Iron Horse Claim: On the Dakota Frontier

Missouri farmer Lizzy Ward had her fill of the violence that bushwhackers and Confederate deserters brought to her doorstep during the Civil War.

When the Homestead Act offered 160 acres of free land far from the battlefields, Lizzy accepted the offer and started a new life in Dakota Territory. But can she overcome nature’s challenges and the corruption of the railroads?

Iron Horse Claim tells the story of Lizzy Ward, who wanted a better life for herself and her son. It’s also the story of one woman’s determination to build a resilient community of neighbors who would support each other in times of need.