The objective of this chapter is to provide a description of recent trends in rural land uses within the United States as the first step in developing an understanding of contemporary land-use issues. This discussion is placed in the context of recent policy discussions and hints at directions for future policy. Moreover, this description of recent trends provides a foundation for the subsequent assessments of the determinants and consequences of land-use change found in chapters 6 through 12. This chapter focuses on changes in land use within the United States from 1945 to 1997. The period immediately following World War II is often considered the beginning of the mechanical revolution in agriculture and forestry. Over time, public investments in infrastructure such as roads and highways have continued to significantly impact the path of development and land-use change. We begin with an overview of measurement and data issues and a summary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data series, which serve as the basis of our historical assessment of rural land use. The discussion then turns to trends in land use, land ownership, and land quality.