On April 22, 1889, the first major Oklahoma Land Run opened formerly restricted lands to non-Native settlement. At a set time, thousands of settlers raced on foot, horseback, and in wagons to claim plots of land. Towns appeared almost overnight as people hurried to stake their claims. The run symbolized opportunity to many but also came at the expense of Native American nations whose lands had been reduced or reassigned. The event sped up the settlement and eventual statehood of Oklahoma. It remains a vivid example of how the U.S. distributed land on the frontier.
