Students Experience An Oklahoma Land Run

Tuesday was the anniversary of the Land Run of 1889 when 50,000 people lined up for a piece of 2 million acres of unassigned land in the Indian Territory.  At Grove Elementary, students celebrated with a re-enactment.  The News On 6's Rick Wells reports good land was there for the taking, if you could run fast.

Fourth graders lined up for a land run.  Little flags were placed in the ground to represent a plot of available land.

"If there are like lands of different sizes, I want to get the biggest one," said Niha.

Plotting to get a big plot, Niha and her land run family know they'll have to quick to get what they want.

The fourth grades at Grove Elementary have been studying the land run and what better way to really learn about it than to re-enact it.

"We could read books all day long, but it doesn't mean they're gonna learn.  Some kids may grasp the concept, but why not make it come alive," said Tiffany Bolding.

So, they created a whole day of activities:  horse shoeing demonstrations and roping lessons.

As high noon approached, Ivan Pace the Territorial Marshal got ready for the start.  And, as in the original, there were those ready to try to steal a good homestead.

Before the end of the day of the real land run, April 22, 1889, both Oklahoma City and Guthrie had established cities of about 10,000 people.