Montana Land Watch (2024)

FAQs

Can you still claim free land in Montana? ›

The Homestead Act of 1862 is no longer in effect, but free land is still available out there in the great wide open (often literally in the great wide open).

Average and median per acre prices (for unimproved land) have remained fairly constant from 2020 – 2022 with an average per acre price of $4,000+ and a median per acre price of approximately $2,000, both values notably higher from the two previous years (2018-2019).

Turner, who turned 78 in November, is the second-largest private landowner in America, and has put much of it in conservation easem*nts, ensuring its natural existence in perpetuity. He owns 15 ranches in the western U.S., of which four are in Montana.

Dan Wilks and his brother Farris are the largest landowners in Montana, and Idaho. According to The Land Report, “The pair, who made a fortune selling an oil fracking business, recently denied reports that their land purchases were for oil and gas exploration, saying instead they were for ranching.”

You can print a claim form if you find property that you want to claim. Email us at Unclaimed Property@mt.gov to ask us to do a search for you. Call us toll free at (866) 859-2254 (in Helena, 444-6900) and our call center staff will search for you.

Much of the Federal public lands are open to mineral entry meaning a claim can be staked on them. Wilderness areas, wild portions of Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Monuments, National Parks, and campgrounds are generally withdrawn from mineral entry meaning claims cannot be filed or staked on them.

The cheapest land in the United States is located in New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan, Colorado, and Texas. However, it's important to note that the price per acre of a piece of property is dependent on several factors, including location and the type of land.

But it was the Enlarged Homestead Act of 1909 that brought the greatest influx of homesteaders to Montana. Most were individual farmers. This new act doubled the amount of land available for claim to 320 acres and later shortened the "prove up" time to three years.

Montana's agricultural potential is vast, with fertile soil and abundant water supporting crop farming and livestock grazing. It's a destination for sustainable living and conservation agriculture. With its natural beauty and agricultural abundance, Montana is ideal for those seeking harmony with the land.

Does David Letterman own land in Montana? ›

You know David Letterman as a famous talk show host, but what you probably didn't know that he is another fellow Montana lover. He owns a huge 2700-acre ranch located 35 miles outside of Choteau, Montana, neighboring Glacier National Park.

Last week, Weyerhaeuser announced it will sell 630,000 acres for $145 million in cash, saying the deal was part of an "ongoing effort to strategically optimize their timberland portfolio." tyrus buys montana property. Tyrus is married to his girlfriend since 2014.

King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. At some 825,000 acres (3,340 km²; 1,289 sq mi) it is larger than both the land area of Rhode Island and the area of the European country Luxembourg. It is mainly a cattle ranch, but also produced the racehorse Assault, who won the Triple Crown in 1946.

The price was approximately $200 million, making it the largest ranch sale in Montana history. The property, dubbed Beaverhead Ranch, is located in southwest Montana, near Yellowstone National Park.

There are a lot of wide, open spaces on which to raise crops or livestock on a homestead in Montana. Close to 80 percent of Montana's farms and ranches are family-owned and the state's economy revolves around agriculture.

The End of an Era: The Fall of Homesteading in Montana

By 1917 Montana was back in a drought. Many homesteaders left their farms around this point. From 1919-1925 half of Montana farmers lost their farms. Additional farms were lost during the Great Depression.

The passage of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 repealed the Homestead Act in the 48 contiguous states, but it did grant a ten-year extension on claims in Alaska. This text was adapted from the article "The Homestead Act of 1862" by Lee Ann Potter and Wynell Schamel.

Today, only small areas of unclaimed land remain, yet large plots of land with little economical value (e.g., in Alaska) can still be bought for very low prices.