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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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Nebraska Election Trivia

An election year is a good time to recall oddities from Nebraska elections and politicians of the past. The youngest governor in Nebraska history was Albinus ...
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Nebraska Firsts

Here are some Nebraska "firsts," according to Nebraska newspaper columnist Will M.Maupin who published this list in 1930. "The first railroad was laid by the Union ...
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Nebraska Football in 1892

What did a University of Nebraska football game look like in 1892? On November 19, Lincoln Weekly Herald editor J. D. Calhoun was one of 600 fans attending the game ...
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Nebraska Hall of Fame

The current Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans. The Hall of Fame Commission, with members appointed by the ...
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Nebraska Hall of Fame, Early Members

For Nebraska, a relatively young state with a small, stable population, the pool of potential Hall of Fame candidates has always been somewhat limited. The recent advent ...
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Nebraska Indians Baseball Team

The barnstorming Nebraska Indians baseball team was founded by Guy W. Green, an energetic baseball promoter, who organized the club shortly after receiving his law ...
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Nebraska Legislature

In 1897 Samuel E. Rogers, a former member of Nebraska's first territorial legislature of 1855, sent the Nebraska State Historical Society his brief recollections of each ...
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Nebraska National Forest

  The first suggestion that the federal government should plant trees in the Sand Hills came from Dr. Charles E. Bessey of the University of Nebraska in 1890. He ...
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Nebraska Resources

The World's Columbian Exposition (popularly known as the Chicago World's Fair), held in 1893, gave Nebraska an opportunity to display its products and accomplishments to ...
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Nebraska Stagecoaches

The overland stagecoach leaving Cottonwood Springs, near Fort Cottonwood (later Fort McPherson, Nebraska). Illustration from The Overland Stage to California ...
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Nebraska Territorial Fair Premiums

Robert W. Furnas, editor of the Nebraska Farmer, in its March 1860 issue, apologized to premium winners from the first Nebraska territorial fair, held at Nebraska City ...
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Nebraska Territorial Fair, 1859

The first Nebraska territorial fair was held at Nebraska City, beginning Wednesday, September 21, 1859, and lasting three days. Robert Furnas, later governor 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
About Collections
Digital Collections Portal
Government Records

Explore Nebraska Collections

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
Collections
Conservation Center
Digital Curation
Historic Preservation
Publications

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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Memberships
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