Many homesteaders and ranchers were forced to leave. The first European settlers were Dutch homesteaders in the 17th century. They were explorers, traders, homesteaders, and lumberjacks. Farmers, miners and homesteaders began to populate the area. In the treeless prairies homesteaders built sod houses. Slowly, mountain homesteaders, miners, and loggers were evicted from the land. The loggers were followed by small numbers of homesteaders and farmers. Many Gustavus residents are descendants and relatives of the original Parker homesteaders. Many local families trace their lineage to original 19th century homesteaders. Direct sales of federal lands to individual homesteaders started here. The Hudlers and Cooks are descended from original homesteaders. This offered a cheap plot of land to homesteaders. Many of these homesteaders came from the Midwest and Minnesota. This was largely an unsuccessful experiment for the Lakota and most homesteaders alike. The railroad sold every-other square, with the government opening its half to homesteaders.