History of Checkerboard Land Ownership
Transcontinental Railroad
Checkerboard land ownership in the west dates to the original 19th Century Railroad Land Grants. Beginning in the 1850’s the Federal Government started granting the Railroad Companies every other section along a rail corridor. These grants, which typically extended 20 and up to 40 miles from either side of the railroad track, were a subsidy to the railroads. The expectation was the railroads would quickly sell the land to settlers to raise the money to pay for the building of the railroad. However, in practice government conditions usually prevented land sales, and railroads often chose not to sell the land. Instead, railroads usually used their land grants as collateral to obtain loans (bonds or government sponsored mortgages). Railroad land grants split the land surrounding the area where train tracks were to be laid into a checkerboard pattern. The land was already divided into 640-acre sections according to the Public Land Survey System; odd-numbered sections were given to private railroad companies, and the federal government kept even-numbered sections. In total, 129 million acres were granted to the Railroad Companies.
Land Allotment to Settlers and Homesteading
The checkerboard pattern also influenced homesteading and settlement. As settlers moved westward, they were often given parcels of land under the Homestead Act of 1862, which provided 160 acres of public land for a small fee in exchange for improvements to the land.
- However, the checkerboard pattern meant that some land parcels were private (owned by railroads) while others were public or set aside for Native American tribes. This created complications and disputes over land ownership and access.
Impact on Native American Lands
One of the more controversial aspects of the checkerboard land system was its impact on Native American tribes. Under various treaties and agreements, Native American lands were divided into smaller parcels, and the checkerboard pattern sometimes resulted in Native Americans losing access to significant portions of their traditional territories.
- Indian Land Allotment: In some cases, tribal lands were broken up into smaller allotments to be distributed to individual Native Americans, a policy intended to encourage assimilation. The remaining land was opened for settlement by non-Native Americans, which disrupted the cohesion and culture of the tribes.
Environmental and Legal Consequences
The checkerboard land system has had long-lasting consequences, particularly regarding the management of natural resources and the environment.
- Management Challenges: It created complexities for land management because ownership was split between private entities (like railroads) and the federal government. The system made it harder to manage resources such as rangelands, water, minerals, and forests, as the land was fragmented.
- Environmental Issues: The division of land into smaller blocks also hindered environmental conservation efforts. Managing large ecosystems and resources like forests or wetlands became more challenging when land was not owned or managed in continuous blocks.
Modern Relevance
Today, checkerboard land patterns are still evident in many parts of the U.S., especially in the West. Land owned by the federal government, private entities, and tribal nations often exists in an alternating pattern. The legacy of the checkerboard land system remains a key factor in land management, conservation efforts, and even in disputes over land use rights.
