Homestead National Monument of America (U.S. National Park Service)

QUICKLINKS:

FREE LAND was the cry!!

The cry was FREE LAND! The Homestead Act of 1862 was one of the most significant and enduring events in the westward expansion of the United States. By granting free land it allowed nearly any man or woman a chance to live the American dream of owning their own land. Visit this fee free Unit in the National Park System to gain an understanding of the impact of the Homestead Act. More...

Heritage Center

The uniquely designed Heritage Center which has received several awards was dedicated on May 20, 2007. It brings the epic homestead story to life for visitors of all ages and demonstrates the true scope and importance of the Homestead Act of 1862. The vista from the main balcony provides visitors with a view of the tallgrass prairie much like early pioneers would have seen from the hilltop. Go here for information about tallgrass transplant at the Heritage Center.

Fall Hours and Programs

Daily 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Outdoor trails will be open from dawn to dusk. The Freeman School, a historic one room school house, will be available to view by visitor request. The monument will be closed on Thanksgiving.

Homestead National Monument of America is a NO FEE park. Admission, parking and special events are all free of charge.

Palmer-Epard Cabin has been relocated to the Heritage Center.

Watch the video of the Palmer-Epard Cabin being dismantled. Threes days of footage condensed into an eleven minute video. [wmv file. 320 x 240 pixels. 27.1MB]

____________________________________

Homestead National Monument of America will be featured on the Nebraska Quarter in 2015! Beginning in 2010, the United States Mint will issue quarter-dollar coins featuring designs depicting national parks and other national sites in accordance with the "America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008". Click here to view a list of the states and their sites.

________________________________________

Free Access to Digitized Homesteading Records Available at Homestead more.

*Homestead Records, Broken Bow, NE Land Office (partnered with University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

*To access Homestead Records, NE on footnote.com, click here (note: you must have a subscription to view premium records).

*For more records/genealogical information from the National Archives and Records Administration, visit their website.

*BLM Homestead Patent Project

___________________________________________
Attention facebook and twitter fans!

You can now find Homestead National Monument of America on facebook and twitter. Become our fan! more.
________________________________________

Now accepting applications for 2nd year of Artist-in-Residence Program at Homestead National Monument of America! more.
____________________________________________

Interpretive Film Land of Dreams more.

UPCOMING EVENTS

November 23, 2009
Venture Scouts Wanted
Venture Crew 82 is for young men and women ages 16 to 20 who are seeking leadership opportunities, high adventure, service, travel, and outdoor activities. more.

DATE CHANGE
December 2, 2009 (moved from Nov. 24)
Help Wanted with the Deer Census
9:30 a.m. at Education Center. more.

November 29, 2009
German Men's Choir to Perform at Homestead National Monument of America
1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Education Center. more.

November 27- December 31, 2009
Winter Festival of Prairie Cultures
Celebrate many cultures with festive displays at the Education and Heritage Center. more.

November 27-29, 2009
Kids Activity Thanksgiving Weekend at Homestead more.

December 5-6, 2009
Homestead National Monument of America's Bookstore Hosts Open House more.

December 6, 2009
Holidays Here and There at Homestead
2:00 p.m. at Education Center
Nebraska Storyteller Richard Kimbrough’s program Holidays Here and There compares how holidays are celebrated in different cultures. more.

2009 Photo Contest Winners Announced at Homestead. more.

"Pow Wow Plains" Exhibition at Homestead National Monument of America. more.

The Friends of Homestead National Monument of America are sponsoring an exciting new program for co-ed young adults 16-20 years old called Venture Crew #82. If you want to get involved, click here for more information. ________________________________________

Special events are held throughout the year. They are a great way to learn about our history.

Homesteading Chrisman Sisters, S. Butcher Collection

Are You a Homesteader or Descendant?

The Homestead Act of 1862 transferred more than 270 million acres of land from Federal to private ownership. We are seeking your help in locating people who filed claims under the Homestead Act. The goal is to locate and record the experiences of remaining homesteaders before the opportunity is lost. Oral histories will be taken under direction of the University of Nebraska and Grand Valley State University, Michigan. Homestead National Monument of America is developing a database of homesteaders and descendants. If you are a homesteader or a descendant, please help us by sending your name, address, telephone number and e-mail to:

Friends of Homestead
Homestead National Monument of America
8523 W. State Highway 4
Beatrice NE 68310

To view the Friends of Homestead National Monument of America's website, click here.

Homestead Congress is a Friends of Homestead National Monument of America program dedicated to communicating with those persons interested in learning more about the mission of Homestead National Monument of America and the effect it had on the growth of this nation. To meet its communication goal, Homestead Congress maintains a blog site.

Write to

Superintendent
8523 W. State Hwy. 4
Beatrice, NE 68310

E-mail Us

Phone

Visitor Information
(402) 223-3514

Park Headquarters
(402) 223-3514

Fax

(402) 228-4231

Climate

Weather varies greatly. Please look at www.weather.com for predictions. Use the zip code 68310 for the locality. Summers can be warm and humid with occasional thunderstorms. Temperatures may range from 75-105 with lows in the 50s. Winters can vary between mild and very cold with rain, ice/sleet, snow and blizzard conditions. Spring and Fall are moderate.

Park Regulations:

Alcohol, hunting, and firearms are prohibited. Fishing is permitted with a valid Nebraska fishing license. Smoking, all terrain vehicles, horses, pets, and camping are not allowed on the trails, on the prairie, or in the forested area. Visitors must stay on the trails and in designated areas. Cross country skiing is allowed on the trails.

The Heritage Center, Education Center, Freeman School, and Palmer-Epard Cabin are smoke free facilities. Food and drink are not allowed in any of the buildings.

Pets must be kept on a leash and in designated outside areas.