Volume 18 , Issue 37

Walking With Old Sweet Sadie

What about the "land Run of 1889" into Indian Territory, Oklahoma? Let us discover more about the Land Rush of 22d April 1889 when the Indian Territory, south of the Cherokee Strip, was opened up to settlers.



Born of the land run in 1889 and still dressed in the Victorian architecture of the 1900's, today Guthrie stands as a national historic landmark and when it comes to celebrating the centennial, Guthrie isn't missing a beat.

According to The Wheeling Intelligencer, out of Whelling, West Virginia, dated 22d April 1889, Monday, page 2, we read the headlines: "On To Oklahoma!"

It starts out ... "Today at noon the government lets down the bars, and the grand descent on Oklahoma begins. At least 30,000 people, probably some thousands more, will rush into the promised land to occupy 12,500 homesteads of 160 acres each." Unless seemingly disinterested reports are misleading, better land than the average of Oklahoma was to be had elsewhere without the cost of defending it with the shotgun. But this better and safer land lacked the controlling attraction of having been forbidden territory. Where everybody may go and go in peace the crowd was not eager to go. The more the government had restrained the Oklahoma boomers the more the praises of Oklahoma had been sung, until a veritable Oklahoma craze had taken possession of thousands who had rushed on heedless of what may be in store for them.

Experienced frontiersman, used to "roughing it," accustomed to the crack of the rifle and the summary arguments of the revolver, would be more or less at home in the community of all sorts. They would have the best chance to get and to hold the best things. If they miss their aim, it would not be more than has happened to them before.

The rash "tenderfeet" were the men who were likely to fare badly; to be roughly used and to get more dearly-bought experience than wealth. Those who remained at home need not envy the few who made a lucky draw in this overdone lottery scheme.

Good Night! Good Luck! Remember, "Love conquers Hate!"
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