---
kind: "section"
citation: "43 U.S.C. § 1099"
title: "43"
title_heading: "Public Lands"
number: "1099"
heading: "Division into counties before opening to settlement; reservation for county seats"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/43/1099"
units:
  - "Chapter 27 — Public Lands in Oklahoma"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §1099. Division into counties before opening to settlement; reservation for county seats


Before any lands in Oklahoma are open to settlement it shall be the duty of the [Secretary](/usc/43/31b.md?p=7) of the Interior to divide the same into counties which shall contain as near as possible not less than seven hundred square miles in each county: Provided, That as soon as the county lines are designated by the [Secretary](/usc/43/31b.md?p=7) he shall reserve not to exceed one-half section of land in each, to be located near the center of said county, for county seat purposes, to be entered under sections 718 and 719[^1] of this title.


## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Mar. 3, 1891, ch. 543, § 37, 26 Stat. 1043.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Sections 718 and 719 of this title, referred to in text, were repealed by Pub. L. 94–579, title VII, § 703(a), Oct. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 2789.