History in the making

The Nebraska State Historical Society Blog

Recent News and Posts

Select the terms

Hunting Wild Game on the Prairie

As they moved out onto the prairies, many European and American settlers were astonished by the abundance of game. This, of course, made hunting a popular pastime for ...

The 19th-Century Nebraska Veterans Pension Fight

Governmental bureaucracy is nothing new. Almost a hundred years ago, Nebraska veterans discovered missing records and "red tape" when they applied for military pensions. ...

Nebraska to Alaska: Klondike Gold Rush of 1896

When gold was discovered in the Klondike, many Nebraskans joined in the mass journey to the gold fields. Even a pair of Omaha World-Herald reporters! (more…)

Halley’s Comet lights up Nebraska in 1910

The appearance of Halley's comet in Nebraska skies during the spring of 1910 generated a lot of excitement, but it was especially popular in Omaha. (more…)

Dr. Keeley’s Gold Cure for the Liquor Habit

The preeminent anti-addiction specialist of the late-nineteenth century was Dr. Leslie Keeley, who promised to cure addicts with injections of "gold bichloride." It ...

Griswold’s Description of Corbett vs. Mitchell

Samuel Griswold, the early 20th-century World-Herald sports editor, was well known for his fiery boxing reporting. He once described a match between James Corbett and ...

Replacing Old Dobbin With a Delivery Truck

The advent of cars radically changed personal and professional transportation for Nebraskans. The 1911 Nebraska State Journal cheered this revolution with an article ...

Early Nebraska Roads: Costly but Necessary

The introduction of cars to Nebraska brought with it the need for decent (and costly) roads. Rural areas often had trouble with roads, but who was to blame varied from ...

Omaha, A Stop on the Great Race of 1908

The Thomas car that won the 1908 New York to Paris Race, on display in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. On March 5, 1908, a Thomas automobile, the ...

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.