Modern Day Homesteading Catches On

Modern Day Homesteading Catches On AG WORLD 30-5-24 Two tough Kansans have started something of a mini revolution that has brought renewed prosperity to their town. And, there's promise that their idea could work elsewhere as well. They came up with a modern day version of the Homestead Act. They're providing free building lots to qualifying "settlers" who promise to build homes and live on the land for a year. Local banker Allan Lindfors of Marquette, Kansas, and city councilman Steve Piper, the town's third generation grocer, spent hours thinking about the problem. Then they hit upon the idea of giving modern homesteading a chance. Both are amazed at the way it's working out. In Marquette, the school was the driving influence. "We were going to lose it if we didn't do something," says Piper. Both Lindfors and Piper are graduates of Marquette High School, which closed in 1985. They're determined this isn't going to happen to their K-8 grade school. The lot giveaway has attracted interest from across the country, and a lot of media attention. Marquette, which had a population of 520, saw it grow to 700 in short order. Lindfors says they thought if they could build 20 houses and bring in 10 children in 10 years, it would help a lot. But they've done much better than that. Lindfors and five other business leaders formed the Marquette Development Company. They bought 50 acres of farm land for $100,000 and turned it into 80 lots. Homesteaders came from all over the U.S. While the lots are free, new homesteaders are required to build a house and live in it for a year - just like the homesteaders of old. The first lots were offered in November 2003. Last summer Marquette had given away all 80 lots and began developing 20 more acres. What really got the development company going was the realization that Marquette just wasn't going to attract any meaningful industry. But what they've come up with is far more significant, because it involves very interested living and breathing new citizens who are thankful to have space, light, and air. Lindfors says the settlers do need other income and they seem to find it, although commuting is often involved. In many cases, having title to land has given them the backing they need to build homes. Ten other communities in Kansas, and more in other states, are getting involved in the same kind of thing. For more information go to www.kansasfreeland.com; www.chugwater.com; www.cityofrichmondmn.com; or www.curtis-ne.com). Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Steve Piper, Pipers Fine Foods, 102 S. Washington St., Marquette, Kansas 67464 (ph 785 546-2271).

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