Fort Rock in Lake County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Home Sweet Home
The 1909 Enlarged Homestead Act fueled a landrush that began with the Homestead Act of 1862. The Act allowed qualified individuals to claim 320 acres by building a residence and cultivating 40 acres. Motivated by dreams of a "Garden of Eden” – or simply the desire to own land, thousands headed west. In 1911 Oregon's Silver Lake Leader claimed: "Every stage and every automobile licensed to carry passengers… brings its quota of new settlers who are hurrying to file on a piece of government land before it is too late. Central Oregon has never seen, and after next summer will never see another such rush, for by that time it will be virtually all gone."
Although large livestock ranches were established in this region during the late 1800s, farming came with the homesteaders in the early 1900s. Life on this land was not easy for these pioneers, especially when the hot summer sun struck the anvil of the desert or the hoary blasts of winter froze their dreams. Dryland farming was a laborious and expensive venture, and many would-be sod-busters simply left when their backs gave out or the money ran out. The advent of World War I saw many homesteaders drafted into service, while others left for "good jobs" in the city. The development of deep-well irrigation technology in the 1960s made agriculture profitable. Today, locally grown alfalfa is highly prized and is shipped as far as Japan. Those homesteaders that persevered created their own "Garden of Eden" and tight-knit communities that endured.
Erected by U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 43° 21.348′ N, 121° 3.486′ W. Marker is in Fort Rock, Oregon, in Lake County. Marker is on Old Fort Rock Road (County Route 5-10) west of County Route 5-13, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located in front of the Fort Rock Homestead Museum, along the boardwalk overlooking historic building exhibits. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Rock OR 97735, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Claiming the Desert (here, next to this marker); A Path to the Past (a few steps from this marker); Fort Rock Grange # 758 (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The First People of Fort Rock (approx. 1.3 miles away); Cowboy, Horseman, Philosopher (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Birth of a Tuff Ring (approx. 1.3 miles away); Fort Rock State Park (approx. 1.3 miles away); Fort Rock (approx. 1.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Rock.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2018. It was originally submitted on February 2, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 155 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 2, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.