Homestead National Monument of America
On the twentieth of May 1862, the Homestead Act was signed by President Abraham Licoln and was turned into law. This Federal law allowed anyone – man or woman – to claim a freehold title to part of one hundred and sixty acres (or about sixty-five hectares) of land yet undeveloped at the time in the American West. Those who had settled in the territory were given the chance to live the American dream of owning land as long as they were twenty-one years of age, farmed on that piece of land for at least five years, and built something (not including a house that is at least twelve by fourteen feet in size) on the area. The signing of this Act is one of the greatest and most important moments of American history, and as such, it is still honored today.
In Beatrice, Nebraska, we can find the Homestead National Monument of America. Standing in the southeast area of the state, this national monument is actually on the territory of one of the first homestead ever claimed after the Act was signed. The Nebraska property, of course, serves to commemorate the historic event and its expansive significance to not only the people and the place, but also as a means of honoring the individuals who have braved the odds and settled on the land with inspiring tenacity and patience.
The very sight of the Nebraskan site (no pun intended) is enough to compel visitors to feel exactly how the settlers felt back in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. The words “Free Land!”, associated with both the park and the historic events that inspired it, seem to echo through the tall grass growing in the prairie-type landscape that characterizes the place. Historic buildings, likely built in the aftermath of the land being owned, are still standing there and have been opened to group tours and individual explorers. There are also exhibits that are geared towards helping visitors understand the significance of the Homestead Act and its effects in American history.
If the indoors isn’t your cup of tea, there’s always the nature trails which serve both as a showcase of the environment and ecosystems existing in this part of Nebraska and as a good educational trip for students of science. There are several habitats that can be encountered in this area, and all of them are beyond interesting; this feature of the attraction adds yet another dimension to the significance of the Act, as it allowed individuals way back then to have a peace of this complex beauty and bounty.
The Homestead National Monument of America in Beatrice, Nebraska is pretty much open every day except on holidays nearer the end (or beginning) of the year – Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
