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The History Nebraska Blog

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Colonel John Miller Stotsenburg: Man of Valor

Some men live long and accomplish little. Others, cut down in their prime, accomplish much. Such a man was John Miller Stotsenburg. He and General John Joseph Pershing ...

Rock Creek Ranch Fight: An Introduction

On July 12, 1861, at Rock Creek Ranch on the Oregon Trail, in what is now Jefferson County, Nebraska, occurred an affray in which three men were killed. The ...

Territorial Omaha as a Staging and Freighting Center

The area designated by Congress in 1854 as the Nebraska Territory was organized in part to clear the way for the eventual passage of a transcontinental railroad ...

The Patronage Battle Between Bryan and Hitchcock

Soon after William Jennings Bryan 's arrival in Nebraska from Illinois in the fall of 1887, his attacks upon the purveyors of patronage and the pampered monopolies and ...

A Reflective View by George W. Norris

Defeated in the 1942 election for a sixth term in the United States Senate, George W. Norris, by the provisions of the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution for which ...

Water, A Frontier Problem

The gradual decrease in average yearly rainfall from east to west in Nebraska was reflected in the difficulty of securing water for domestic use.  The first ...

The Making of a Senator: The Early Life of Hugh Butler

Senator Hugh Alfred Butler was one of Nebraska's most well-known, but least understood politicians. The voters of Nebraska who elected Butler to the United States Senate ...

Covington, Nebraska’s Sinful City

Most Nebraskans don't realize the town of Covington ever existed, much less that in the late 1800s it was considered one of the "three wickedest places in the ...

NH Spring Issue 19

These efforts crystallized in two initiatives. One was the Migrant Action Program, which assisted in the creation of the Nebraska Association of Farm ...

Marker Monday: Coffee Siding

Our Historical Markers across Nebraska highlight fascinating moments and places in our state's past.  Today, we're focusing on an important shipping point for ...

Marker Monday: The Loup City Riot, 1934

Our Historical Markers across Nebraska highlight fascinating moments and places in our state's past. Today we focus on the 1934 Loup City Riot, which was sparked by ...

Marker Monday: Hastings Chautauqua Pavilion

Our Historical Markers across Nebraska highlight fascinating moments and places in our state's past. Today we're focusing on the largest Chautauqua Pavilion in ...

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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.
Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

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

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

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

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

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.
Nebraska Collections
History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.
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Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

Our YouTube Video Collection

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

Additional Research Resources

History Nebraska Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.
Support History Nebraska
Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to History Nebraska help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of History Nebraska by donating to the History Nebraska Foundation today.

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.