Homestead

https://www.nps.gov/home/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homestead_National_Historical_Park Homestead National Monument of America commemorates passage of the Homestead Act of 1862, which allowed any qualified person to claim up to 160 acres (0.65 km2) of federally owned land in exchange for five years of residence and the cultivation and improvement of the property. The Act eventually transferred 270,000,000 acres (1,100,000 km2) from public to private ownership. The national monument is five miles west of Beatrice, Gage County, Nebraska on a site that includes some of the first acres successfully claimed under the Homestead Act. The Homestead Act of 1862 transformed the world. Millions were invited to file claims including families, women, immigrants, and formerly enslaved people. Over 10 percent of the United States was homesteaded! The land, long inhabited by indigenous cultures, changed forever. Homesteaders created settlements and farms, drove industrial advancement, and built our nation chasing the American Dream. The park is 4 miles west of Beatrice on State Highway 4. From the U.S. 77 and U.S. 136 intersection in downtown Beatrice take U.S. 136 approximately 1.2 miles west. Turn right onto Nebraska Highway 4 and follow the signs. After the road has curved west and you have traveled 4 miles, you will enter Homestead National Historical Park and see signs for the different buildings at the park. Heritage Center This National Park site houses the National Homesteading Museum. State-of-the-art exhibits present homesteading in an interactive setting. Such topics as the Act's influence on immigration, agriculture, industrialization, native tribes, the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and Federal land policies are presented in an educational and thought-provoking manner. The hours listed below generally include the Homestead Education Center, Freeman School, and Palmer-Epard Cabin. Homestead National Monument of America is approximately 40 miles south on Interstate 80, a major east-west artery in the United States. Four-lane U.S. 77 connects I-80 with Beatrice, Nebraska. Beatrice is also approximately 70 miles west of Interstate 29, a major north-south artery from Kansas City, Missouri through Council Bluffs, IA, Sioux City, IA, Sioux Falls, SD, and Grand Forks, ND to the Canadian border. U.S. 136 connects I-29 with Beatrice, Nebraska. Homestead Education Center Homestead National Monument of America uses the Education Center to provide today's visitors the opportunity to meet their quest for further knowledge about homesteading through Hands-on arts and crafts or living history demonstrations, real life science experiences, and distance learning. The Education Center also hosts many temporary exhibits and special programs. Talk to the Ranger in the Education Building [or at the Heritage Center] about these opportunities. The park is 4 miles west of Beatrice on State Highway 4. From the U.S. 77 and U.S. 136 intersection in downtown Beatrice take U.S. 136 approximately 1.2 miles west. Turn right onto Nebraska Highway 4 and follow the signs. After the road has curved west and you have traveled 4 miles, you will enter Homestead National Monument and see signs for the different buildings at the park. First you will pass the Heritage Center on the hill to your left. The Education Center is 3/4 miles further, also on your left. The Palmer Epard Cabin and the Heritage Center A historic cabin stands next to a concrete path that leads to a plow shaped visitor center The Palmer Epard Cabin and Heritage Center at Sunset Freeman One-Room Schoolhouse A historic one room schoolhouse An original one-room schoolhouse, the Freeman School preserves educational history and allows for visitors of all ages to walk into history. Grounds The tallgrass prairie is yellow with goldenrod in full bloom. The overlook from the picnic area at the Heritage Center showcases the beauty of the tallgrass prairie in late summer. Homestead Heritage Center The Homestead Heritage Center on the tallgrass prairie Thousands of visitors stop to view the oldest restored tallgrass prairie in the National Park Service from the Heritage Center back patio. Grounds The tallgrass prairie spans to the Heritage Center on the horizon. The oldest restored tallgrass prairie in the NPS spans to the Heritage Center. Homestead Education Center The Homestead Education Center The Homestead Education Center holds historic farm implements from the vast archives and collections of the Monument. Palmer-Epard Homestead Cabin A homestead cabin at sunset The historic homestead cabin that can be found on the America the Beautiful Homestead Quarter, this cabin has been preserved in it's original condition for visitors to enter and see the inside of a historic structure. Freeman School Landscape The one-room Freeman Schoolhouse, built in 1871, represents the history and role of American public education in relation to the westward expansion of the United States during the 1800s and early 1900s. The school is also significant for its role in the Nebraska Supreme Court decision that religious instruction during school hours violated the separation of church and state. The schoolhouse provided the residents of Gage County with a versatile social space until 1967. Sunset turns the sky a soft pink over the small brick Freeman Schoolhouse and prairie NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Homestead National Monument of America, Nebraska Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. [Site Under Development] park landscape and visitor center Abraham Lincoln and the West Though best known for guiding the nation through the tumultuous four years of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln also played an instrumental role in encouraging settlement and expansion of the American West. Painting of Westward Expansion Prescribed Fire and the Tallgrass Prairie How does prescribed fire maintain the health of prairie ecosystems in the Midwest Region of the National Park Service? Mike Johnson, Regional Wildland Fire Communication and Education Specialist has the answers! Two firefighters walk towards a third standing with a firetruck and spraying the burned prairie. Small Unmanned Aircraft Used for Prescribed Fire at Homestead National Monument of America On April 22, 2016, Homestead National Monument of America conducted the first prescribed fire in the National Park Service (NPS) using a small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) for interior ignition. Twenty six acres of restored tallgrass prairie were successfully burned according to management objectives through the collaborative efforts of the Department of Interior National Park Service and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Two men work on a small drone sitting on the ground. Listening to the Eclipse: National Park Service scientists join Smithsonian, NASA in nationwide project A solar eclipse is visually stunning, but what will it sound like? NPS scientists will find out by recording sounds in parks across the USA. An NPS scientist installs audio recording equipment in a lush valley at Valles Caldera NP. 2013 Recipients: George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service More than 200,000 volunteers provide invaluable time and energy to the National Park Service. Meet the people and groups being honored with a 2013 Hartzog Award. Group of cleanup volunteers with full trash bags Homesteaders From 1863 to 1976, United States citizens could claim 160-acre parcels of surveyed lands from the Federal Government under the Homestead Act of 1862 —though not after 1936 in the area that became Joshua Tree National Monument. Claimants had three to five years to "prove up" on their property, which meant completing three criteria: building a small home, improving the land, and growing crops or raising stock and proving they had met the requires. Color photo of wagon wheels in a line at Keys Ranch. NPS / Hannah Schwalbe Dempster Company Picnics The Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company began holding company picnics in 1897. The picnics were held at the end of July to celebrate the companies founding on July 29, 1878. The Dempster company picnic was a time for employees and their families to gather and have fun. They included food, sports, games, music, and other activities. During some years, they even held parades through the main streets of Beatrice. Men sit on either side of a long wooden dinner table in the park The Homestead Act Signed into law by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, the Homestead Act encouraged westward migration and settlement by providing 160-acre tracts of land west of the Mississippi at little cost, in return for a promise to improve the land. Poster promoting western lands Ken Deardorff's Allis-Chalmers Model C Tractor This 1945 Allis-Chalmers Model C tractor was used by the last homesteader, Ken Deardorff, on his homestead in rural Alaska. Deardorff purchase this tractor near Palmer, Alaska in 1976 two years after he filed for his land. He used this tractor to pull hundreds of tree stumps from the ground to be able to clear an area for his farming plot. In June 2017, the tractor was retrieved from Deardorff’s homestead by Homestead National Monument of America. Man riding a tractor Wildland Fire in Tallgrass Prairie: Midwestern United States Prairies depend on fire to maintain the ecosystem stability and diversity. One benefit of fire in this community is the elimination of invasive plants, thereby helping to shape and maintain the prairie. Bison grazing in recently burned area. Wildland Fire in Oak Woodlands and Savannas of the Midwestern United States Oak woodlands depend on disturbances like fire to survive. Frequent fire created and maintained the open structure and make-up of the woodlands. Today, there are fewer oak woodlands across the central United States. Oak woodlands are converting into forests due to a lack of fire. Oak trees with an understory of grasses and forbs. World War I and Homesteading Did you know that both the very first homesteader and the very last homesteader were war veterans? From the beginning, the Homestead Act of 1862 gave special privileges to veterans—allowing soldiers to claim homesteads even if they did not meet the homesteading requirement of being 21 years of age or older. A silhouette of a man pushing a plow imposed on a background of war. Text The Legacies of Latino Homesteaders Learn how Latino Heritage Intern, Verónica Barreto, researched and discovered fascinating facts about Latino homesteaders. The Homestead Act of 1862 gave citizens of the world an opportunity to obtain Free Land! Discover how these homesteaders materialized their American Dream through the Homestead Act. Outside Science (inside parks): Getting Muddy at Homestead National Monument of America In this episode of Outside Science (inside parks), 8th graders from Beatrice Middle School help resource managers at Homestead National Monument of America test for water quality in the park. student looking at water sample Windmills on the American Plains Windmills were an important aspect of settling the American Plains. American-style windmills developed in the 1850's could shift into the prevailing winds, functioned well in fast and slow winds, and required little maintenance compared to European windmills. Knowing windmills could be counted on for water helped speed up western migration. Ranchers could build up herds, farmers planted more, and railroads could pump water into tanks along their routes. Windmill on the plains Monitor Vaneless Windmill at Homestead NM Monitor Vaneless Model L Windmill on display at Homestead National Monument of America. Water was a critical resource to homesteaders. They needed it to cook, bathe, drink, water crops and animals, wash clothes, and more. Windmills made this job much easier by taking advantage of the gusting winds so common on the Great Plains. Windmills were often among homesteaders’ most prized possessions. Windmill at Homestead Heritage Center A History of Dempster Windmills The Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company was established in 1878. The company began manufacturing the Original Dempster Solid Wheel in 1885. In 1892, they produced their first steel windmill, the Queen City. Dempster Mill Manufacturing Company produced over twenty windmill models, manufactured over 124 years. Dempster Windmill Homestead National Monument of America to participate in RootsTech 2020 Homestead National Monument of America to Participate in Roots Tech 2019 genealogy conference. Homestead Roots. Find Your History. Homestead National Monument of America. Homesteaders Clothing by Montgomery Ward In the 1930s, Montgomery Ward began making a series of Homesteaders clothing. They were a durable, but low cost range of denim clothing for men. They later added a Homesteader Jr. line for boys. The items produced included overalls, jackets, jeans, and shirts. Montgomery Ward continued to sell these Homesteaders items until the 1950s. People standing next to a car 2003 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2003 Environmental Achievement Awards Dempster Vaneless Windmills By the 1880s wooden vaneless windmills were growing in popularity across the central Great Plains. These windmills had hinged sections that could pivot in and out of the wind individually. This allowed them to govern the speed of the mills as wind velocities changed. Because they had no vanes or tails to direct them into the wind, their wheel operated downwind. Dempster vaneless windmill models include Original Vaneless, Irrigator models, No. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 14 Vaneless. Sketch of a Windmill Dempster Solid Wheel Windmills Windmills on the Great Plains need to work in light winds and shut down in strong winds with minimal maintenance. Solid-wheel windmills have a rigid wooden wheel that adjusts the angle of the entire windmill head to control its speed. In slow winds, the wheel points into the wind and in high winds, the wheel moves toward the vane to minimize surface area and prevent damage. Models of Dempster Solid-Wheel Windmills include Original Solid, Beatrice, New Era, No. 5, and No. 9. Sketch of a Windmill Dempster Self-Oiling Windmills The market vanished for open back-geared steel mills in the early 1920s, as consumers began to prefer self-oiling mills. Self-oiling windmills had an enclosed gearbox with an oil-bath that would continuously lubricate the mill. This meant maintenance on these mills was minimal, requiring oil about once a year. Dempster self-oiling models include No. 11, 12, 14, 15, 16. The No. 14 Annu-Oiled Vaneless is detailed in the vaneless mill article. Sketch of a Windmill Dempster Steel Windmills Dempster steel windmills refers to open back-geared steel pumping windmills. Back-gears and curved blades allowed these metal mills to out-pump older wooden mills. Dempster Steel windmills were designed with their wheel mounted slight to one side so they turned away from increasing winds. Most had a spring to pull the wheel back into the wind when the wind slowed. Dempster steel windmill models include the Queen City, Dempster Steel, No. 6, No. 7, Arrow, No. 8, and No. 10. Sketch of a Windmill The Power of Observation: Homesteaders and Weather How can your observations of the environment around you help to predict the weather? Learn some tips and tricks used by homesteaders to predict the weather. Storm clouds over the prairie Climate and Crops on the Homestead: What Will Grow? Think like a homesteader! Learn about how the climate effects what crops will grow best on your homestead. A cornfield Civil War to Civil Rights Trading Cards Collect stories about the Civil War and civil rights! The National Park Service is offering more than 500 trading cards to mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil war. Homestead National Monument of America offers a total of five different trading card. Portrait of Oscar Micheaux "The First Homestead" by Gusta Strohm This painting of America’s first homesteading family in front of their cabin on the site of America’s first homestead. It was created in 1888 in Beatrice, Nebraska by Gusta Strohm when the Freeman family had been living on their homestead for 25 years. The painting was conserved by the Ford Conservation Center in 2019. This painting, by Gusta Strohm, was exhibited at multiple venues before eventually coming to Homestead National Monument of America in 2011. Painting of a family in front of their cabin on exhibit in the museum Velma Armstrong Collection Velma Armstrong's works capture the spirit of nineteenth-century homesteading. The paintings depict pastoral imagery, agricultural scenes, and the lives of early settlers. Her parents' experiences and recollections as homesteaders in Nebraska inspired her work. Homestead National Monument of America acquired these paintings in 1961 in anticipation of the Homestead Act Centennial and the opening of a new visitor center in 1962. Man covered the house chimney with a hat. Homestead National Monument of America Landscape The Homestead National Historical Park cultural landscape conveys the influence of the Homestead Act of 1862 and legacy of Daniel Freeman. It also represents homesteads across America. Homesteading provided a way of life for many Americans and contributed to westward expansion in the developing nation. Landscape of the original 160-acre homestead is an open prairie Classic Junior Ranger Videos This fun children's video about wheat was featured as a reward video for children who played Homestead's Webranger activities. Webranger may be gone, but Homestead's videos are preserved here! Black and white still frame of 1950s era boy eating a sandwich. Homestead Virtual Ranger Online Activity While you can earn your Junior Ranger badge on your visit to Homestead National Historical Park, we have also put together an opportunity for you to become a Homestead National Historical Park Virtual Ranger. Using the pages of our website, complete the questions below to earn your Virtual Ranger badge! Golden Homestead Virtual Ranger Badge Homesteading Land Entry Case Files Online Activity This activity uses a homesteader's Land Entry Case file to help you learn about and explore historical homestead records, and what information they can provide to you. Use the documents to answer the questions. Historic Homestead Document Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Homestead Online Activity Think like a homesteader as you explore different ways to repurpose and reuse everyday items. This short activity will lead to a discussion on how recycling and reusing items impacts your community. Homesteaders sit in their dug out, horses outside. Citizen Science at Homestead National Historical Park Learn about how to get involved with Citizen Science at Homestead National Monument of America! The Civil War in American Memory America's cultural memories of the Civil War are inseparably intertwined with that most "peculiar institution" of American history - racial slavery. But in the struggle over Civil War memory which began as soon as the war was over and continues to this day, rival cultural memories of reconciliation and white supremacy have often prevailed. Therein lies the challenge as the National Park Service - a public agency - seeks to "provide understanding" of the Civil War era's lasting impact upon the development of our nation. Elderly Union and Confederate veterans shake hands at the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg Volunteer Bird Monitoring at Homestead National Monument of America Heartland Network staff and volunteers monitor birds within the park during the Spring-breeding season. Volunteers are key to the success of this monitoring effort as they are able to survey birds in years when the Heartland Network is not scheduled to do so. This allows Heartland staff to establish continuous records on bird population trends for the park. Northern Cardinal Bird Community Monitoring at Homestead National Monument of America Between 2009 and 2017, 257 cumulative plots were surveyed and 86 different bird species were recorded, 74 of which are species with the potential to breed within Homestead National Monument of America. Eastern Kingbird on a sign at Homestead National Monument of America Aquatic Invertebrate Monitoring at Homestead National Monument of America Scientists track aquatic invertebrates to assess water quality. Invertebrates include insect larvae, worms, snails, crayfish, and other animals without backbones. Many invertebrates live in the stream for months. This exposes them to changing water quality conditions over time. Cub Creek at Homestead National Monument of America Vegetation Community Monitoring at Homestead National Monument of America The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network has sampled permanent monitoring sites in three vegetation community types (restored prairie, successional forest, and bur oak forest) at Homestead National Monument of America. Scientist collecting data in prairie at Homestead National Monument of America. Fish Communities at Homestead National Historical Park Since 2004, scientists have been tracking fish populations in Cub Creek. They collect fish using seine nets at different areas along the streams. Tracking fish allows scientists to determine which species are in the park and how well they doing in the streams. Cub Creek at Homestead National Monument of America. Celebrating soils across the National Park System First in a series of three "In Focus" articles that share insights into the near-universal and far-reaching effects of soils on the ecology, management, and enjoyment of our national parks. Fossil soils at Cabrillo National Monument reveal marine deposits National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map “Planted in the Soil”: The Homestead Act, Women Homesteaders, and the 19th Amendment Historian Jonathan Fairchild illustrates that women homesteaders were not just supporting figures in this monumental movement but central figures that impacted major developments like the eventual realization of women's rights to vote. Woman standing next to a sod house The Making of Phoebe May Hopper- Pioneer to Professor An examination of women pioneers from 1800s and 1900s York County, Nebraska. search box with the words African American Homesteaders in the Great Plains Homestead National Monument of America and Nicodemus National Historic Site are partnering with the University of Nebraska's Center for Great Plains Studies to discover and share the stories of African American homesteading colonies. Two black men and two black women stand in front of a frame building. The photo is black and white. Exodusters Thousands of African-Americans made their way to Kansas and other Western states after Reconstruction. The Homestead Act and other laws offered blacks the opportunity to escape the racism and oppression of the post-war South and become owners of their own tracts of private farmland. The large-scale black migration from the South to Kansas came to be known as the "Great Exodus," and those participating in it were called "exodusters." Men and Woman gather in front of general store, 1855 Footprints of the Lives of the Female Homesteader 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. The Homestead Act of 1862 began to grant land claims on January 1, 1863. Fourteen of the fifteen states and territories that would grant women the right to vote prior to the 19th Amendment were heavily homesteaded. This is a New COVID Safe Learning Experience at Homestead National Monument of America. A map and hand-outs are displayed on the Homestead Heritage Center desk. Series: NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Since 2002, the National Park Service (NPS) has awarded Environmental Achievement (EA) Awards to recognize staff and partners in the area of environmental preservation, protection and stewardship. A vehicle charges at an Electric Vehicle charging station at Thomas Edison National Historical Park Partners Bring the Power (as in EV Charging) to Homestead National Historical Park Electric vehicles can now power-up at Homestead National Historical Park. The EV Charging Unit Project at Homestead is part of a statewide effort sponsored by the Nebraska Community Energy Alliance. Operating the EV Charging Unit, through a commercial use license, will be the Friends of Homestead. Electric vehicle parked and plugged into a charging station. Osage Orange at Homestead National Historical Park Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) is native to parts of Texas and Oklahoma and was used by the Osage Indians for dye and bows. The tree has thorns and forms a dense thicket. During the late 19th century, Osage orange was commonly planted in Nebraska and other Midwestern states to subdivide fields and delineate boundaries and to act as a windbreak. The Osage orange hedgerow at Homestead National Historical Park was planted around 1875-1885. A dense thicket of leafless trees grow along the edge of a grassy prairie under a cloudy sky. Daniel Freeman-Agnes Suiter Love Letters Daniel Freeman is known as the first homesteader. He homesteaded 160 acres, west of Beatrice, Nebraska. Before moving to Nebraska, his first wife deserted him in 1860 and they divorced in 1863. In July 1864, Daniel began corresponding with Agnes Suiter who lived in LeClaire, Iowa. Agnes had previously been engaged to Daniel's brother James, who died in the Civil War. Daniel proposed marriage through these letters. In 1865 they married and were living on his homestead claim. Handwritten letter Cold Roller Mangle Box mangles press fabric items using weights and rollers. Used in northern and eastern Europe, mangles were among many traditional tools brought to the United States by immigrants. Tools like the mangle provided a sense of familiarity, while helping to preserve familiar customs as they began new lives. Large box mangle on display An 1872 One-Room Schoolhouse Reveals Secrets at Homestead National Historical Park An 1872 One-Room Schoolhouse Reveals Some Secrets at Homestead National Historical Park. A farmer sits on a tractor in a field. Q&A with Archives Intern Kristian Enbysk Meet Kristian Enbysk, Archives Intern at Homestead National Historical Park through the Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP). Learn about what inspired him to do an internship with the National Park Service, how his cultural background has influenced his passion for conservation, and what he wants to tell the Latinx youth. Hispanic Homesteaders and the Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos National Laboratory was created to develop the atomic bomb. The government decided on Los Alamos County in New Mexico as a site for the Manhattan Project. Most of the land already belonged to the government as part of the Forest Service, but there was a community of Hispanic homesteaders and other property owners in the area. The homesteaders received less than their Anglo counterparts for their land. In 2005, they received reparations for the unfair treatment. two log buildings in the mountains Mussels at Homestead This article summarizes the work to survey the mussel population in Cub Creek and the partnership between the NPS and the Nebraska Game and Parks to reintroduce the Fatmucket and Plain Pocketbook mussels. The Story of 3 Orphan Homesteaders in Alabama The “Did you know? Homesteading with Bob King” articles share stories of Homesteaders throughout the states. Portrait of Bob King with text overlay "did you know?" The Story of George Brownlee, an ill-fated Idaho homesteader I have told many stories about homesteaders from just after the Civil War to the mid-20th century. But when I recently discovered the history of George Brownlee, a homesteader in early 20th century Idaho, it was a story that was different than any I have found before. It was one I would not have predicted: a tale from the “Old West” involving a grisly murder. Portrait of Bob King with text overlay Mrs. Carrie A. Gordon and Her Oklahoma Homestead This column will share the history of a successful woman homesteader who escaped a bad marriage in the East but found a new and better life for herself and daughter in Oklahoma over a century ago. Portrait of Bob King with text overlay The Story of the Swanson Brothers, Early 20th Century Florida Homesteaders at the John F. Kennedy Space Center This column tells the story of two brothers who joined the early 20th century land rush to Florida, with their land now part of the John F. Kennedy Space Center. Portrait of Bob King text overlay reads "did you know?" The Story of Rafael Bermudez, a Hispanic American Homesteader This month's story is about Rafael Bermudez, a Hispanic American, who homesteaded land in central Oregon in 1896. Bermudez's case is quite unusual. He received his two homesteads under two different names over 18 years apart! Portrait of Bob King text overlay Partnership Is Helping Us Restore Mussel Diversity in Cub Creek Freshwater mussels help keep our rivers and streams clean and healthy, but they’re vanishing. Our park is working to reverse their decline. A Youth Conservation Corp member stands in Cub Creek holding freshwater mussels in one hand. Things to Do in Nebraska Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Nebraska. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Cultivating Connections: Black Homesteading in America This presentation aims to share research tips for beginners and personal perspectives from four descendants who have uncovered and shared their homesteading history on the National Park Service website. Volunteer Story: Beatrice High School Transitional Work Experience Program Volunteer Story: Beatrice High School Transitional Work Experience Program A volunteer walks toward a NPS firetruck Videos de Homestead en Español Videos de Homestead National Historical Park en Español Grassy field with text stating Series: Did You Know? Homesteading with Bob King Learn the stories of homesteaders across the nation through the research of Dr. Bob King an homesteading aficionado. portrait of Bob King with text "Did you Know? Homesteading with Bob King" 2022 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service The National Park Service is pleased to congratulate the recipients of the 2022 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. A montage of photos of volunteers working in a national park. Luna's Diary Luna Warner was 15 years old when her family migrated from Massachusetts to Kansas to homestead. Luna wrote a diary that chronicled her experience. This 3 part video series shares some of her experiences. This content is great for elementary classrooms and for anyone wanting to learn about what homestead transition and life was like in the 1870s. Homestead Roots Deep In The South Many formerly enslaved people and their descendants became landowners through the Homestead Act. Race was not recorded on homestead Land Entry case files. It is not yet widely known how many black homesteaders never left the South and became landowners via the Homestead Act. Explore with two families from Maryland, as they go on a genealogical journey back in time that connects them to family members that took part in the Homestead Act of 1862 in the Deep South. Learning about Homesteaders through the Hein Book Collection Artifacts passed down through the generations hold ties to their owners’ stories. We can learn quite a bit about what homesteaders thought was important by examining objects in our museum collection. Books offer us insight into the values, tastes, and interests of homesteaders and their families. Here we examine some of the books donated to Homestead National Historical Park from the Hein family of South Dakota. Group of books on a table The Devoted People behind Big Data in National Parks Citizen science volunteers collect massive amounts of crucial scientific information. They gather it from sources as varied as oceans, mountainsides, and historic archives. Smart new tools are making their contributions even more powerful. Two smiling women stand in front of a national park sign. Prairie Plant Community Monitoring in Three Heartland Network Parks Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Homestead National Historical Park, and Pipestone National Monument all protect tallgrass prairie communities. We monitor the plants in these parks to understand how the prairies may be changing over time. Analyzing data from all three parks together helps managers understand how similar management actions at other parks are affecting prairie maintenance. Pipestone National Monument prairies have some unique geology that makes the plant Two scientists looking at prairie plants next to a measuring tape and plastic plot rings. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Bird Community Monitoring at Homestead National Historical Park in Nebraska, 2022 Birds are excellent indicators of environmental change in ecosystems. The woodland and restored prairie habitat at Homestead National Historical Park supports a wide array of bird species. The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors birds on the park to understand how the bird community is doing and how birds respond to changes in their habitat. Bell's Vireo and Red-headed Woodpecker are species of concern in the region. An orange-brown chested gray bird with an orange bill and white eye ring.