Grants to Land Companies and Railroads: Difference between revisions

Different railroads had different land grant rules. The most&nbsp;well-known form of railroad land grant was made in a checkerboard pattern along the line of the first tracks (see illustration). In 1862 the [[Central Pacific Railroad|Central Pacific]] and [[Union Pacific Railroad|Union Pacific]] railroads were orginally promised ten miles of checkerboard land on each side of the tracks, but to help meet expenses,&nbsp;ten was changed to twenty miles on each side in 1864. Because of the checkerboard pattern twenty miles would result in ten railroad blocks on each side of the tracks, and the federal government would keep most of the non-railroad blocks of land. The 1864 law also gave the railroad the mineral rights to their land as well. If a railroad failed to meet certain requirements such as a completion deadline these land grants could be forfeited.<ref>Terry Cox, "Railroad Land Grants Explained" in ''Collectible Stocks and Bonds from North American Railroads: Guide with Prices, 2nd ed.'' at http://www.coxrail.com/land-grants.htm (accessed 8 July 2009).</ref>  

[[Category:United_States_Land_and_Property|United_States_Land_and_Property]] [[Category:US_Migration_Railroads]]