As a foggy dawn gave way to a brilliant March morning, I found myself bound for Beatrice, Nebraska and Homestead National Historical Park. In this post, I share my experience visiting this underknown yet significant historical site and why I think you should visit too. But first, let’s talk about a little about the history of homesteading.

The History

What exactly is a homestead? In simple terms, a homestead is a house, outbuildings and adjoining land owned by a person or a family and used as a residence. Though easy to define, the process of claiming a homestead was not so easy, and changed over multiple acts of legislation. However, it all started with one act in 1862.

On May 20 of that year, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law. This act allowed most adult heads of families to claim 160 acres of surveyed public land for a minimal filing fee, provided they lived on the land for 5 continuous years. These claimants then became obligated to cultivate the land. The law stated that as long as the people intended to gain it later on, US citizenship was not mandatory. In addition, both women and freed slaves were eligible for land under the act.

Although people mostly obtained homesteads through other means (i.e. individual states, railroad companies, subsequent legislation), the Homestead Act embodied the transformation of huge swaths of the country in both land and people. Homestead National Historical Park conveys that story.

The Heritage Center

My visit began at the Heritage Center. A Park Guide named Tanner greeted me by giving his recommendations on how to experience the park. Based on his recommendation, I headed next door to the theater to watch the 22-minute video titled “Land of Dreams – Homesteading America.” This video serves as a good introduction to homesteading, and the Park Guide will play it on request. I found it is worth setting aside the time to watch.

Next, I visited the National Homesteading Museum located in the Heritage Center’s lower level. The museum highlights the impact of homesteading through exhibits such as textiles, farm equipment, and items found in homestead homes. I found the museum beneficial for two reasons.

Firstly, it explains why Homestead National Historical Park has its location. It is the site of the very first claim under the Homestead Act by Daniel Freeman in 1863. Freeman is one of two individuals who are highlighted in the museum. The other being Kenneth Deardorff, who in 1988, became the last person to obtain a title under the act for his Alaskan property. Secondly, the museum gives a detailed account of how homesteading impacted the land and the people. This sets the stage for walking around the park.

The Park

The park itself is accessible through the backdoor of the Heritage Center, so I made my way there to see what I could learn. The whole purpose of the park is to provide a small example of homestead life. Therefore, there aren’t a lot of structures. Homesteads usually consisted of a small, single dwelling (cabin, sod house, dugout, etc.) and maybe some outbuildings. At Homestead, that one building is the Palmer-Epard Cabin.

Palmer-Epard Cabin’s current location is just outside the Heritage Center and therefore a logical first stop. A cabin made of wood was already on the luxurious end of living, but its 14×16 dimensions made it a relatively cozy habitation for its time. It’s hard to imagine a family of 10 living in this space today, though. It’s easier to understand knowing they generally only ate, slept, and sheltered from bad weather inside the cabin. Otherwise, they were outside.

The park offers over three miles of walking trails. These trails wind through restored prairie grass and over the wooded Cub Creek. I love a nice stroll and consider this an easy trail, though there is some elevation change. I really enjoyed the trails that lead to historical markers such as Daniel Freeman’s gravesite. The trails also connect the Heritage Center to the Education Center which I unfortunately did not visit this time. These trails are your chance to reflect on how homesteaders lived. Since most homesteads rested on locations far from railroads, families lacked ready-made supplies and lived on the land in harsh conditions. Thinking about it gave me vibes of The History Channel’s popular survival show Alone. It’s no wonder why kids of the time saw school as a privilege.

The Schoolhouse

Lastly, I visited the Freeman School. This one-room schoolhouse is located on the other side of the highway from the park, but has its own parking area. It is unknown if it gets it named from the aforementioned homesteader Daniel Freeman or local bricklayer Thomas Freeman. The school was open to students from 1872 until it closed in 1967, making it the longest-running one-room school in Nebraska and one of the longest-running in the country. Schools were often the first structures built near homesteads. They served not only to educate, but also hosted socials, public forums, and polling stations (something that continues today).

A Park Guide named Doug was available inside the schoolhouse to provide information and answer questions. Doug explained how all grades 1-12 (there was no kindergarten at the time) learned in this one room, with the youngest in the front and the oldest in the back. Most students lived in a two-mile radius and usually walked unless they got the luck to hitch a ride in the family buggy.

Out of all the things on offer at Homestead, inside the school provided the most “old-timey” feelings. The shared experience of education in a school setting also supplies a connection to life on the prairies that is a fitting end to your visit to Homestead National Historical Park. And I found it humorous to imagine a first-grader today learning alongside a senior in high school.

Why You Should Go

Homesteading had an undeniable impact on American life. Over 90 million of us descend from homesteaders. In total, 30 states welcomed homesteaders and over 10 percent of the United States was homesteaded. Just take a look out the window on your next flight and you’ll see the results of land surveys for the purpose of homesteading painted in earth-toned squares. Do you watch Yellowstone? You guessed it. The actual ranch Yellowstone is based on is a homestead!

The Heritage Center gets a high grade for its easy-to-follow layout, valuable information, and relatively short time commitment (less than an hour). It also sets the stage for the park, which I enjoyed for its trails and ode to homestead life. The Freeman School feels like a time capsule to an ancient way of education sitting next to one of the oldest remanent prairies in the country (site of the schoolyard).

Unlike the SAC Aerospace Museum (click on link to see my post), Homestead National Historical Park is not exactly right off the interstate. However, it is a short detour, a mere 45 minutes drive south of I-80. And the experience is absolutely FREE, though donations are happily accepted.

Whether you live in the region or are just passing through, I recommend a stop a Homestead National Historical Park. You just might gain a new appreciation for life nowadays.

If you are interested in homestead history, but visiting the park just isn’t in the cards, I recommend picking up a book. David B. Danbom’s Sod Busting gives a short yet descriptive telling of homestead life. For those of you who would prefer to read a first-hand account, I recommend O Pioneers! by Willa Cather or Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (don’t knock it until you read it!).

Tell Me What You Think

Have you been to Homestead National Historical Park? Leave a comment below and tell me about your experience!

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