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What We Found

Mrs. H. C. Adams

Looks can often be deceiving. Mrs. H.C. Adams looks every bit the typical Victorian lady. Her elegant hairstyle and wire-rimmed glasses hide a dark secret. Mrs. Adams ...

Charles Martin

Three burglars blew up a safe in a bank vault in Sheridan, Missouri, on the night of February 15, 1898. They got away with about $2,400. The bank's insurance company ...

Minnie Bradley

Minnie Bradley refuses to look at the camera in her Omaha Police Court mug shot. Minnie, 27, and 5 foot 2 inches tall was arrested in Omaha on December 11, 1902 for ...

Alberto Interciago

Alberto Interciago was sentenced to one to twenty years at the Nebraska State Prison for "assault to wound" in February 1914. In the first photograph, Interciago sports ...

James Pappas

His mugshot card reads: "This man operated a General Store in Deweese, Nebraska, upon which he carried heavy insurance. He had a young man working for him and incited ...

Mattie Brown

Mattie Brown's eyes in her mug shot seem to tell the story of a hard life. On September 25, 1917, she was sent to the Nebraska State Prison for 1 year for larceny from a ...

Albert Johnson

In March 1885, Albert Johnson arrived at the Nebraska State Prison sporting an impressive handlebar mustache. Johnson was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months for grand ...

George Ray

People rarely smiled in 19th century photographs. Long exposure times are often blamed for the lack of happy faces. By the end of the 19th century, advances in ...

Frank Carter, “Omaha Sniper”

In February 1926, Frank Carter, dubbed the "Omaha Sniper," terrorized the city of Omaha. He was convicted of killing 2 men, but confessed to 45 murders. He was put to ...

William Lee

Nebraska's prohibition law went into effect on May 1, 1917, outlawing the manufacturing and sale of liquor. Soon after Nebraska jails began filling with liquor law ...

John Reid

On the evening of May 13, 1906, a violent confrontation occurred between the African American members of Troop B, Tenth United States Cavalry Regiment, and the ...

Herbert Cockran

An unidentified member of the Omaha police force holds Herbert Cockran in a headlock during his mug shot. Cockran was arrested on November 24, 1899, for burglary. A ...

Help Perserve and Share 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.