Timber and Stone Act


The Timber and Stone Act of 1878 in the United States sold Western timberland for $2.50 per acre in 160 acre blocks.
Land that was deemed "unfit for farming" was sold to those who might want to "timber and stone" upon the land. The act was used by speculators who were able to get great expanses declared "unfit for farming" allowing them to increase their land holdings at minimal expense.
In theory the purchaser was to make an affidavit that he was entering the land exclusively for his own use and that no association was to hold more than. In practice however, wealthy companies seeking to access natural resources semi-fraudulently circumvented the law by hiring individuals to purchase lots that were then deeded to the company after a nominal compliance with the law. This was legal only in that companies complied with the letter of the law while brashly ignoring the spirit of it. Ultimately, said companies were able to obtain title up to.