J. Sterling Morton’s 1874 State Fair Appeal
J. Sterling Morton really wanted to spice up the 1874 State Fair. His solution? A massive exhibition of crops.
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What We Found
Grand Island Sugar Palace
Nebraska's sugar beet production began in Grand Island in 1890. To commemorate the birth of a new industry, they threw a party and erected the Grand Island Sugar ...
A Tale of Domestic Woe and Divorce in 1900
Divorce suits can often be ugly. The Pries divorce in 1900s Omaha, which included child theft and a faked death, was especially dramatic.
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The Telegraph Arrives at Brownville
When the so-called Lightning Line arrived in Brownville and connected Nebraska to the world, residents celebrated speeches, a parade, and a wine-fueled afterparty.
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Flashback Friday: A Surprising Foot Race
Foot racing was a popular sport in 1890s Nebraska. Sometimes things could get a little shady, like when a local favorite beat a supposedly famous competitor and walked ...
Texas Cattle Trade in Omaha
Soon after the end of the Civil War, Texas cattle began making their way north to Omaha. At first, the herds were 500 strong but by 1875 a herd of 4000 was fairly ...
Flashback Friday: Timber Culture Act of 1873
The Timber Culture Act of 1873 was one of many land laws affecting Nebraska in the state's early days. It was also one of the most abused and least successful land laws ...
Too Much Beef, a Nebraska Football Story
Early Nebraska football games could be a bit mismatched, but some were a bit more one-sided than others.
A December 9, 1895 game between York College and a local high ...
Touring Nebraska Orchards in 1872
Even before the emergence of Arbor Day, Nebraska tree enthusiasts would get together. In October 1872, J. Sterling Morton and 100 of his friends went on a huge Nebraska ...
Twister Tall Tales
Crazy tornado stories are pretty common in Nebraska, but the Columbus Journal published a pair of especially unbelievable ones in the late 1800s.
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Rudolph E. Umland and the Federal Writers’ Project
The Federal Writers' Project helped many writers get through the hard times of Great Depression. Rudolph Umland was one of many that helped the FWP publish thirty ...
Paul Vandervoort, Omaha Resident Turned Cuba Colonialist
Paul Vandervoort was a Union Veteran that settled in Omaha after the Civil War, but he is best known for his work helping to found an American colony in Cuba around ...
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