Artists Can Now Apply to Live and Work at Americas First Homestead

Nebraska Park Offers Free Residencies

Homestead National Historical Park in Nebraska is looking for artists.

The park just opened applications for its 2026 Artist-in-Residence program, offering two-week stays at the exact spot where America’s homesteading era began.

On January 1, 1863, a Union Army scout named Daniel Freeman filed the very first claim under the Homestead Act.

He did it at 10 minutes past midnight, and the story of how he pulled that off involves a New Year’s Eve party and a very persuadable land clerk.

All Art Forms Can Apply

The park welcomes visual artists like painters, photographers, and sculptors, as well as performing artists in drama, dance, and music, and literary artists of all kinds.

Applications require a completed volunteer form with three references, an artist’s statement under 250 words, a statement of intent under 250 words, a resume of relevant experience, and a portfolio of selected works.

The deadline is January 31, 2026, and artists will hear back by March.

Free Housing for Two Weeks

Selected artists receive shared park housing at no cost, with locked private bedrooms and shared bathrooms. The park also provides access to cultural and natural resources staff and the park library.

Artists are responsible for their own travel and supplies.

Most residencies happen in spring, fall, or winter because summer housing fills up with seasonal staff and interns.

One Public Program Required

Each artist must present one public program tailored to their medium, interest, and experience that works for general audiences. Park rangers help plan and run the event.

The park’s 212 acres serve as the primary studio environment, and artists are expected to be available and interact with visitors during their stay.

Donate One Original Piece

Artists have up to six months after their residency to finish and donate an original work inspired by their time at the park.

The piece may go into the permanent museum collection, the interpretive collection, or the education collection. All residency offers depend on passing a background check, park scheduling, and housing availability.

Freeman Filed at Midnight

Daniel Freeman was a Union Army scout on brief leave when he traveled to Nebraska in late 1862 and found land he wanted along Cub Creek near Beatrice.

He reached the Brownville land office on December 31, but January 1 was a holiday and the office would be closed.

Freeman convinced a clerk he met at a New Year’s Eve party to open the office after midnight, and he filed his claim between five and ten minutes into the new year.

270 Million Acres Changed Hands

The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed any qualified person to claim up to 160 acres of federal land in exchange for five years of residence and improvement.

The act eventually transferred 270 million acres from public to private ownership, about 10 percent of all U.S. land. Today, more than 93 million Americans claim descent from homesteaders.

Only 2 Percent of Prairie Remains

Less than two percent of Nebraska’s original tallgrass prairie still exists.

The ecosystem was once dominated by big bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass, and Canada wild rye, with grasses easily reaching over five feet tall.

Scientists estimate that nearly 80 percent of all prairie ecosystems have disappeared nationwide. The park maintains its restored prairie through prescribed burns.

Thomas Moran Started It All

In 1871, painter Thomas Moran and photographer William Henry Jackson joined a geological survey expedition to what would become Yellowstone.

They brought back images of natural beauty that convinced Congress the area was worth protecting.

Moran’s sketches and watercolors helped geologist Ferdinand Hayden make the case to Congress and President Ulysses S. Grant for establishing Yellowstone as the first national park in March 1872.

Over 50 Parks Host Artists Now

Between 30 and 50 national parks operate their own artist-in-residence programs.

Artists typically spend two to four weeks on location and provide a public offering like a class or demonstration in exchange.

Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the first to start a program in 1984, has hosted over 200 artists including authors, composers, musicians, painters, photographers, poets, quilters, and sculptors.

The Park That Honors Them All

The park was first proposed in the 1920s, and Senator George Norris helped create Homestead National Monument of America in 1936. It was renamed Homestead National Historical Park in 2021.

Though the land preserves Daniel Freeman’s original claim, the park memorializes the more than two million people who filed claims under the Homestead Act. Their stories now wait for artists to tell them.

Visiting Homestead National Historical Park, Nebraska

The park where Daniel Freeman filed America’s first homestead claim sits four miles west of Beatrice, Nebraska, at 8523 West State Highway 4. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with trails open from dawn to dusk.

Admission is free. The Homestead Heritage Center, dedicated in 2007, features interactive exhibits about the Homestead Act and its effects across the nation.

You can also walk the restored tallgrass prairie and visit the Palmer-Epard Cabin.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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