public land in U.S. history, land owned by the federal government but not reserved for any special purpose, e.g., for a park or a military reservation. Public land is also called land in the public domain. Except in Texas, which made retention of its public lands one of the conditions for joining the Union, there are no state public lands. Seven of the original states ceded their western lands to the federal government when they entered the Union. Additional public land was acquired with the Louisiana Purchase (1803), Florida (1819), Oregon (1846), the Mexican Cession (1848), the Gadsden Purchase (1853), and Alaska (1867). Almost as soon as public land was acquired the federal government began to dispose of it through grants to states, railroad companies, settlers (see Homestead Act , 1862), colleges (see land-grant colleges and universities ), and cash sales. It was charged that large companies frequently acquired extensive holdings by dishonest means, and many of the new owners obtained considerable revenue by selling the land. A reaction to this easy policy set in toward the end of the 19th cent., and steps were taken to ensure the conservation of natural resources by withdrawing public lands from sale. Thereafter the government leased such land for grazing, lumbering, mining, the harnessing of water power, and other purposes, while maintaining regulatory control. By the 1970s there was considerable controversy over the need to make the best use of the public land's valuable resources while still preserving the land for future use and expanded recreational activities. Most of the nation's remaining public land is in the western part of the country, about half of it in Alaska.
Bibliography: See E. L. Peffer, The Closing of the Public Domain (1951, repr. 1972); W. C. Calef, Private Grazing and Public Lands (1960); V. Carstensen, ed., The Public Lands (1962); P. Gates, History of Public Land Law Development (1968); M. J. Rohrbough, The Land Office Business (1968).
Author not available, PUBLIC LAND.,
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&type=1 "Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)")
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OPEN LAND BOUGHT FOR PUBLIC USE NONPROFIT: PRESERVATION GROUP WILL DEDICATE THE PURCHASE TODAY.(News)
Daily News (Los Angeles, CA); 5/10/2008; 336 words;
... in the Verdugo Mountains for public open space. The Fond Land Preservation Foundation will ... another piece to a growing swath of public land in an area eyed for development ... foundation's board of directors. The land is in the triangle of hills at ...
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Toyota donates funds for public lands
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin; 10/6/2005; 2 words;
Caption Text Only.
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LAND-USE GROUP GETS INPUT FROM AREA RESIDENTS THE FIRST SET OF PUBLIC FORUMS BEING SPONSORED BY THE CENTERVILLE-WASHINGTON TWP. LAND- USE STEERING COMMITTEE HELD THEIR FIRST SET OF PUBLIC FORUMS LAST WEEK TO GATHER IDEAS FROM AREA RESIDENTS THAT WILL EV
Dayton Daily News; 11/28/2002; 42 words;
entually be used to help create a new land-use plan for both the city and the township. Story, 3 Access Television, 19 Adoptable Pet, 4 Crime Stoppers, 21 Holiday Bazaars, 13 Pete Lane, 20 Police Beat, 20 Religion Notes, 24 Sports, 30 Traffic Watch, 9 Vital Statistics, 2
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The Trust for Public Land has purchased a two-mile stretch of rail corridor from CSX.(BUSINESS BRIEFS)
Florida Trend; 2/1/2006; Keller, Amy; 24 words;
The Trust for Public Land has purchased a two-mile stretch of rail corridor from CSX that will extend the 34-mile Pinellas Trail into downtown St. Petersburg.
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Trust for Public Land. (News and Notes).
Florida Bar News; 11/1/2002; 33 words;
Jeff Kottkamp of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes and Holt in Ft. Myers, has been awarded the Legislative Leadership Award by the Trust for Public Land for his leadership in the 2002 Florida House of Representatives.
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Public land adjacent to the Burnt Creek Boat Ramp... [Derived Headline]
Bismarck Tribune; 5/9/2008; 31 words;
Public land adjacent to the Burnt Creek Boat Ramp could become off-limits to all motorized vehicles if the state engineer's office can persuade Burleigh County commissioners to limit access to the area.
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Prelude Events for National Public Lands Day Canceled
U.S. Newswire; 9/17/2003; 34 words;
News Advisory: Volunteer cleanup and maintenance events on the National Mall and other locations scheduled for Friday, Sept. 19, as a prelude to National Public Lands Day have been canceled. http://www.usnewswire.com
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Land use / development.(PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES)
Detroiter; 3/1/2005; 44 words;
Support land use initiatives that focus on urban revitalization and efficient use of resources and infrastructure. Support implementation of a city of Detroit Land Bank to distribute tax-reverted properties and alleviate Detroit of more than $3 million in annual maintenance costs.
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Trust for Public Land.(In The News)(Brief Article)
Florida Trend; 3/1/2005; 44 words;
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA -- The Trust for Public Land has purchased a 12.8-mile stretch of land from Jacksonville-based CSX Transportation that stretches from Sarasota to Venice. The land was formerly two railroad corridors and will be converted into scenic trails for hiking and biking.
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Public lands.(Briefly Noted)(Brief Article)
Native American Law Report; 8/1/2005; 42 words;
PUBLIC LANDS. Regulations have been revised, effective July 14, governing proceeds from public lands withdrawn for Native selection under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. See the July 14 Federal Register, p. 40660. Contact: Bureau of Indian Affairs, (505) 816-1086.
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Public lands.(Federal Register)
Native American Report; 8/1/2005; 42 words;
Public Lands: Regulations have been revised, effective July 14, governing proceeds from public lands withdrawn for Native selection under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. See the July 14 Federal Register, p. 40660. Contact: Bureau of Indian Affairs, (505) 816-1086.
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Public lands mining.
The Kiplinger Letter; 2/11/2000; 31 words;
Interior digs up another way to stop mining on public lands. Damage to cultural values of Indians will be used to nix a Calif. mine. The owner will go to court AND hope for a pro-mining president in '01.
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Ichetucknee Springs Initiative. (North East: In the News).(Trust for Public Land donates land )(Brief Article)
Florida Trend; 5/1/2003; 59 words;
LAKE CITY -- The Trust for Public Land donated a 1.4-acre parcel just south of Lake City to the state as part of the trust's Ichetucknee Springs Initiative. The land, which had been poised for development, includes part of a half ...
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Clears Land Fast. (Public Works Equipment & Services).(Brief Article)
Public Works; 12/1/2001; 65 words;
Convert your mini or small excavator into an all-purpose land clearing machine. The 55-hp auxiliary engine and hydraulics are mounted in place of the counter-weight, giving this new model awesome ...
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Park Here.(planning for National Public Lands Day)(Brief Article)
U.S. News & World Report; 9/16/2002; Stein, Lisa; 35 words;
So, what will you be doing on September 28? Just FYI: That's National Public Lands Day, when thousands of volunteers will be doing stuff like planting trees and shoring up crumbling sea walls. Wanna help? Go to www.npld.com.
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