History in the making

The Nebraska State Historical Society Blog

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Marker Monday: The Cheyenne Breakout

  Marker Text On September 9, 1878, after a year of suffering on an Oklahoma reservation, some 300 Northern Cheyenne Indians began a trek back to their homeland. ...

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.

A Nebraskan responds to the abolition of slavery

An 1866 letter shows us something that’s often forgotten when people talk about civil rights history. D.H. Kelsey of Plattsmouth was living in Washington, DC, when ...

New Year’s in Paris for a Nebraska Soldier

The Cornhusker, yearbook of the University of Nebraska, in 1918 was dedicated to “Nebraskans—Students, Alumni, Faculty—here and over there” who were serving in World ...

The 1901 New Year

The Omaha Daily News, on December 31, 1900, reported on the city's plans to greet a new year. According to the News: "Amid imposing religious services, the ringing of ...

Bowl Games

The annual debate over the best way to crown college football's national champion is nothing new. Bowl games and playoffs were the subjects of a poll of the nation's ...

Earliest known photo of Chimney Rock, 1866

Finding a long-lost artifact on eBay was still a novelty in 2009. The story made headlines when historian John Carter discovered the oldest known photo of Chimney Rock ...

The Army’s Best Horsemen, 1940

“Thru These Portals Pass the Army’s Best Horsemen,” reads a sign above a barracks doorway at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. But one doesn’t train a horse without some, ah, ...

An Ounce of Prevention

One of the most important aspects of conservation is prevention. Preventive conservation is any measure that prevents or reduces the potential for damage. It often ...

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 ...

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 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.

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.