History Nebraska

Publications

Who We Are

History Nebraska 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.

  • Nebraska History Magazine (quarterly for History Nebraska members)
  • History Nebraska’s monthly email newsletter (full of history and the latest HN news)
  • Nebraska History Moments weekly emails (photo and short story)
  • Books

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

"Nebraska Timeline" Columns

From 1992 – 2019, History Nebraska 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. 

Red Willow County’s First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in 1896 was celebrated on November 26, and editor F. M. Kimmell of the McCook Tribune took advantage of the holiday to reflect on Red Willow County's recent ...

Relief in Nebraska, 1895

The early spring weather of 1894 gave Nebraska farmers some reason to hope that after several successive years of drought and poor crops, this might be the long-awaited ...

Restaurants of Omaha

Those wishing to eat away from home in Omaha in 1886 had a wide variety of restaurants, cafes, and lunch counters to choose from. The Omaha Daily Bee on August 29, 1886, ...

Ricker, Eli S.

In the early 1900s Eli S. Ricker began gathering data for a book he planned to call The Final Conflict Between the Red Men and the Palefaces. Unlike most of his ...

Robbery at Brownville

In 1869 the U.S. Express Company at Brownville was robbed when its local agent, Jacob K. Baer, reported that he was "sandbagged, shot and robbed" of the company money. ...

Robert Burns

The anniversary of the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns on January 25, 1759, was once widely celebrated by Americans of Scottish descent in memory not only of Burns, ...

Robidoux Pass

Nearly all overland travelers on the Platte River Road referred to the massive bluffs beyond Court House Rock and Chimney Rock as Scott's Bluffs. In 1828 as Hiram Scott ...

Roller Skating in Brownville, 1883

Roller skating originated in Europe in the 1700s, with the first patent issued for a roller skate in 1819. In 1863 an American, James Plimpton, invented an improved ...

Roller Skating in Lincoln, 1877

The young city of Lincoln in 1877 offered its citizens many forms of recreation, including roller skating. The Daily State Journal, March 30, 1877, described local ...

Roller Skating Once a Popular Adult Pastime

A wave of popular enthusiasm followed the invention of the modern roller skate in 1863 by James L. Plimpton of Massachusetts. Within twenty years roller skating had ...

Roosevelt, Theodore, Visits Nebraska, 1900

The Republican Party announced in July 1900 that Theodore Roosevelt, its vice-presidential nominee, would visit Nebraska that fall. Local Republicans were convinced that ...

Roping Elk

Cowboys occasionally roped more than cattle or horses, as James E. Farley recalled in Solomon D. Butcher's Pioneer History of Custer County, Nebraska (1901). "Towards ...

Contact Us

David Bristow | Publications
History Nebraska
1500 R St
Lincoln, NE 68508
402-471-4748
david.bristow@nebraska.gov
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 History Nebraska on Facebook for event news, cool historical photos, and fascinating stories from the History Nebraska blog. Members receive Nebraska History News.
About History Nebraska
History Nebraska was founded in 1878 as the Nebraska State Historical Society 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 History Nebraska from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director and CEO Jill Dolberg. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for History Nebraska.
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Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

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 History Nebraska members.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of History Nebraska members.
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Nebraska Collections
History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.
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Explore Nebraska
Discover the real places and people of our past at these History Nebraska sites.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

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Additional Research Resources

History Nebraska Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.
Support History Nebraska
Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to History Nebraska help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of History Nebraska by donating to the History Nebraska Foundation today.

Volunteers are the heroes of History Nebraska. 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.