New Homestead Act

Several years after the eruption of the Yellowstone Supervolcano, congress passed the New Homestead Act (officially "An Act to Facilitate the Resettlement of Lands Adversely Impacted by the Recent Supervolcano Eruption"). It was to let people gain title to property abandoned after the eruption by settling and improving on it. It was hoped that it would help revitalize the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

About a year and a half later Bryce Miller saw several elderly buses pull up to Wayne city hall and off-load a crowd of people. Judging by their horrible clothing, they were fresh from the refuge camps and the side of one bus had a sign reading "New Homestead Act Settlers" which confirmed it. Miller wasn't sure how well the newcomers would fit in since most didn't look like former small town or rural residents.