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What We Found

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Malcolm X in Omaha, 1964

By David L. Bristow, Editor   The Omaha World-Herald reporter seemed surprised that Malcolm X smiled so much. The famous activist was not “the surly, ...

Sugar beet farming, circa 1940

Nebraska is known for corn and cattle, but sugar beets have long been a major crop in the North Platte Valley. Here are scenes from the farm of brothers Glenn and ...

Racial Politics at UNO

By Breanna Fanta, Editorial Assistant African American students fought to seize their “educational destiny” in the 1960s, but history has been slow to acknowledge ...

Nebraska Statehood Launched in Troubled Times

On March 1, 1867, President Andrew Johnson reluctantly signed the proclamation declaring Nebraska’s statehood. The signing ended the life of a territory which ...

Nebraska’s Lake Monster- Giganticus Brutervious

Swimmers in Nebraska ponds, lakes, and waterways face typical summer hazards such as sunburns, snapping turtles, and thunderstorms, but at least they don’t have to ...

“Cocaine fiends” in Omaha, 1907

Advertisement for medicinal drops to relieve toothache, Lloyd Manufacturing Co., 1885. Courtesy National Library of Medicine Cocaine was once touted for its ...
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Help Perserve and Share History

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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.

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Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

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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.

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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.