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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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Harriet S. Brooks, Woman Suffragist

Harriet S. Brooks (1828-1888) was the most senior of Nebraska's woman's rights activists in the years leading up to 1882. She promoted suffrage in the pages of the Omaha ...
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Hartmann in Omaha

Readers of the Omaha Daily Republican on August 25, 1881, must have been startled by the news that a man identified as "The Dynamite Fiend" had briefly visited Omaha and ...
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Harvey, Turlington

Turlington Harvey was a nineteenth century inventor and entrepreneur prominent in the history of Chicago and of Otoe County, Nebraska. Harvey had come from New York to ...
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Harvey’s Description of Nebraska

A description of "The State of Nebraska" by Augustus F. Harvey (1830-1900) was included in the Second Annual Report of the State Board of Agriculture in 1869. Harvey ...
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Hayes County Thanksgivings

Thanksgiving, with its combination of patriotic and religious sentiments, was a most popular19th-century American holiday. Only July 4th was more widely observed. Even ...
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Hayes, Rutherford B.

Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-93), who served as the nineteenth president of the United States between 1877 and 1881, is remembered chiefly for ending Reconstruction twelve ...
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Heat Wave

August 1909 brought a severe heat wave to Omaha. Daily life became a struggle to keep cool. "Every shady nook was sought and the parks and resorts at the lakes were ...
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Henry D. Perky, the Shredded Wheat King

Henry D. Perky (1843-1906), a lawyer, businessman, railroad builder, and promoter, is best remembered for his invention of shredded wheat, a ready-to-eat cereal that ...
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Henry Ford in Fremont

Henry Ford's arrival in Fremont in August of 1916 to vacation and to attend a widely advertised tractor show there attracted statewide attention. The show was one of ...
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Henry Olerich, Utopian Reformer

Henry Olerich (1851-1927), a little-known utopian writer, saw his most famous book, A Cityless and Countryless World, published in 1893. It advocated the redistribution ...
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Henry T. Clarke

Henry Tefft Clarke, pioneer legislator, freighter, and bridge builder, settled in Bellevue, Nebraska, in 1855. He became a steamboat agent at Bellevue and later began a ...
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Hickman Gets the Fair

August and September are traditional months for county fairs in Nebraska, frequently-but not always-held in a county seat town. The Hickman Enterprise in the spring of ...
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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

Explore Nebraska

 

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
Virtual Field Trips
Summer Workshops
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.

Research, Reference, & Genealogy
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Library Search
Manuscript Finding Aids
Moving Images Inventories
Photo Collection List
Sound Recordings Inventories

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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Archeology
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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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