publications

A Kids’ View of Fourth of July in Beaver City, 1897



Firing a cannon at a Fourth of July celebration in Brownville, Nebraska, in the early 1900s. History Nebraska RG3190-23a



Two boys in Beaver City published their own little newspaper in the 1890s. Brothers Willie and Jay Green called their four-page, semimonthly paper The Kid. Here’s their take on the local Independence Day celebration in 1897, which included not only speeches and parades, but also elements of popular “Wild West”-style entertainment, and even a balloon ascension:




Beaver City celebrated the Fourth of July on Saturday, July 3. The celebration was opened by the street parade in which the band led, followed by a wagon load of the prettiest and smallest girls in town. Then came different wagons with the advertisements of the several merchants and druggists, and last of all two clowns, one riding a baer [sic] and the other leading it, which of course was gotten up to advertise Peter Baer & Co.



After the parade had marched around the square, they at once marched to the court house, where a large crowd assembled under the shade of a large tent and a bowery to listen to Rev. L. S. Boyce, of Hiawatha, Kans., formerly a pastor of the Beaver City Presbyterian church, make the first oration of the day. Next came Hon. G. W. Norris [the future US Senator], after which the crowd dispersed for dinner.



In the afternoon the first thing was a number of races which did not come off for some good reason. This was followed by some glass ball shooting by Prof. W. T. Collings, after which the crowd gathered on the hill east of Dr. Butler’s residence to witness some range riding by Col. Bill Webber, and an Indian Massacre of which the Col. was in charge. During the massacre the chief accidently ran into some barbed wire, throwing the horse and rider. The rider escaped injuries but the horse will not be ready for use for several weeks.



The next thing was the balloon ascension by Prof. L. Brownie. He had bad luck with his furnas [sic] in filling the balloon and at once went to work on a new one and after supper he made his ascension. It was so dark that it could hardly be seen, so he will try it again this afternoon, and we hope he will have better success this time.



 

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

Other Publications

The Bachelors’ Protective Union of Kearney

When the Bachelors' Protective Union gave a gala reception for two of its newly married, former members and their brides in March of 1890, the social club for young, ...

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 ...

Canning the Way to Victory

During American participation in World War I the U.S. Food Administration, under the direction of Herbert Hoover, launched a massive campaign to persuade Americans to ...

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 ...

Crazy Horse Surrender Ledger Foreward

Red Dog, an Oglala Lakota who lived at the Red Cloud Agency, Nebraska, 1876-77 (Nebraska State Historical Society RG2955.ph).   In the summer of 1876, following the ...

Darryl F. Zanuck

Darryl F. Zanuck Darryl F. Zanuck (1902-1979), a native Nebraskan, produced some of Hollywood's most important and controversial films. He helped found 20th Century Fox ...

The Burlington’s Profitable Pork Special

Nebraska railroads were much concerned with developing an adequate economy in the areas they served. The Burlington, for example, had a long history of caring for the ...

Bungalow Filling Stations

After the giant Standard Oil Company was broken into thirty-four separate companies in 1911, the newly independent Standard Oil of Nebraska dominated the state's market ...

The Bull Fight

This is the perfect time of year for a visit to the old fishin' hole. But a group of fisherfolk from Plainview discovered that this bucolic pastime sometimes has ...

Buffalo Soldiers West

African-American soldiers on the western frontier are the focus of an exhibit at the Nebraska History Museum in Lincoln. Buffalo Soldiers West, on loan from the Colorado ...

Protection for Buffalo

The extermination of the buffalo on the Plains occurred largely between 1870 and 1885. The Nebraska State Journal of Lincoln on February 1, 1874, editorialized in vain ...

Buffalo Hunting

In late October 1877 young Rolf Johnson and three friends left their homes in Phelps County, Nebraska, for a buffalo hunt in northeastern Colorado. The hunt was not very ...
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.
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.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast.

Nebraska Collections

History Nebraska's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

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.