The Homestead Act of 1862 offered, practically free, a 160-acre plot to anyone willing to develop it. Hundreds of men, women, and children took advantage of the opportunity to build a home, a farm, and a while new life on the western prairie.
Dorothy Hinshaw Patent has written more than 135 books, mostly for children including When the Wolves Returned and Dogs on Duty, both designated ALA Notable Children�s Books. She lives with her husband on the edge of the woods in Missoula, Montana.
