Photo of Gene Roncka Mural

Mural of Homesteaders Sod House in Visitor Center

The Congressional legislation that created Homestead National Monument of America required the monument "to retain for posterity a proper memorial emblematical of the hardships and the pioneer life through which the early settlers passed in the settlement, cultivation and civilization of the Great West." The Secretary of the Interior was directed to "erect suitable buildings to be used as a museum in which shall be preserved literature applying to such settlement and agricultural implements used in bringing the western plains to present high state of civilization [and to] use other objects [which] may perpetuate the history of the country mainly developed by the homestead law." As a result Homestead National Monument has an extensive collection of various documents and household and agricultural items. Some of these are on display in the Heritage Center, many others are stored in the Museum Collections storage room. 

About the Collection

Recent Acquisitions

Future of the Collection

Scope of Collections Statement (PDF)