American Archives Month, October 2017
In celebration of Archives Month, this October we are talking about how you can access many of the wonderful materials in the Nebraska State Historical Society’s Archive collections. But did you know that the NSHS Museum Collection also contains a wide variety of materials made of paper? Let’s take a look at a few of these collections!
War Posters
During World War I and World War II, the Nebraska State Historical Society collected hundreds of posters. Some of the most compelling were illustrated by Nebraska native John Falter.
You can see more of Falter’s war posters in the online database here: http://nebraskahistory.pastperfectonline.com/search?page=6&search_criteria=falter+and+war+and+poster&utf8=%E2%9C%93
Sheet Music
The online database is also a place where you can research the Museum’s inventory of sheet music by Nebraska composers.
Menus
If you are interested in culinary history, you can also research the Museum’s collection of menus from Nebraska dining establishments. We currently have more than 100 menus in the online database.
Notice the famous Reuben sandwich on the menu of the Golden Spur Restaurant.
Political Materials
The Museum’s collection contains a wide variety of political items, including campaign posters, advertising cards, and political cartoons.
This political cartoon was illustrated by Herbert Johnson. Johnson was born in Sutton, Nebraska in 1878 and was a cartoonist at the Saturday Evening Post from 1912 to 1941.
Contemporary Objects
Collecting contemporary objects is an important part of what we do to document Nebraska history as it happens. Recently, staff have been collecting selected materials documenting the involvement of Nebraskans in protests, rallies, and movements.
Access the Collections via Past Perfect Online
There are currently more than 22,000 objects in the Museum’s online database, which you can search at http://nebraskahistory.pastperfectonline.com/
That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Thousands of objects still need to be digitized, and new records are added monthly. If you can’t find what you are looking for, be sure to ask us for help. Send us an email at [email protected]
Laura Mooney
Senior Museum Curator
