History Nebraska Blog

June 17, 2022

Frederick W. Thayer’s Invention

May 31, 2022

Conserving Modern Art

Objects made by artists that are still living and objects made with modern materials both create interesting challenges and opportunities for conservators.    The sculpture "Sophie-...Objects made by artists that are still living and objects made with modern materials both create interesting challenges and opportunities for conservators. 

May 13, 2022

Seward County Crime

Jerrald K. Pfabe's study of two twentieth-century time periods explores Seward County's most common forms of crime and examples of each.   

May 12, 2022

Siouan Archeology

Nebraska has an archeological record of a few Siouan-Speaking tribes (Omaha, Ponca, Oto, Ioway, Missouria) that lived in earthlodge villages. 

May 10, 2022

The first years of Genoa Indian Industrial School

1883: The beginning of the Genoa Indian Industrial School. 

April 27, 2022

The Mysteries of a Painting

Everyone likes a mystery.  The painting in question certainly was.  What had caused the white surface?  Could anything be done?  What lay beneath? The painting owners had bought it...Everyone likes a mystery.  The painting in question certainly was.  What had caused the white surface?  Could anything be done?  What lay beneath? The painting owners had bought it at an estate auction in western Nebraska.  The estate had been owned by a man whose grandfather had been an art dealer in Portland, Oregon.  The house had been vacant, and a pipe had frozen and burst, damaging the painting.  The owners spent $2 on the painting and hoped they had a treasure on their hands.  Their...

April 21, 2022

Nebraska's First Major League Player

1893: After spending years playing in the minor leagues, Falls City native Charles Abbey makes his major league debut. 

April 12, 2022

Sketching Ash Hollow in 1851

How a historian identified one of the earliest known sketches of Ash Hollow.

April 7, 2022

Buffalo Bill's Big House

At first glance, an 18-room French Second Empire-style mansion might not strike you as “western,” but take a look at that huge barn! This is what a western man would build for his family if he found himself with a lot of extra money in the 1880s.

April 4, 2022

History Nebraska Plate Pandemonium

In 2023, History Nebraska will create new license plates that can be purchased for your vehicle. We've come up with a lot of cool designs, but need your help to figure out which ones you would love to see. March is synonymous with basketball, so we decided to create our own bracket where YOUR votes determine the winners! Starting Monday, March 14th, cast your votes for your favorite designs and let us know which plates you like the most. 

March 28, 2022

The symbols and secret codes of a 1922 KKK membership medallion

This pocket piece in History Nebraska’s collection served as a kind of membership card for admittance to Klan meetings. .It demonstrates how the KKK used symbolism and secret codes to promote its agenda.

March 25, 2022

Divorce in Seward County

Curious as to how various events influenced marital status, Concordia University history professor Jerrald K. Pfabe studied divorce rates in Seward County.

March 22, 2022

2022 History Nebraska Award Winners

History Nebraska is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 History Nebraska Awards. History Nebraska annually recognizes people that provide significant contributions to the...