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Interesting US History
A Website Devoted to Interesting Events in U.S. History

 

 
 

 

ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY

April 22, 1889

The Land Run of 1889 Begins

On this day in 1889 at high noon, an estimated 50,000 people lined for up what is now called the Land Run of 1889. The people participating in this event were allowed to run out and lay claim to their own piece of land out of the available two million acres located in areas of Oklahoma.

A number of individuals who participated, entered the area early and hid out until the official start of the event so they could get first dibs on this land. These people became known as "sooners" which the origin of the Oklahoma state nickname "Oklahoma Sooners".