History in the making

The Nebraska State Historical Society Blog

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Why are the curbs so high?

This 1902 Kearney photo shows a growing city that is no longer a frontier town. Some of the old false-front wooden buildings remain, but we also see a substantial ...

“Because I Was a Woman”: Ruth Bryan Owen and Her American Citizenship

By Breanna Fanta, Editorial Assistant In the early 20th century, women’s citizenship depended on their spouse’s status. Many women lost their US citizenship by ...

Julius Meyer Indian Wigwam, 1878

A Jewish immigrant from Prussia, Julius Meyer followed his brothers to Omaha in the 1860s and made contact with various Indigenous nations in the region. Meyer said he ...

The Church Built Top to Bottom – St. Mary Magdalene Church in Omaha

Omaha’s St. Mary Magdalene Church has the distinction of being built in reverse order. It's upper level was completed in 1903, its lower level in 1920. How is this possible?

FDR at the Martin Bomber Plant

World War II raged in both theaters as President Franklin Roosevelt set out on a seventeen-city tour. The Omaha World-Herald reported on April 30, 1943, that the ...

Friday the Thirteenth Superstitions

  "At first glance, Friday the thirteenth, seemed much like any other day," said the Kearney Daily Hub on Friday, January 13, 1922, "and had it not been ...

Blizzard of January 12, 1888

The early settlers of Nebraska faced many hardships, a great number of these weather and climate-related. Among the most destructive natural disasters were the sudden ...

The Power of Suggestion

Photographer Solomon Butcher was not shy about altering photos if he felt they needed it. He tells the story of this 1886 photo of the Theodore Hohman family of Woods ...

Marker Monday: The Cheyenne Breakout

Location U.S. 20, Harrison, Sioux County, Nebraska View this marker's location 42653184, -103.4972 Marker Text On September 9, 1878, after a year of suffering on ...

The Impeachment of Nebraska’s First Governor: David Butler

By Breanna Fanta, Editorial Assistant Throughout Nebraska’s history, many figures were credited for shaping the state. Often they are recognized most for their ...

Crossing the Platte, the meanest of rivers

The Platte River may be shallow, but crossing it in a wagon was a challenge.

Help Shape History

Become a Member

Being a member is the easiest way to be involved in our mission to preserve and share our state's rich history. Find out how!

Volunteer

Volunteers work with NSHS staff members to support our mission

Start Your Career

Interested in joining the NSHS team? Keep an eye on job listings!

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 Interim Director Cindy Drake. 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.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

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.

Our YouTube Video Collection

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

Additional Research Resources

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

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

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.