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The Homestead Act, 1862
The Homestead Act was passed to encourage Americans to move west and farm. The Act gave away land for free to anyone who applied for ownership and agreed to improve the land through farming, raising animals, and building structures. But Eastern Colorado doesn't get much rain, and homesteads around towns like Keota had no irrigation. A 160-acre farm might support a family comfortably in the Midwest, but on Colorado's dry plains even 640 acres might not be enough to make ends meet. -
The Prairie Dog Special
In 1887 the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad added a route which stretched from Nebraska to Wyoming and ran right through the town of Keota. Residents of small towns like Keota depended on the railroad for travel and shipping goods. -
Keota's First Homestead
Keota grew from a single homestead in 1888 into a bustling twon of 140 people by 1919. In addition to farming, proud residents built a school, supported their sports teams with passion, and attended church services, band concerts, club meetings, and restaurants. -
Keota School House Opened
In the United States, public schools began in the Northest in the 1830s. By the end of the Civil War, most states had them. But farmers needed children's labor in what was still mainly an agricultural nation. So schools closed for the summer growing season, a pattern we've kept to this day.
The first Keota School was in the Keota School House in 1912. In 1915, residents built a high school that supported ten rural schools. -
Keota Ford Garage opened
The garage was built to carry out car repairs and supply car accessories for the growing number of car owners in Keota -
Potato Week
Apri 21-27, 1918 was designated "Potato Week" in an effort to get Coloradans to eat the over 70 million pounds of potatoes produced in the state before they rotted -
Spanish Flu Outbreak
In Colorado, 50,000 people suffered from the Spanish Flu and 8,000 died. Because of its relative isolation, the flu epidemic took a little while to reach Keota. The first person from Keota to die was Robert Gandy, while he was stationed at Camp Mills, N.Y. A week later, the flu hit Keota hard. -
Armistice Day, End of World War I
Armistice Day marked the end of World War I- a conflict that stayed fresh in the memories of Keota's families. Many had lost young men in this war or saw family members die in the flu epidemic that war helped spread. Compared to cities such as Denver, Keotaa sent a large proportion of its residents into World War I service- 29 men were listed as veterans in the 1920 census, out of 200 records in the area. This day was marked by a parade. -
Keota School closed
The Keota School closed in 1951. By then, there were fewer thatn 100 residents in the area. Children growing up in Keota went to school in nearby Briggsdale or Grover. Today, school consolidation in rural Colorado is a way to save money. In Keota, closing the school was part of what led to the town's decline. -
Last Homestead issued in Colorado
Lack of available land led to the end of homesteading in Colorado in 1962, event though homestead laws were not repealed nationwide until 1976
