Kansas town woos modern-day settlers with promise of free land

The main street of the small town of Marquette, Kansas, which is giving away free land. Photo courtesy of freelandks.com.

Much of western Kansas was settled through Abraham Lincoln’s 1862 Homestead Act, which gave away free land to those willing to brave the vast wilderness of the American west. Now, several small towns have resurrected the American dream of free land in order to build themselves futures.

Small towns across the United States are dying as people migrate to cities. Kansas is also losing people — a 2014 survey placed Kansas in the top ten outbound states.

Back in 1999, the city of Minneapolis decided to try and turn around the trend by returning to its roots and offering free land to anyone willing to build a house and move in. There were also other incentives and advantages-- like local banks willing to help out with loans. Soon, other small Kansas communities followed suit including Marquette, located in McPherson county.

Marquette’s free land programme, which has been going strong for the past 12 years, has changed the tiny town, population 600, in many ways. While Marquette’s primary school was recently closed by the state — a savage blow to a small community — the successful free land scheme means that residents have no fear that the town will disappear anytime soon.

The main street of Marquette, Kansas. Photo courtesy of freelandks.com.

"There's almost a housing shortage in town right now!"

Before we started this, we had approximately 250 houses in Marquette. Through the free land programme, we’ve built about 30 new homes. Small towns in Kansas get most of their financing through property tax, so every new house you build is more money for your treasury.

Some people also came out to take advantage of the programme and then ended up just buying an older home instead. There's almost a housing shortage in town right now!

A new house build on free land in Marquette, Kansas. 

 

"Trying to create jobs in a small town is like banging your head against a wall"

We never promised jobs. Trying to create jobs in a small town is like banging your head on a wall. The deal was that you had to come out and find a way to support yourself. But we are lucky in Marquette because we have larger towns nearby: Hutchinson is 35 miles away and McPherson, which has a large plastics industry, is 25 miles away. One man who moved out here from California told me that he could drive the 80 miles to Wichita faster than 40 miles in California. We also have a little mining operation north of town, a quarry for shale and a few people have gotten jobs out there. There is also a gas refinery nearby.

 

"We've have all kinds of stories, some heartbreaking"

When we first started the programme, we got a lot of publicity. We were on national television and everything. People came out here from California, Virginia and Ohio. We were dumbfounded. We have all kinds of stories, some heartbreaking.

Once, a Mexican family drove up here all the way from Miami. There were eleven of them packed into one minivan and they came here for a free house. I had done an interview with Telemundo and, apparently, the deal had been badly translated. We had to tell them that there was no free house. It was heartbreaking. Fortunately, we were able to get them to a shelter in a nearby town but it was a window into poverty in America.

Other people came out and then left when the excitement wore off and reality set in, mainly the financial responsibility of home ownership. Others thought we were giving away land for farming, while in reality, we were just giving away a third of an acre.

A new house build on free land in Marquette, Kansas.

 

"This program has really brought us the joy of meeting a lot of people"

There was a dip in people taking us up on the free land when the real estate market crashed, but now we are seeing it pick up again. We just finished two houses and there is a house currently under construction. The newest house is 2,000 square feet, one of the bigger and higher priced homes we've had on the free land.

This program has really brought us the joy of meeting a lot of people. It’s true that some were a little strange. You certainly learn that there are a lot of ideas in the world, but it has been good for us.

"If it seems too good to be true it probably is"

You are still charged for the installation of the water and sewer lines [Editor’s note: In Minneapolis, Kansas, these charges are covered by the city] and, although the cost is about what you would expect, you should be aware of these charges before hand! Also, [in Marquette’s new development], we have dirt roads. This makes it hard to keep the house clean! In order for us to get paved roads, we will have to make an official request and then we will end up paying for them through a tax levy on the town! Thus, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. With that being said, would I do it again? Yes, but now I know what to look for and what questions to ask.

There is no place like small town living. I don’t lock my doors and I can let my child walk across town without worrying about him. I know all my neighbours and they know me. I look out for them, they look out for me.

Though Marquette's scheme has been the most widely publicised and one of the most successful, several other towns across the United States (including one in Minnesota and another in Alaska), have also tried the free land programme, with varying degrees of success.

A map of the currently available free lots of lands in Marquette, Kansas.

Post written with FRANCE 24 journalist Brenna Daldorph (@brennad87)