More history about how private property was added to the refuge.


http://www.fws.gov/refuge/malheur/about/settling.html


When Hanley died in 1933 his wife, Clara, continued operation of the ranch. The deepening nationwide depression and the ongoing drought forced reductions in the number of cattle the land could support. Mrs. Hanley finally sold 14,751 acres at the Double-O to the U.S. Government in 1941 for $116,143 and the land was added to the Refuge.
That's around $1,742,145 in todays dollars.