Homesteading

Blends interviews with historians, the stories told by descendents of homesteaders, and dramatic readings from pioneer diaries & letters to paint a picture of the people who struggled with daily life enduring hardships & successes they celebrated.

Production funding provided by the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, the North Dakota Council on the Arts, the North Dakota Humanities Council, and by the members of Prairie Public

About the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund
In 2008, Minnesota voters passed a landmark piece of legislation — the Minnesota Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment — which provided funding to public television stations serving audiences in Minnesota. Its mission is to help preserve and document the treasures of culture, history, and heritage that make Minnesota special, and to increase access to the natural and cultural resources we all share.

[HorseWaterDrink]

who else watches this old stuff because modern day BS is so sad.

[someguy]

all of my great grandparents were homesteaders in Dakota - all my grandparents were born before north and south dakota became states - some of the original homesteads are still owned by some of my cousins

[phyllisjeanfulton]

I’m 3rd generation removed from our G-R Volga land when my Great Grandfather at age 9 in 1870s came with his parents and siblings— he lived to be nearly 100 years old. I remember him well. I am 77 born in 1942.

[figgy]

Very cool video. My grandparents met and married on the boat from Sweden to America, they settled and homesteaded on the prairie of South Dakota, and my family still farm and live on the original land, bringing up the 5th generation. I have lived in SD all my life and not once have I ever looked across the land without thinking about the pioneers who busted their backs for us today. Oh, if they could see us now.

[lambsack]

These guys worked hard so that I can sit in a chair all day and write code. Definitely do not take this for granted. I love history videos like this one.

[dellingson]

I'm 5th generation of family which homesteaded and came from Norway. By the way i'm in the red river valley of North Dakota.

[JulieDeuxFois]

These homesteaders lived without electricity in these fortune shacks and survived... but now our governments won't let us build by ourselves and live off the land. it's a shame

[mochiebellina]

Like I thought 50 years ago, I was born 100 years too late. Look at me now forced to be masked like a buffoon.

[tilesetter]

This is how a documentary should be done, bravo!!! Very little music and TURNED DOWN when people are talking, not like so called "history channel" (no caps) and the like.

[riggs]

This has given me a whole new appreciation for the history and land of Dakotas, Nebraska, etc. My great-grandfather was born in 1891 in a small town in South Dakota. I've always wondered what they were doing out there in the middle of nowhere. Now it occurs to me he could have been a child of homesteaders!

[kevinkennedy]

The farm we own had its original land patent signed by President Grant. Also own 2 more pieces of land that were land patented by President Coolidge and President Wilson. One still has the original log cabin from the 1890s and is habitatable. Hand sewn logs. Lumber railroad ran through the 40 acres. Rail grade is still visible despite the forest reclaiming the land. Old ruins and even a cemetery. Finnish homesteaders... UP of Michigan ghost town of Johnswood

[chevy]

Born and raised in SW ND, very close to Gladstone. Farming, dairy and ranching. Hungarian, German, Scandinavian descent mainly, I believe my family came over in the mid to late 1800's.

[babylover]

As far back as I can remember, my roots in America have always been in the Midwest, my great-grandparents on my mothers side settled in ND and on my fathers side in SD.  Then my grandparents on my mothers side settled in MN and on my fathers side in WY and finally my parents in SD.  My great-grandparents came to America through Ellis Island from Norway and Sweden.  I wish I knew more about my family history, though.  I'd love to write their stories traveling from Norway and Sweden, and everything up until they settled in ND or SD and then continue on writing up until to the present day.  That would be such a great thing to leave for my children some day, the stories of their ancestors...

[rosemariejoy]

Although I do love the nostalgia of days gone by, I know that I would not have survived medically...I have overcome many illnesses throughout my life..and now at age 60, I am fighting lung cancer, ....NEURO ENDO CRINE LUNG CANCER does not have a cure to this day. But with GODS help I have made it past the yrs thought to be the small amt to live with this desease...

[WhispersFromTheDark]

Bravo! Well done, you honored their hard work and memories well.

[chuckbowen]

My Grandma Cora (Irwin)Bowen homesteaded her own claim in Williams County ND in 1910.

[terpenator]

Amazing, you had to be so strong to make it here back then. My family were homesteaders in ND outside of grand forks. We still own the land to this day and it’s made my family a fortune. So grateful for my hard working family.

[BlackCatSociety]

What about the peoples who were already living there like my ancestors....

[trankt]

I used to live in Kyle, Wanblee and Pine to RC during the weekends to hang out....our coach took

[LindaCasey]

Wow .. great video .. my grandparents homesteaded Oklahoma .. I'm glad there's historical information for us to see. Thank you