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Nebraska State Historical Society

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Who We Are

The Nebraska State Historical Society publishes works that explore Nebraska history and culture. Our readers range from professional historians to history buffs to curious people who simply find that learning about the past helps them better enjoy living and traveling here. We all share a passion for well-crafted historical writing.

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"Nebraska Timeline" Columns

From 1992 – 2019, the Nebraska State Historical Society wrote a series of articles for newspapers titled “Nebraska Timeline.” Below you can browse or search through those articles and discover interesting stories from Nebraska’s History.

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Crime Along the Overland Trail

Lawlessness along the Overland Trail to Oregon and California, according to Merrill Mattes, author of The Great Platte River Road, was relatively low. There were no ...
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Crime on Streetcars

The nineteenth century is sometimes remembered as an uncomplicated era which generally lacked the social problems and juvenile crime more characteristic of the twentieth ...
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Crop Failure: The Ice Harvest in 1882

"There is a panic among the ice dealers, brewers, butchers and packers just now," said the Omaha Daily Bee on January 9, 1882, "and every sort of scheme is being devised ...
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Cruelty to Men

W. S. Shoemaker, a correspondent to the Public Pulse column of the Omaha World-Herald in July 1897, asked why the patrolmen of the city were compelled to wear heavy ...
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Cudahy Kidnapping

The kidnapping of sixteen-year-old Edward Cudahy Jr., son of the prominent Omaha meatpacker, one hundred years ago was one of the most sensational crimes in Nebraska ...
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Cuming City

Cuming City was an early Washington County town named for Thomas B. Cuming, acting governor of Nebraska Territory from 1854 to 1855 and from 1857 to 1858. The site was ...
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D. S. Mitchell

Among the papers of Capt. John G. Bourke in the archives of the Nebraska State Historical Society is a collection of Indian portraits taken by D. S. Mitchell. These ...
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Dairy Sires Special

After the depression of 1920-21 the Burlington Railroad sought to revive freight traffic in its western territory. John B. Lamson, head of the Burlington's Agricultural ...
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Dake, Orsamus C.

Orsamus C. Dake (1832-75) was perhaps the first Nebraska writer to base his work on Nebraska's history, landscape, and people. Born in Portage, New York, in 1832, he was ...
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Dance Crazes

The spreading popularity of ragtime music during the early 1900s led to a series of so-called animal dance fads, including the fox trot, horse trot, turkey trot, crab ...
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Dangerous Dollars – The Movie

Nebraska-made movies starring local actors are of special interest to students of the state's film history. Contemporary newspaper accounts often provide details about ...
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Dannevirke

Arthur W. Christensen of Dannebrog, in A Story of the Danish Settlement in Dannevirke, describes the early settlement of this unique Danish hamlet in Howard County. ...
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Contact Us

David Bristow | Publications
Nebraska State Historical Society
1500 R St
Lincoln, NE 68508
402-471-4748
[email protected]

Information Services:
Looking for research help? Contact Library/Archives, the Museum, or Education. The Publications division is an editorial office; we don’t have archival collections or reference staff here.

News and Events:
Looking for research help? Contact Follow the Nebraska State Historical Society on Facebook for event news, cool historical photos, and fascinating stories from the Nebraska State Historical Society blog. Members receive Nebraska History News.

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.

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Explore Nebraska

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

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Chimney Rock
Fort Robinson
John Neihardt
Nebraska History Museum

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Neligh Mill
Senator Norris House
Thomas Kennard House
Historical Markers
Gift Shops

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.

Museum Field Trips
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Scout Merit Badge Workshops

NSHS Programs

Learn more about the programs associated with NSHS.

Historical Markers
Historical Marker Equity Program
National Register of Historic Places
Nebraska Hall of Fame
Semiquincentennial Commission

 

 

Nebraska Statewide Cemetery Registry
Willa Cather National Statuary Hall
Heritage Hero Award Recipients
Nebraska SHRAB

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.

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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!

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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.

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