Some 50,000 souls lined up on the borders of the unassigned land in Oklahoma. Cannons fired and off they went each to claim their patch of land. It is hard to image what it must have been like. Horses rearing and straining with nostrils flaring as riders and drivers spurred them forward. People on foot and with hand wagons. The Oklahoma Land Run Monument, in larger than life-size statues, helps recreate the spectacle. It is a bit hidden behind BassPro and the interstates but well worth seeking out.

Interesting tidbit. They claim very little violence among the runners and no lives lost during this mad rush even though for each person their very futures were at stake. Today, we can’t even seem to manage the Black Friday rush for a cheap widescreen without killing each other. Hmmm.