Homestead National Monument (Beatrice, NE)

Place: Homestead National Monument (Beatrice, NE)
Weather: Mostly Sunny, 65/83F
Route: From Pine Ridge 474 miles ESE on US-18 E, NE-87 S, NE-250 S, I-80 E, US-77 S.

Significance: The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed any person who had not taken up arms against the United States to apply for up to 160 acres of federal land. They would receive the land for free in return for a promise to live on the land for 5 years and improve the land during that time.  The first homestead granted was to Daniel Freeman for land that now includes the Homestead National Monument.
Over 10% of the United States would be eventually given away through the Homestead Act. As the land was primarily given to white settlers the act also had the impact of solidifying the loss of land to Native Americans in the west.

Website: Homestead National Monument

Image:

Homestead National Monument museum (from visitnebraska.com)