Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889The 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.
A number of the individuals who participated in the run entered early and hid out until the legal time of entry to lay quick claim to some of the most choice homesteads. These people came to be identified as "sooners."
By the end of April 22, both Oklahoma City and Guthrie had established cities of around 10,000 people in literally half a day. As Harper's Weekly put it:
"Unlike Rome, the city of Guthrie was built in a day. To be strictly accurate in the matter, it might be said that it was built in an afternoon. At twelve o'clock on Monday, April 22d [sic], the resident population of Guthrie was nothing; before sundown it was at least ten thousand. In that time streets had been laid out, town lots staked off, and steps taken toward the formation of a municipal government."
1 comment:
Funny that we proudly call ourselves "sooners" :)
Very interesting!
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