Homestead National Historical Park

National Historical Park · NE · nps.gov page

A historic cabin stands next to a concrete path that leads to a plow shaped visitor center
The Palmer Epard Cabin and Heritage Center at SunsetPhoto: NPS Photo/Hunter Hendricks

The Homestead Act of 1862 transformed the world. Millions were invited to file claims including families, women, immigrants, and formerly enslaved people. Over 10 percent of the United States was homesteaded! The land, long inhabited by indigenous cultures, changed forever. Homesteaders created settlements and farms, drove industrial advancement, and built our nation chasing the American Dream.

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News

  • Howling Homestead at Homestead National Historical Park

    Homestead National Historical Park will host Howling Homestead, a fun, family-friendly event, beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, at the park’s Heritage Center.

  • Homestead National Historical Park to Host a Living History Extravaganza

    Homestead National Historical Park will present a day of living history activities at the Homestead Heritage Center on Saturday, September 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. As the nation commemorates America's 250th anniversary, the event will explore how the ideals of the nation's founding continued to shape the homesteading experience through music, living history demonstrations, and special presentations.

  • Walk with a ranger at Homestead National Historical Park

    Join staff at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center on September 2 at 3 p.m. for the monthly walk with a ranger. All ages and abilities are welcome. During the walk, which will take about one hour and cover about a mile of trail, participants will use the prairie and woodland to inspire conversation, learning and sharing. Butterflies, birds and botany are likely topics to be covered.

  • Volunteer at Homestead National Historical Park by contributing to community science initiatives

    Join staff at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center on August 21 at 3 p.m. to earn volunteer hours as you document the biodiversity of butterflies of the prairie and woodland. All ages and abilities are welcome. During the walk, which will take about an hour and cover about a mile of trail, participants will work together with the ranger to find and identify as many butterflies as possible.

  • "Found" on Founders Day: Explore the Tallgrass Prairie at Homestead National Historical Park

    Join Homestead National Historical Park for a National Park Service Founders Day program called Found, taking place Sunday, August 23, at 2:00 p.m. at the park's Education Center.

Photos

A historic one room schoolhouse
An original one-room schoolhouse, the Freeman School preserves educational history and allows for visitors of all ages to walk into history.Photo: Homestead National Monument of America
The tallgrass prairie is yellow with goldenrod in full bloom.
The overlook from the picnic area at the Heritage Center showcases the beauty of the tallgrass prairie in late summer.
The tallgrass prairie spans to the Heritage Center on the horizon.
The oldest restored tallgrass prairie in the NPS spans to the Heritage Center.Photo: Mel Mann
A homestead cabin at sunset
The historic homestead cabin that can be found on the America the Beautiful Homestead Quarter, this cabin has been preserved in it's original condition for visitors to enter and see the inside of a historic structure.Photo: Homestead National Monument of America
Image of the Heritage Center building surrounded by prairie grass.
Thousands of visitors stop to view the oldest restored tallgrass prairie in the National Park Service from the Heritage Center back patio.Photo: Mel Mann, artist in residence of Homestead National Monument of America
Image of a building taken from the parking lot at Homestead National Historical Park.
The Homestead Education Center holds historic farm implements from the vast archives and collections of the Park.Photo: NPS

Park information and photos come from the National Park Service. This is not an official NPS site.