Wednesday Headlines: May 20, 2026

Here's a quick overview of our top stories for Wednesday, May 20, 2026:

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TOP HEADLINES:

Grocery prices then vs. now: A 1997 receipt tells the story

Montana EMS honored at the Capitol

Legacies abound at Emily Dickinson Elementary School

Montana will ban certain sugary foods from SNAP benefits

THAT’S INTERESTING:

Here are some fascinating facts about the Homestead Act of 1862, signed by President Abraham Lincoln:

Key Details & Numbers

• Total land distributed: 270 million acres over its lifetime (equivalent to about 10% of all U.S. land)
• Filing fee: Only $10-18 total cost (incredibly affordable for 160 acres)
• Duration: The Act remained active until 1976 (and until 1986 in Alaska)
• Claims processed: 4 million homestead claims were made, though only 1.6 million deeds were actually completed
• First homesteader: Daniel Freeman, a Union Army scout, who filed his claim at one minute past midnight on January 1, 1863, near Beatrice, Nebraska

Political Background & Timing

• 20-year struggle: The Act had been proposed for nearly two decades but was blocked by Southern legislators who feared it would prevent slavery's expansion and Northern businessmen worried about losing factory workers
• Civil War timing: Only passed because Southern states had seceded, removing their opposition from Congress
• Previous veto: A similar bill passed Congress in 1860 but was vetoed by President James Buchanan

Eligibility & Demographics

• Remarkably inclusive: Open to any adult citizen or intended citizen who had "never borne arms against the U.S. government"
• Women eligible: Single women and widows could claim land - unusual for the era
• African Americans included: Thousands of formerly enslaved people used the Act to own land, finding the West more hospitable than the South
• Immigrants welcome: Foreign-born residents only needed to file a "Declaration of Intention" to become citizens

Mixed Results & Fraud

• Limited success rate: Of 500 million acres distributed by the General Land Office between 1862-1904, only 80 million acres actually went to legitimate homesteaders
• Widespread fraud: Most land ended up with speculators, cattle owners, miners, loggers, and railroad companies due to ambiguous wording that "seemed to invite fraud"
• Geographic patterns: Most successful homesteaders moved relatively short distances (Iowans to Nebraska, Minnesotans to South Dakota, etc.)

Historical Impact

• Largest entitlement program: Remained the largest government entitlement program in American history until Social Security was created in 1935
• Monument established: The first homestead (Daniel Freeman's) became the Homestead National Monument in 1936, now managed by the National Park Service
• Western development: Fundamentally shaped the settlement patterns and development of the American West, though railroad companies ultimately controlled much of the best land

Parts of this story were adapted for this platform with AI assistance. Our editorial team verifies all reporting across all platforms for fairness and accuracy.