I'm trying to find some more information about what life was like for pioneers taking advantage of the homestead acts in the mid 1800s. I know that they had to build a house, and grow crops, and stuff like that. How did they go about creating something from nothing, though?
I am looking for an in depth view of life for the most "rugged" pioneers, the ones who had to dig their own wells, tame their own buffalo, etc. If you don't have a direct response, perhaps some of you can offer some materials that will help me find what I'm looking for?
It can be very enlightening to read the diaries of people who lived in particular periods and places. I would start by looking for related diaries, newspaper articles, magazine articles, period "how to books," private letters, and any number of other things on archive.org. You would be amazed at what they have on there. Since they are scans of original sources, you're getting the information right from the mouths of the historical people.
For example, a few weeks ago I needed to dig up some information on pricing and availability of certain goods during particular years in the U.S. Right off the bat I found many dozen scans of relevant catalogs on archive.org from the years in question, from the obvious ones (Sears, Montgomery Wards, etc.) to some really obscure ones. That was all in the first 30 minutes of searching.