Park Service seeks NM homesteaders' descendants

NewsNM Swickard - My family homesteaded in the Three Rivers and the Lordsburg area. In the picture I am two years old and my father, as usual, got a ranch outhouse in the picture over my shoulder. He thought outhouses were photographically a hoot - From the Carlsbad Current Argus - The National Park Service is looking for New Mexicans who homesteaded land or whose ancestors did to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the federal Homestead Act. Homestead National Monument of America in Nebraska is recruiting volunteers from the 30 states covered by the Act to carry their state's flag at events in May and June. A May 20 national commemoration event and a Homestead Day parade on June 16 are planned at the southeast Nebraska monument. The volunteer must carry the flag for a mile and a half. A different volunteer may be chosen for each event. More than 87,312 successful homestead claims were filed in New Mexico covering 25 percent of the state's land. Read more

Park Service seeks NM homesteaders' descendants