https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkerboarding_(land) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkerboarding_(land) TL;DR: Railroad developers were granted alternating s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkerboarding_(land) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checkerboarding_(land) TL;DR: Railroad developers were granted alternating square mile sections as a reward for their investment.