On this day in 1889: “The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 was the
first land run into the Unassigned Lands and included all or
part of the 2005 modern day Canadian, Cleveland, Kingfisher,
Logan, Oklahoma, and Payne counties of the U.S. state of
Oklahoma. The land run started at high noon on April 22, 1889,
with an estimated 50,000 people lined up for their piece of the
available two million acres (8,000 km²). The Unassigned Lands
were considered some of the best unoccupied public land in the
United States…Due to the Homestead Act of 1862, signed by
President Abraham Lincoln, legal settlers could claim lots up to
160 acres (0.65 km2) in size. Provided a settler lived on the
land and improved it, the settler could then receive the title
to the land…Many settlers immediately started improving their
new land or stood in line waiting to file their claim. Many
children sold creek water to homesteaders waiting in line for
five cents a cup, while other children gathered buffalo chips to
provide fuel for cooking. By the se