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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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Valentines, Comic

Although Valentine's Day and the sending of love messages associated with it have roots in antiquity, the exchange of comic valentines originated in the United States. ...
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Victor Rosewater

Victor Rosewater (1871-1940), son of the founder of the Omaha Bee, followed his well-known father, Edward Rosewater, into journalism. Victor's reminiscences of his life ...
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Vifquain, Victor

Victor Vifquain (1836-1904), a native of Belgium, was one of the first Nebraskans to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, first authorized for heroic action by ...
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Vifquain’s Buffalo Hunt

Victor Vifquain (1836-1904), a Nebraska adventurer, political figure, newspaper owner, and Civil War hero, was also influential in the settlement of the Republican ...
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Visit to the Penitentiary in 1875

The year 1875 saw two uprisings at the Nebraska State Penitentiary south of Lincoln. In January prisoners took the warden, William Woodhurst, and inside guards prisoners ...
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W.C.T.U.’s Crusade Against Drugs

Drug abuse problems in Nebraska and the rest of the country during the late nineteenth century involved different substances than those commonly mentioned in the crime ...
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Washington’s Birthday

George Washington's birthday on February 22 was celebrated publicly for the first time in the late eighteenth century, while Washington was still president. In 1885 ...
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Water Shortage

The economically devastating years of the early 1890s created hardship for many Nebraska residents. In 1893, for example, crops in Nebraska were almost totally destroyed ...
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Watson, H. D., and the Watson Ranch

In 1888 H. D. Watson, a Kearney booster during its boom days of the late 1880s, established the historic Watson Ranch. He had come West from Greenfield, Massachusetts, ...
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Way Back in ’67

"Children Barefoot in January," the headline read. No, it's not a news account of l990's mildweather (at least so far). This tale of an unusually mellow winter, and its ...
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We’re Number One!

Over the years, Nebraska has been "number one" in a lot of categories. We've had thenation's highest-rated football team, we've produced more popcorn than anyone else, ...
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Webster’s Last Romantic Buffalo Hunt

In the autumn of 1872 an unusual group of men engaged in what one of them, John L. Webster, called "the last romantic buffalo hunt upon the western plains of the state ...
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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

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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