John Benson (American, B. 1949) "Oklahoma Territory Land Rush/Homesteader" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day of issue U.S. Postal Card for Settling of Oklahoma issued April 22, 1989. The state of Oklahoma was settled quite late compared to the states around it. Once settlement began, however, it happened practically overnight. In the beginning, the area was inhabited only by Native Americans who followed huge herds of buffalo across the grasslands. These nomads were joined later by eastern tribes forced to move west and out of the way of white settlement. Treaties promised the lands of Oklahoma to the Indians "as long as grass shall grow and rivers run." After the Civil War, however, the treaties were broken. First, land was taken from tribes who had "supported the South." This land was to be distributed among other, loyal tribes, but when there was no more free or cheap land available elsewhere to white settlers, it was quickly opened to land-starved pioneers. Almost 1.9 million acres in central Oklahoma became available for settlement at noon, April 22, 1889. About 50,000 people moved into Oklahoma by that evening. In a single day, Guthrie and Oklahoma City acquired over 10,000 inhabitants. In 1893, another part of Oklahoma was opened in the same manner; other lands were distributed by lottery. The area became known as the Twin Territories -- what remained of the Indian Territory, where Native Americans still held land, and Oklahoma Territory, settled by whites. Delegates from these territories drew up a constitution as one entity, and on November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was admitted to the Union as the 46th of the United States. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 23 x 20 in. Unframed. (B12002)