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

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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. 

Blizzard of 1888

Fifty-nine years ago this week--on January 12, 1888--Nebraska was hit with what old-timers will tell you was the worst storm in the memory of man in this state. The ...

Blizzards

The two most famous winter storms in Nebraska history occurred in 1873 and in 1888. The storm which struck on April 13, 1873, was a violent snowfall accompanied by a ...

Blizzards

The two most famous winter storms in Nebraska history occurred in 1873 and in 1888. The storm which struck on April 13, 1873, was a violent snowfall accompanied by a ...

Blue Rivers

Except for the occasional Indian or white hunting parties, the scenic Blue River valley was seldom visited prior to 1860. The establishment of the Nebraska City-Fort ...

Bobbitt and the Grange

The Grange, a fraternal order known formally as the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, was formed shortly after the Civil War to improve the economic and social ...

Bookwalter, a Model Farm Community

The former town of Bookwalter, Pawnee County, was named for John W. Bookwalter, a self-educated scholar, inventor, businessman, writer, politician, and world traveler. ...

Boyd, James E

James E. Boyd (1834-1906), best remembered as one of Nebraska's governors, also had a distinguished business and political career. He came to Omaha in August 1856 and ...

Brainerd, Henry A.

Journalist and press historian Henry Allen Brainerd, a native of Boston, migrated to Nebraska in the early 1880s. Trained to set type when a boy in Boston in the office ...

Brandy Substitutes

Readers of The Nebraska Issue (Lincoln), official organ of the Anti-Saloon League in this state, were once counseled on avoiding alcohol and other drugs in their daily ...

Brickyards

Demand for building material of all kinds encouraged the establishment of brickyards in Nebraska. Nebraska Territory had only one brickyard listed in the federal census ...

Brownville, 1859

Brownville in 1859 was a small but growing settlement on the Missouri River in Nemaha County. One of the town's early settlers, journalist and agriculturist Robert W. ...

Bryan and the Japanese

"Mr. [William Jennings] Bryan's name is better known in Japan than that of any other American," the Omaha Daily News was told on November 13, 1909, by Motosada Zumoto, ...

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.