On March 25, 1952, a special consultation meeting was conducted by Governor Leopoldo Diaz along with Congressman Jesus Ilagan, Board Members Dioscoro de Leon and Antonio Corpuz, Don Felipe Buencamino, and the municipal mayors of Nueva Ecija to discuss the transfer the provincial capital from Cabanatuan.

As a result, the group unanimously agreed to establish the new capital on the site of the Government Stock Farm located within the municipalities of Laur and Bongabon.

The municipalities of Gapan, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Guimba, Talavera, General Tinio, Baloc (Santo Domingo), and Muñoz were also considered as potential sites for the new capital.

In 1955, President Ramon Magsaysay declared a portion of the Government Stock Farm open for settlement pursuant to presidential Proclamation No.

Under this administration, Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) purchased a large tract of land at the city's parameters near Laur to house INC members from Hacienda Luisita due to conflicts arising from union disbandments.

6052 authored by then Congressman Angel Concepcion (Nueva Ecija–2nd), which provided for the inclusion of the Military Reservation in Laur and the Fort Magsaysay Cantonment area located in Santa Rosa.