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What We Found

Stanley, Henry M.

Henry M. Stanley, best remembered for his search for Scottish missionary David Livingstone in Africa in 1871, spent some time in Nebraska during his early newspaper ...

State Fair, 1870

The state fair held in Brownville in 1870 generated great local excitement. Brownville then had four hotels besides a number of restaurants and boarding houses to take ...

The 1874 State Fair: A Time to Show Off (Updated August 2018)

These days, fairs promote entertainment, but when Nebraska was a new state, fairs were mostly seen as a way to promote Nebraska by demonstrating its potential for ...

State Flag

The present Nebraska state flag with the reproduction of the state seal on a blue background was not officially adopted by the Nebraska Legislature until 1925. In that ...

Stout, W. H. B.

W. H. B. "Boss" Stout (1837-1902), Nebraska building contractor, politician, and lobbyist, remained well known here even after he suffered financial reverses and left ...

Straight, Henry Harrison, Educator

Henry Harrison Straight, second president of Peru Normal School (now Peru State College), was among the earliest Nebraska educators to influence American public ...

Strong, Anna Louise

Nebraska-born journalist Anna Louise Strong (1885-1970) was a prolific author with a wide readership. She wrote some thirty books and hundreds of newspaper and magazine ...

Street Railways in Lincoln

The first street railway in Lincoln went into operation in 1883. The Daily State Journal on November 3 of that year included this account: "Mr. Durfee was busily ...

Students and the Saloon

Although dating from the 1870s, the city of Lincoln's preoccupation with the prohibition issue quickened in the first decade of the twentieth century. With the failure ...

Stunt Travelers

As transportation improved at the end of the nineteenth century, a new class of "stunt travelers" emerged. Probably the best known was Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane ...

Sugar Palace

The Grand Island Sugar Palace was erected in 1890 to commemorate the birth of the state's sugar beet industry. Patterned after the Sioux City Corn Palace, the building ...

Sullivan, John L., in Lincoln

Former world heavyweight boxing champion John L. Sullivan (1858-1918) visited Lincoln in 1893, a year after losing the championship to James J. "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. ...

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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
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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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Nebraska Collections

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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.