An endowment for these institutions was created by the Legislature with
an Act of August 30, 1856. By this act more than 100,000 acres were
given to each of these institutions: State Insane Asylum, Institute for
the Blind, Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, and the State Orphan Home.
When this land was surveyed, it was found to contain about 410,600
acres. Under various sales acts from 1881 through 1897, this land was
sold mostly to settlers who improved it. Price of this property was from
$1 to $2.50 per acre. Most of the land was suitable for farming.