The Claim Locator - Homestead National Monument of America

Laying claim to the virgin land of limitless prairie was not often as simple as one might be led to believe. In many instances pioneers laid claims to land and after putting two or more years of hard labor in building up the claim, found they had to relinquish the property due to a prior claim. To avoid this error the homesteaders found it wise to consult a claim locator as to tracts of unclaimed land. The claim locators in most areas were the early land surveyors and the earliest vanguards of settlers. The painting depicts this incident.