The Homestead Act of 1862 had an immediate and enduring effect on the United States of America and the world that is still felt today. For a number of years individual Congressmen put forward bills providing for homesteading, but it was not until 1862 that the first homestead act was passed.It involves completing a form and submitting it to the county recorder's office. Digitized homestead records from the National Archives now available online for Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, and Ohio. Arizona law does not recognize federal property exemptions, but establishes exemptions specific to Arizona residents.