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What We Found

Shoeing Omaha: “Attirement of Their Feet” in 1888

Browsing through the advertisements in early Nebraska newspapers reveals that our grandparents and great-grandparents had a choice of fashionable footwear. "A neat foot ...

Almanacs and Weather Forecasts

Almanacs were standard literature in most Nebraska homes in the late 1800s and well into the 1900s. These calendar-like handbooks were compendiums of odd bits of ...

Should Casler’s Grave Be Decorated?

By 1929 the ranks of Civil War veterans were thinning. Each year Nebraska cemeteries saw more old soldiers' graves bedecked with flowers on Decoration Day, as Memorial ...

Alternative Crops

The Nebraska Writers' Project (before September l, 1939, the Federal Writers' Project) was a Depression-era work relief program for unemployed writers and other ...

Should the Government Plant Trees?

The question of government support for tree planting projects was one which has frequently arisen since the inception of Arbor Day in 1872. J. Sterling Morton, founder ...

Should We Pay the Rainmaker?

"In 1894 the citizens of Callaway were somewhat confused," the account read. "They had hired a 'rain-maker' to produce moisture in their community, and then, after it ...

Alternative Fuels

The first settlers in Nebraska Territory found the lack of timber, except along creek and river banks, a problem. The consequent lack of fuel for heating and cooking ...

Sidney, 1877

Sidney in Cheyenne County was laid out in the fall of 1867 at the time of the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad. Though prosperous as a frontier town, it had a ...

Silver Anniversary of Nebraska

The silver anniversary of the admission of Nebraska into the Union was celebrated in Lincoln on May 25 and 26, 1892. According to Transactions and Reports, published by ...

Skating Under Cover: Kearney’s Indoor Ice Rink

Ice skating enthusiasts in Nebraska braved winter weather and rough ice before the advent of the indoor rink made "skating under cover" a more comfortable experience. ...

Skinner, George B.

George B. Skinner (1833-95) was an early Lincoln resident who operated a livery, sale, and feed business but was better known for his temperance work. His longtime ...

Skirmish at Warbonnet Creek

On July 17, 1876, three weeks after the defeat of Custer at the Little Big Horn, the Fifth U.S. Cavalry, commanded by Col. Wesley Merritt, skirmished with Cheyenne ...

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About History Nebraska
History Nebraska was founded in 1878 as the Nebraska State Historical Society by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed History Nebraska from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director and CEO Jill Dolberg. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for History Nebraska.
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Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

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Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

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The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.
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Nebraska Collections
History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.
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Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

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Additional Research Resources

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Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to History Nebraska help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of History Nebraska by donating to the History Nebraska Foundation today.

Volunteers are the heroes of History Nebraska. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.