[WESTERN AMERICANA]. A collection of 17 Oklahoma Land Rush photographs. Perry, Oklahoma Territory: Hughes, September-October 1893.

7 x 5 in. silver gelatin photographs on cardstock mounts (minor toning, light chips to mount edges). Each captioned in negative.

7.oclock A.M Sept. 11th 1893 Orlando OT or The Line Registering to Go In To The Strip. -- Want Claims in the Strip Sept 11th 93. -- We Want Land. Sept 12th At Orlando. -- Registering Booth's Hoke Smith's Grand Farce Orlando O.T. Sept 14th 93. -- [H]oke Smith's Grand Farce Orlando Sept. 15 93. -- The Start Sept 16. 93. Credited to A.A. Forbes in negative. -- The Start No. 150. Credited to A.A. Forbes in negative. --First train leaving the line north of Orlando for Perry Sept 16. 1893. -- Waiting for the signal on the south line of the Strip Sept. 16th 93. -- The Dust Storm at Perry Sept. 17-18-. -- Hell's Acre Perry O.T. Sept 23. 93. -- Sept. 30th Wharton. -- South East Perry Oct 3d. -- Feids Jumping R.R. Right of Way and Fighting for Poseson [sic].Perry Oct 26 9[3]. -- Pilgrims in Line at the Banbox Perry. O. -- Untitled image showing a row of 4 tents surrounded by a huge crowd. -- Hell's Half Acre Perry O.T. 93. The perimeter of Perry, including A, F, 1st, and 9th streets was known as Hell's Half Acre and consisted of over 100 saloons and gambling houses. Here, at least 2 Saloon signs are visible and a third simply advertising "BEER." -- Together, 17 silver gelatin photographs.

In 1893, Oklahoma Territory's fourth and largest land run marked the opening to the settlement of the Cherokee Outlet known as "the Strip." In 1890, President Harrison issued a Proclamation that forbade grazing leases in the Cherokee Outlet after 2 October 1890, effectively ending the Cherokee's tribal profits and forcing them into an agreement to sell these lands. Immense interest grew, exacerbated by droughts, declining agriculture prices, and the Panic of 1893, with thousands anticipating the release of land in camps on the Kansas border. Four land offices were set up in advance, one in Perry, and the others in Enid, Woodward, and Alva. The Run itself began at noon on 16 September 1893 with an estimated 100,000 participants hoping to stake a claim to the 6 million acres and 40,000 homesteads. In Perry, reports estimate that 90,000 people arrived in the rush and 40,000 had erected tents by nightfall, including over 100 saloons and gambling houses.