Another unexpected bonus!

We headed to Lincoln Nebraska, initially only thinking of it as a stopping point on our slog across I-80. We were surprised to learn that the Homestead National Monument, created by Franklin Roosevelt, would be only an hour south of Lincoln. It turns out that the Homestead Act that essentially settled the West was created by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863, concurrent with his Emancipation Proclamation.

Franklin Roosevelt on March 19, 1936 created a National Monument at the site of the Daniel Freeman homestead. Daniel Freeman staked the first claim of land under the Homestead Act of 1862 just outside Beatrice Nebraska (not a town at the time). Daniel Freeman, a free man in the US, staked his claim at 10 minutes after midnight at the land office in Brownville Nebraska on January 1, 1863 as soon as the law came into effect. He improved and farmed the claim for the required 5 years, after which he received the deed to the 160 acres allotted to him under the act.

We walked around his original 160 acres, now managed by the National Park Service. We found the gravesite of Daniel Freeman, who indicated he wanted to be buried on his claim if he should die. He was buried on the site in accordance with his wishes. His original headstone is unreadable, although visible. The upgraded stone is more informative.

We also walked to the monument erected by the Daughters of the Revolution, which had been placed originally on the main highway to commemorate the first Homestead Act claim. The highway is no longer anywhere hear this marker, but the marker is in good shape.

We then headed to what we hoped was the location of the Whispering Giant in Lincoln Nebraska. We found the actual location, but sadly learned that the Whispering that Toth left for Nebraska had failed to internal rot and had been disposed of.

We did however visit the Nebraska Indian Center and met Jered. Toth’s carving had stood here onto 2017 and was cherished by the Center. It was interesting for us to learn that Jered had never heard of Peter Wolf Toth, and only missed the Whispering Giant that had graced their Center.

We wrote down Thoth’s name for Jered and he told us he would try to reach out to Toth to see if there was any way that they might be able to reclaim their Whispering Giant. We also reached out to Peter Wolf Toth through the internet to see fi that might happen. We had been following Mr. Toth’s alleged activities, and believed he was in Louisiana attempting to restore a Whispering Giant there.

Talk to you soon.