United States General Land Office Collection

Collection — Box: A23

Identifier: KHC-152

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains homestead certificates from the United States Land Office in Dodge City, Kansas.

Dates

Creation: 1897

Biographical / Historical

The United States General Land Office (GLO) was established in 1812 in the Department of the Treasury to oversee actions "touching or respecting the public lands of the United States." In 1862, the GLO administered the Homestead Act, which allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of land in the American West, providing they live on the land for five years, grow crops, and build a residence. Settlers could also pay $1.25 per acre after living on the land for six months, growing crops, and building a residence there. The law also allowed for immigrants intending to gain citizenship to claim land. The GLO operated until 1946 when it merged with the U.S. Grazing Service to establish the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).