The Lawman & the Land Rush

In the spring of 1889, the U.S. government faced a monumental task—opening the Unassigned Lands, nearly two million acres in modern-day central Oklahoma, to non-Indian settlers. Tens of thousands of would-be landowners were expected to participate, looking to grab 160-acre plots of free land. A man was needed to keep the peace and to enforce the law, ensuring people did not stake out property prior to the start time of high noon on April 22. That man was Thomas B. Needles, U.S. marshal. Sor