Was J. Sterling Morton a racist? Here’s what the Arbor Day founder said and did.
By David L. Bristow, Editor, Nebraska History
(Originally posted March 29, 2019)
On one level this is an easy question. Yes. Blatantly. In a loud and ...
J. Sterling Morton
What We Found
When the Territorial Capitol basement was a human litter box, 1859
In 1859 members of the legislature used the capitol basement's dirt floor as a latrine.
(more…)
Arbor Day Ceremonies Plant New Trees at Schools
Arbor Day originated in Nebraska in 1872 through the efforts of J. Sterling Morton and the State Board of Agriculture. The day became a legal holiday in ...
U.S. Weather Bureau in 1890s Nebraska
The U.S. Weather Bureau was established by an act of Congress on October 1, 1890. It took over the weather service that had been established in the office of the Chief ...
Arbor Day Origins
Arbor Day began inauspiciously as one of a number of efforts to encourage the planting of trees in barren Nebraska. The State Board of Agriculture had offered a prize of ...
The 1874 State Fair: A Time to Show Off
The 1874 state fair in Omaha was supposed to be a chance for Nebraska to show off its agricultural potential. A massive swarm of Rocky Mountain locusts had different ...
J. Sterling Morton’s War on Christmas Trees
As you prepare to take down your tree after the holidays, here’s Nebraska Hall-of-Famer J. Sterling Morton with a cup of holiday cheer for you. Morton (1832-1902) is ...
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