[Three Photographs in El Reno Showing Participants Preparing for the Oklahoma Land Rush]

El Reno, Ok: Baker Hickman Music Co, 1890. Very good.. Three cabinet card photographs, each 4.25 x 6.5 inches on slightly larger mounts, two with ink stamp on verso reading "Sold by Baker Hickman Music Co. El Reno, Okla." Minor edge wear, a few small bumps, scattered minor soiling. Three rare images featuring hundreds of hopefuls preparing to participate in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. The images were taken in El Reno, Oklahoma, often referred to as the "Home of the Land Rush." Each of the images are filled with men in the streets, on the sidewalks, on top of trains near the El Reno depot, standing under tents, and in horse-drawn wagons. One of the images features a number of tents set up in the streets of El Reno, one of which belongs to Crow & Jones who sport a sign reading, "Filing Papers Made Here." Many of the businesses on this main strip in El Reno can be seen in the background, including the meat market, Miller's Drugs, Cook & Shriver Furniture and Carpets, among others. It appears that all three photographs were taken from the roof of a train car.

"On April 22, 1889, the area's unassigned lands were opened up for settlement, which quickly became known as the great Oklahoma land run. When the signal was given along the outer boundaries, the Fort Reno soldiers were assigned to keep order among the many rushing pioneers flooding the area. No sooner was the land opened for settlement when the Rock Island Railroad began to build a line from Caldwell, Kansas, to the Canadian River's south bank. Near Fort Reno, a settlement had sprung up called Reno City, which quickly decided to relocate nearer the railroad. Buildings, pioneers, and businesses wasted no time uprooting and moving the entire town, which they called El Reno. In January 1890, the first train arrived in the community, which quickly became a rail center for the productive wheat harvests of Canadian County. In March of 1890, El Reno has named the county seat" - Legends of America website.