114 homestead patents, making them owners of 18,126 acres. Nicodemus still stands as a small village and is designated as a National Historic Site.
The Palmer-Epard Cabin was built in 1867 from mixed hardwoods, by George W. Palmer about 14 miles northeast of the Park. It is representative of local construction style and considered luxurious in size measuring 14 x 16 feet. Imagine living in this one room cabin with 10 children. The cabin was moved to Homestead National Historical Park in June of 1950.
Boardwalk overlooking restored tallgrass prairie. Wayside sign details some of the factors that led to the degradation of land in the Great Plains and best practices used to reverse some of those trends.
Success can be a nebulous and subjective goal. Some early homesteaders considered themselves successful if they "proved up" their land. Others saw success as what they could do after. How do you measure success?
Sully County’s black homesteader community prized education as well as owning land. Soon the “Sully County Colored Colony” numbered as many as one hundred residents. Members of the colony successfully claimed 22 homesteads, and with purchased lands, became owners of perhaps 7,000 to 8,000 acres. The Sully County black homesteader community remains a powerful reminder of generations of African Americans who sought opportunity in the Great Plains.
The land on which Homestead National Historical Park stands today has water, trees, grass, and good soil. However, water was not easy to find for many early homesteaders. What are some ways an early homesteader could look for water?
