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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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The Search for Better Babies

"If better live stock, why not better babies?" asked a member of the Grange in the pages of the Farm Journal (Philadelphia) in December of 1913. It was a natural ...
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The Shoemaker’s Ashes

"Edward Kuehl, one of the most peculiar characters that ever lived in Omaha, or anywhere else, was found dead in his bed last night in the back room of his place of ...
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The Squatter Governor’s Inaugural Address

Times may have been rough in Nebraska's territorial days, but settlers tried to find humor in adversity. Then as now, politics were sometimes a laughing matter. In 1857, ...
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The Stage Ride

Vacationers heading towards Nebraska's Pine Ridge, and the Black Hills beyond, have theprospect of a pleasant journey through spectacular scenery. The trip hasn't always ...
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The Wild West in 1902

In an age of great showmen and traveling entertainers, William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody's Wild West eventually became a moving extravaganza, including not only cowboys and ...
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The Wild, Wild West

The wild and wooly American West has been fodder for stories, dime novels, comic books,motion pictures, and television programs. Many fictionalized accounts exaggerate ...
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Thomas E. Calvert and the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad

Thomas E. Calvert, an engineer at the time the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was built in Nebraska, described briefly the construction of the road in an 1898 ...
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Thomas J. Majors

Thomas J. Majors (1841-1932) of Nemaha County was a pioneer soldier and farmer who served in the Nebraska territorial and state legislatures; in Congress; and as ...
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Those Fish Stories

Improbable fishing yarns have been around as long as fish and fishing. The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal in the summer of 1907 reported an escalating series of such tales ...
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Those Jitneys!

The advent of the automobile changed transportation for many Nebraskans. In larger communities, even if you couldn't afford a car, you could buy a ride in a taxi, or ...
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Those Selfish Young Men

A daily newspaper's Sunday edition once covered local social news and trends in more detail than was possible during the week. The Sunday Morning Call (Lincoln), on May ...
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Timber Culture Act of 1873

Of all the land laws affecting Nebraska, the Timber Culture Act of 1873, designed to promote the planting of trees, was perhaps the least successful and subject to many ...
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Contact Us

David Bristow | Publications
Nebraska State Historical Society
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 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 Director Daryl Bohac. 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 Marker 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

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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
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Conservation Center
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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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