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. 

Telegraph at Brownville

Brownville, circa 1870. The first telegraph connection to Nebraska Territory was completed August 28, 1860, to Brownville from St. Joseph, Missouri. For local ...

Territorial Towns

In the earliest years of white settlement, few Nebraskans were concerned with the development of an agricultural system. Most were interested in the profits to be made ...

Texas Cattle Trade

"The Texas cattle trade has increased wonderfully in Nebraska within the past three or four years," said the August 7, 1875, Omaha Daily Bee, "and this morning a ...

Textile Industry Goes to War: Women’s Clothing in the 1930s and 1940s

Muriel R. Wilkins, who attended high school in Washington County during the late 1930s, in 1980 recalled the effect that World War II had upon her clothing styles and ...

Thanksgiving in Lincoln, 1907

"One of the quietest Thanksgiving days observed in many years was passed in Lincoln yesterday," said the Nebraska State Journal of November 29, 1907. "With no football ...

Thanksgiving in Omaha, 1909

Nearly a month before the official Thanksgiving holiday in 1909, the Omaha Daily News published mayor James Dahlman's plea for what he called a "sane Thanksgiving." ...

Thanksgiving in the 1890s

Two Thanksgiving reports from the 1890s illustrate the coming of hard times to Nebraska. The 1890s saw the country’s worst economic depression until the 1930s. “The ...

Thayer, John M.

John M. Thayer (1820-1906), Nebraska plainsman, soldier, legislator, and chief executive, was interviewed in old age by the Omaha World-Herald about his Civil War ...

Thayer’s Invention

John Nelson's photograph of a baseball game includes a catcher with face mask in the left foreground. NSHS RG3542:PH:097-12  The catcher's mask in baseball was invented ...

The ’90 Census

Government workers will soon be enumerating Nebraskans for the 1990 Census. Results will have practical implications--including possible refiguring of Congressional ...

The ‘Chutist

"Forty-eight years ago, before a large crowd of awed Coleridge townspeople and the curious from all over the county, William E. Winterringer, then a lad of 20, dropped ...

The 1874 State Fair: A Time to Show Off (Updated August 2018)

These days, fairs promote entertainment, but when Nebraska was a new state, fairs were mostly seen as a way to promote Nebraska by demonstrating its potential for ...

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.

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.

Nebraska Collections
History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

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.



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.