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. 

The Fremont Maps

Most of us take road maps for granted. It's easy for today's travelers to get a clear map to guide them on their way. Not so with early voyagers across Nebraska's "sea ...

The Garten Institute

Nebraska newspapers from the late nineteenth century include numerous advertisements for local Keeley hospitals or treatment centers for patients addicted to alcohol, ...

The Hoarding Hermits

Nebraska's history is littered with financial panics and disasters. Some Nebraskans weathered these crises, scraped together what fiduciary resources they had left, and ...

The Horseless Delivery Truck

The advent of the horseless carriage revolutionized personal transportation for Nebraskans. The elimination of living, breathing horsepower similarly transformed the ...

The Hot Lunch Plan

Serving Lunch at Lincoln High in 1906 As many Nebraska students head off for school, they'll check to see "what's for lunch." The hot lunch program has become a ...

The Instant Town

Adjusting to rapid change is a trial we associate with "modern" life. But a hundred years ago Nebraskans witnessed change almost overnight as new portions of the state ...

The Japanese Invasion

The U.S. trade deficit and America's reliance on foreign-made goods is a topic frequently discussed in the late 1980s. But the problem of foreign competition in the ...

The Lawn Party

Nebraska was a rough-and-tumble place in 1876. But many women settlers here did their best to live a "genteel" life--as much as conditions would permit. Great energy and ...

The Lincoln Chicken War

Sometimes it takes a good guy with a chicken to stop a bad guy with a chicken. Consider this strange tale about the founder of today’s Lincoln Journal Star and his ...

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

This fall, U.S. Senate candidates David Karnes and Bob Kerrey will engage in a series of debates, some of which are patterned after the famous 1858 contests between ...

The Nebraska Farmer’s First Issue

The first issue of Robert W. Furnas's Nebraska Farmer was published in Brownville in October of 1859, eight years before Nebraska Territory became a state. Furnas (who ...

The Need for Daycare, 1915

This year, the day care problem is a red hot issue. Both state and national senators are wrestling with the question of how to adequately care for the children of ...

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.

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.