History in the making

The Nebraska State Historical Society Blog

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Marker Monday: Cairo: Oasis of the Prairie

  Marker Text Cairo (pronounced ‘Care-Oh’) began as a railroad town along the Burlington line. Agents of the Lincoln Land Company, a Burlington subsidiary, ...

Frederick W. Thayer’s Invention

John Nelson’s photograph of a baseball game includes a catcher with face mask in the left foreground. NSHS RG3542:PH:097-12 (at right). The catcher’s mask in baseball ...

What is this Revolutionary War sword doing in Nebraska?

By David L. Bristow The American Revolution happened long before Nebraska statehood, but treasured relics made their way west, handed down from one generation to the ...

Marker Monday: Kay Cover, “Let Her Fly!”

  Marker Text Softball gained popularity in Nebraska during the Great Depression and World War II as an athletic opportunity for girls and women. It continued to ...

When Science Met the Coyote

How and why did this coyote end up in this cruel trap? The coyote was long known to Nebraska’s Native peoples. They understood its intelligence. It’s no accident that ...

1,733 Miles from Where? Kearney, Nebraska’s 1733 Identity

By David L. Bristow, Editor Kearney has long promoted itself as the “Midway City” located halfway between the coasts, exactly 1,733 miles from both Boston and San ...

Marker Monday: Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School

Marker Text The U.S. Indian Industrial School in Genoa was in operation from 1884 to 1934. Built on land that was formerly part of the Pawnee reservation, it is the ...

Nebraska History Spotlight: Sandhills Heritage Museum

The Sandhills Heritage Museum (SHM) started 18 years ago because people in Blaine County wanted to preserve the stories and history of those who had come before them. ...

Luna Kellie, Populist Leader and Songwriter

  Imagine a farm protest movement strong enough to win statewide elections against both Republicans and Democrats. It happened in the 1890s. The People’s ...

Marker Monday: The Fort Robinson Cemetery

Marker Text The first recorded interment in the Fort Robinson Cemetery was James Brogan, July 2, 1875; the last was Fred Lester, June 13, 1945. Among the 258 interments ...

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About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 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 NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Director Daryl Bohac. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

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NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

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

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

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Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

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NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

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Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. 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.