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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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How Hot It Was!

"Heavens, How Hot It Was!" exclaimed the Omaha World-Herald on July 27, 1894, describing summer life before air conditioning. Temperatures had reached 108 degrees in ...
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How They Hitch

"It was a dull day," the Omaha Daily Bee reporter explained to his readers on November 29, 1881. "The trains were all on time and carried only the usual quota of ...
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How Times Change, Thoughts on Christmas in 1925

  The 1920s ushered in significant changes in American life. They were years when most Americans acquired their first radios and automobiles, and achieved the highest ...
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Howard K. Clover’s Picturesque Career

When Howard K. Clover disappeared from Omaha in late May of 1900, the departure of a man called a "Mechanical Don Quixote" by the Omaha Daily Bee, was doubtless a relief ...
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Howard, Edgar

The varied career of Edgar Howard (1858-1951), one of Nebraska's most colorful public figures, spanned more than forty years and won him wide state and national ...
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Hunting for Food and Recreation

Hunting was an economic necessity as well as a recreational activity for pioneer Nebraskans. W. A. Anderson, who settled near Ord in Valley County, on February 1, 1879, ...
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Hunting Wild Game

Many European and American settlers noted the abundance of game as they moved out onto the prairies. "Prairie-chickens and quails, when I first went on the overland ...
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Husbands Wanted

"The fame of the bachelor citizens of Scotts Bluff County has spread abroad to such an extent," said the Gering Courier of December 18, 1908, "that we have received this ...
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I Want Your Money

Advertising trends, like most everything else, change with the times. The 1990s may beknown for subtle ads based on "the soft sell." (There's already an advertising ...
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I-80 150 Years Old

It may sound ludicrous to say that Interstate 80 is 150 years old in 1996, but its antecedent highway, the Mormon Trail, was established in 1846. It essentially followed ...
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Ice Cream Cones Seized, 1910

Ice cream cones, one of the few joys of summer available before air conditioning, became popular during the first decade of the twentieth century. Although the origin is ...
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Ice Industry

For many years the cutting of ice from rivers and lakes was an important winter industry, especially in eastern Nebraska. Just when the natural ice industry began in ...
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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
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.

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Moving Images Inventories
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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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