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The History Nebraska Blog

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May Day a Snow Day in 1911

  Many Nebraskans, after enjoying spring weather only a few days earlier, spent May 1 of 1911 wading through snow and shoveling the white stuff off their ...

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 ...

Angel DeCora Portrait – Ford Conservation Center

One of the most important Native American artists of the early 20th century was born in Nebraska. Angel DeCora was born on May 3, 1871, on the Winnebago ...

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 ...

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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.
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