[1] Starting with the publication of a Chicago Tribune article in 1879, a growing movement of those pressing for the opening up to homesteading of the unoccupied Unassigned Lands located in Indian Territory – people known as Boomers – began to gain widespread popular political clout.

[2] After the issuance of Benjamin Harrison's Presidential Proclamation, which forbade all grazing leases in the Cherokee Outlet after October 2 of 1890[3] effectively eliminated tribal profits from cattle leases, the Cherokee came to an agreement to sell these lands to the government at a price ranging from $1.40 to $2.50 per acre the following year.

[1] At the same time, droughts, sharply declining agricultural prices, and the Panic of 1893 precipitated many to begin gathering in Kansas's boomer camps.

[4][5] Four United States General Land Offices for the run were specially set up to handle the event – in Perry, Enid, Woodward, and Alva.

[1] The counties of Kay, Grant, Woods, Woodward, Garfield, Noble, and Pawnee were named following the run.