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JOIN US FOR THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

DR. JAMES C. OLSON RETURNS FOR FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE SOCIETY'S R STREET BUILDING

On September 27, 1953, Governor Robert Crosby dedicated the Society's new building. To his right are Nathan J. Gold, Society President James E. Lawrence, Superintendent James C. Olson, and Robert Taft of the University of Kansas.

Dr. James C. Olson, superintendent of the Nebraska State Historical Society from 1946 to 1956, will be the honored guest at the Society's 125th annual meeting and anniversary celebration, September 26. Olson was superintendent when the Society's new building was dedicated at 1500 R Street fifty years ago on September 27, 1953, and guided the building's planning and construction. Opening the new building (today called the Headquarters Building) realized a dream that had motivated the Society's leaders since the organization's founding in 1878.

During his tenure at the Society, Olson began the "Historical Newsletter," the "Out of Old Nebraska" newspaper columns (today's "Nebraska Timeline"), and presided over the opening of the Society's first branch museum at Fort Robinson. After leaving the Society, Olson joined the history faculty at his alma mater, the University of Nebraska, and went on to become dean of the graduate college. He left Lincoln to lead the University of Missouri Kansas City campus, and later became the president of the University of Missouri system. He is the author (among other books) of the 1955 History of Nebraska, now in a third edition (1999) revised by Dr. Ronald C. Naugle.

Please join us September 26 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Society, the fiftieth anniversary of the R Street building, and recognize Dr. James C. Olson for his lifelong contributions to the preservation and interpretation of Nebraska history.

125th Annual Meeting Agenda Friday, September 26, 2003 · Luncheon · Awards · Exhibit Opening · Please Join Us 11:00 AM - Registration. Location: UN-L Student Union (second floor), 14th and R Streets, Lincoln 11:30 AM - 125th Annual Meeting. Luncheon and NSHS Awards. Special guests: Governor Mike Johanns and Dr. James C. Olson, NSHS Superintendent, 1946-1956. Historical Marker unveiling to follow. Location: UN-L Student Union (second floor), 14th and R Streets, Lincoln 1:30-4:30 PM - Here Open to All (An exhibit featuring 125 years of NSHS history). Location: Society Headquarters, 1500 R Street, Lincoln 7:00-9:00 PM - Recovered Views: African American Portraits, 1912-1925 (An exhibit featuring photos from Lincoln's African American community). Location: Museum of Nebraska History, 15th and P Streets, Lincoln Registration is $10/person. Please respond by September 19, 2003. 402-471-4955 or 1-800-833-6747.

RECOVERED VIEWS PREMIERS SEPTEMBER 26, 2003

Recovered Views: African American Portraits, 1912-1925, a remarkable collection of black-and-white images made by an African American photographer who lived and worked in Lincoln in the early twentieth century, will open to the public as part of the NSHS 125th anniversary celebration September 26. From 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. members are invited to the Museum of Nebraska History at Fifteenth and P Streets to view the stunning images that document life in a vibrant black community, a society rarely depicted in any medium.

The photographs are attributed to John Johnson, son of a black Civil War veteran and a lifelong resident of Lincoln. The images have been generously loaned to NSHS by Art McWilliams, representing the McWilliams Family, and Tom Kaspar of Lincoln and Helen Patrick Seward of Omaha. Ruth Greene Folley donated family portraits by the same photographer to the Society, some of which are also included in the exhibit.

These important images will be on exhibit at the NSHS Museum of Nebraska History through January 11, 2004, after which they will tour nationally through ExhibitsUSA, a division of the Mid-America Arts Alliance. Special thanks goes to The Omaha Chapter of the Links, Inc., Mike Seacrest, Dr. John Davis, Wells Fargo, and the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation for their support of this exhilarating look at a little-recorded aspect of our state's past.

MNH/HISTORIC SITES

NEBRASKA TREASURES ON EXHIBIT STATEWIDE

More Nebraska treasures are on exhibit in Lincoln and at historic sites statewide in September, and in the Capital City in October, in observance of the Society's 125th anniversary.

Museum of Nebraska History, Lincoln

• September
  • Two Bavarian wheel-lock pistols, dated 1595, collected and donated by Walter Charnley of Omaha.
  • Sandstone abraders used by Native Americans to shape and smooth bone and wooden implements, recovered from a twelfth-century lodge site near Gretna.
• October
  • Medal presented to Grace Abbott from the National Institute of Social Sciences, 1931. Abbott, born in Grand Island in 1878, was the first woman to hold a cabinet-level post when President Warren G. Harding appointed her director of the Children's Bureau in 1921. She received the medal for her contributions to the welfare of America's children.
  • Catlinite disks recovered from eighteenth-century Pawnee and Oto/Ioway villages in eastern Nebraska, which may be gaming pieces or parts of pipes.

1500 R Headquarters, Lincoln

• September
  • "Ricker Tablets," small notepads on which Judge Eli S. Ricker took notes of interviews with participants­both Indian and white­about conditions and battles on the Plains in the last half of the nineteenth century.
  • A photograph of brothers White Lance, Joseph Horn Cloud, and Dewey Beard. Joseph Horn Cloud was about sixteen years old when he witnessed the Wounded Knee massacre on December 29, 1890. In 1906 he invited Ricker to his home to talk about the massacre.
• October
  • Map of Nebraska Territory, circa 1854. The map shows that the original Nebraska Territory included all of present-day Nebraska, and portions of South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.

Willa Cather State Historic Site, Red Cloud

• September
  • Firefighter's speaking trumpet presented as a trophy to the Fitzgerald Volunteer Fire Department Hose Team of Lincoln in 1886 for winning a race at the North Central American Exposition at New Orleans.
  • Brochures from the Genoa Indian Industrial School, which opened in Nance County in 1884 to train students in vocational skills so they presumably would be more easily assimilated into white society.
  • Metal arrowheads made from pieces of scrap iron, brass, and copper that appear to have been parts of other items, such as kettles and pans. Most arrowheads from Nebraska sites are of stone.

Chimney Rock, near Bayard

• September
  • Scrimshaw carving of Chimney Rock on a walrus tusk by Lincoln artist Jay Tschetter, 1982.
  • Military horse gear from Fort Robinson recovered during excavation of the 1874 Cavalry ("Cheyenne Outbreak") Barracks.

Fort Robinson, near Crawford

• September
  • Architectural fragments from Omaha's 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition. The exposition featured monumental, though temporary, buildings constructed of wood covered with a mixture of plaster, Portland cement, and hemp fiber. Only fragments survive.
  • Native American/Wild West Show contracts with W. H. Barten, teacher at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota from 1891 to 1902. When he relocated to Gordon, Nebraska, and opened a mercantile store, Barten outfitted reservation Indians for movies, rodeos, and Wild West shows.
  • Ceramic representation of a human head, one of six of similar design found near Pender, in Thurston County. The heads are unique in Nebraska and are similar to stone and fired-clay heads associated with various pre-European contact Mexican cultures. How these heads came to Nebraska is a mystery

Kennard House, Lincoln

• September
  • Quilt made by Martha Allis, who was born in Bellevue in 1840 to Presbyterian missionaries to the Pawnee. She may have made the quilt for her marriage in 1861. It is the earliest known quilt to have been made by a Nebraskan.
  • Cheers for Miss Bishop script for the 1941 film based on Elmwood author Bess Streeter Aldrich's novel, Miss Bishop.
  • Fleshers from elk bones recovered from a site near Papillion occupied by the Oto or Ioway in the early eighteenth century. They were used to scrape grease and hair from hides.

John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, Bancroft

• September
  • Window frame from the funeral car that carried the bodies of President Abraham Lincoln and his son, Willie, from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois, for burial in 1865. The car was later purchased by the Union Pacific Railroad and moved to Omaha.
  • Booster postcards for Wausa, Nebraska, about 1900.
  • Jewelry recovered during archeological excavation of the 1874 Cavalry ("Cheyenne Outbreak") Barracks at Fort Robinson.

Neligh Mill State Historic Site

• September
  • Indianola Herb Tablets sold by Richard "Diamond Dick" Tanner about 1910. Tanner began his career as a long distance rider and circus performer in the 1890s and later combined his show business talent and knowledge of herbs to promote and sell natural remedies.
  • "Diamond Dick" dime novels collected by Richard Tanner who appropriated the name "Diamond Dick" and toured the U.S. from about 1895 to 1905 with his target-shooting act.
  • Bottles found during Society excavation of the 1874 Cavalry ("Cheyenne Outbreak") barracks at Fort Robinson.

Senator George W. Norris State Historic Site, McCook

• September
  • Piece of rope used to hang Stephen D. Richards on April 26, 1879, in Minden, Nebraska. He confessed to killing nine people in Kearney County.
  • Sketches by and photographs of Nebraska native John P. Falter, renowned illustrator and artist best known for producing more than 185 Saturday Evening Post covers from the 1940s to the 1960s.
  • A leather forage cap brim, a crossed-sabers Ninth U.S. Cavalry forage cap insignia, a U.S. emblem from a cartridge box cover, a spike from an infantry dress helmet, and a saber hanger recovered during Society excavation of the 1874 Cavalry ("Cheyenne Outbreak") Barracks at Fort Robinson.

HOURS AT NSHS MUSEUM FACILITIES

Chimney Rock National Historic Site, Bayard
Memorial Day-Labor Day: 9:00-5:00 daily.
September-May: 9:00-5:00, Tuesday-Sunday.
Closed on state holidays.

Fort Robinson Museum, Crawford
Memorial Day-Labor Day: 10:00-5:00, Tuesday-Sunday.
September-May: 10:00-5:00, Monday-Friday.
Closed on state holidays.

Neligh Mill State Historic Site, Neligh
Memorial Day-Labor Day: 1:00-5:00, Wednesday-Sunday.
September-May: 1:00-5:00, Monday-Friday. Closed on state holidays.

Senator George Norris State Historic Site, McCook
March-September: 1:00-4:30, Tuesday-Saturday.
October-February: 1:00-4:30, Friday. Closed on state holidays.

Thomas P. Kennard House, Lincoln
Year round: by appointment only.

Willa Cather State Historic Site, Red Cloud
April-October: 8:00-5:00, Monday-Saturday; 1:00-5:00, Sunday.
November-March: 8:00-5:00, Monday-Friday; 9:00-12:00, 1:00-5:00, Saturday.

John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, Bancroft
March-November: 9:00-5:00, Monday-Saturday; 1:30-5:00, Sunday.
December-February: 9:00-5:00, Monday-Friday.

Museum of Nebraska History, Lincoln
9:00-4:30, Tuesday-Friday. 1:00-4:30, Saturday and Sunday.
Closed all state holidays except Arbor Day.

 

NSHS WEBSITE NEWS

As part of the Society's yearlong 125th birthday celebration, one of our goals was to improve our website. Several important changes and additions have been accomplished.

Check out the new additions and improvements:

• The Bostock Studio online exhibit "Who, What, Where, When" can be viewed at: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/exhibits/palisade/index.htm
• We have added and fine-tuned our links to the "Western Trails Project" database, an online exhibit of Chimney Rock and other Oregon Trail information. Check this one out at: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/exhibits/chimney rock.htm
• Archival database pages are available with some refinement to come. They are fully functional at: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/databases/nhprc/index.shtml
• The museum store site has been expanded and includes many more book and gift selections. Visit the store at: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/oversite/store/catalog.htm

We value your opinion and would appreciate your response to our additions and improvements. Please contact us at lireland@unlserve.unl.edu to share your comments.

 

OCTOBER 9-10 NSHS BUS TOUR UPDATE

At press time, some openings remained for the Society's October 9-10 bus tour to Kansas museums, but they were filling fast. It's possible that a few seats will remain after the August 29 deadline. Everyone is welcome. If you are interested in taking the tour, call Lana at 402-471-3272 for the latest information.

 

LIBRARY/ARCHIVES

NEW ACQUISITIONS OF INTEREST TO GENEALOGISTS
By Cindy S. Drake, Library Curator

The Horse Trader and the Farmer's Daughter: Biographies of Francis LeRoy Adair and Lucile Sherry Rupe [compiled by Sarah E. Keil; edited by Pamela N. Boardman]. (Rupe family in Antelope County.)

Kriz Family Narrative, by Tony Kriz. (Czech-American families in Saunders County.)

The Lives of Two Men, by Ernest Eckhardt. (Eckhardt family and the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Hooper, Nebraska.)

Michael Keller and Catharine Monroe of Fairfax County, Virginia: Their Family and Descendants, 1760-2002, by Susan K. Ratcliffe. (Family in Cherry County.)

The Ohlson Story, [compiled] by Ray Peterson. (Swedish American family in Clay County.)

One Family's Story: Cretsinger, Crutsinger, Curtsinger, Cutsinger, Kretsinger, Krutsinger, by Janette B. Cutsinger and Garland H. Lacey. (Families in Washington, Nance, and Burt counties.)

Ostrander: A Genealogical Record, 1660-1995, by Emmett Ostrander and Vinton P. Ostrander. (Ostrander, Gourley and Dille families in Sheridan, Cherry, Johnson, Otoe, and Nance counties.)

Our Families' Contribution to the Defense of Our Country: Wulf, Jones Families, by Lillian W. Jones . . . . (Families in Richardson and Lancaster counties.)

Saline County Centenarians and Marriages of 65 Years or more, 1854-2001 Index, compiled by Rose Marie Hulse . . . original material researched and compiled by E. A. Kral, 2001.

Seward and Related Families: Bradleys, Bucks, Corbells, Days, Eleys, Hawes, Kloennes, Luys, McKays, Philips, Pickets, Rughs, and Swegers, by George C. Seward. (Family in Douglas County.)

Sintek-Zyntek Family Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes, by Sintek-Zyntek, 2002. (Family in Howard County.)

 

BOOKS

Ak-Sar-Ben Memories, 168 pages of pictorial Ak-Sar-Ben memorabilia. Project director is Bev Karrer. Purchase for $25 each at the Ak-Sar-Ben Buyers Club booths during River City Roundup, to be held September 19-28, at the Omaha Convention Center and Arena. After the event order from Ak-Sar-Ben Memories, Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation, 302 South 36th St., Suite 800, Omaha, NE 68131.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 11-12: Nebraska Lied Mainstreet program, Scottsbluff. "New Strategies for Building the Heart of Your Community," including workshops and tours. For more information contact the Nebraska Lied Main Street office at 402-323-7337.

September 14: Sunday at the Museum Series. Dr. James Stubbendieck, UN-L professor of grassland ecology, will evaluate Nebraska's dynamic landscape. 2 P.M., John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, Bancroft. Free and open to the public; reception following. For information call the Neihardt Site at 1-888-777-4667.

September 16: Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Mouth of the Platte chapter. "The Missouri River(s) I Have Known," by Jim Peterson. Meet at 6 P.M. at Caniglia's Restaurant, Seventh and Pacific Streets, Omaha. For information and reservations (required): mouthoftheplatte@aol.com or 402-571-2502.

September 18: Brown Bag Lecture, "A Soldier's Daily Routine," by Tom Buecker, NSHS curator, Fort Robinson Museum. 12 noon, Museum of Nebraska History, Fifteenth and P Streets, Lincoln. Free and open to the public.

September 20: Dedication of Monument to the Grand Council Site of 1875 between the Allison Commission and the Sioux Nation, located four miles northeast of Crawford. Contact Dawes County Historical Society at 308-432-4999 or Dean Carpenter, president, at 308-432-5441 or e-mail: rollincurd@panhandle.net

September 26: Nebraska State Historical Society 125th anniversary celebration. [See separate article above.]

October 12: Sunday at the Museum Series, presentation by Norfolk City Manager Michael Nolan, on "Servant Leadership: Serving with a Purpose," using Black Elk as one of many models. 2 P.M., John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, Bancroft. Free and open to the public; reception following. For information call the Neihardt Site at 1-888-777-4667.

October 16: Brown Bag Lecture, "Recovered Views," by John Carter, NSHS senior research associate. Discussion of the photographic images currently attributed to African-American photographer John Johnson and the mysteries surrounding the collection and the photographer's identity. 12 noon, Museum of Nebraska History, Fifteenth and P Streets, Lincoln. Free and open to the public.

October 21: Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Mouth of the Platte chapter. "Bicentennial Update and Forecast," by Jeff Olson. Meet as above.

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Anniversary Sale at the Museum Store

NSHS Society members will receive a 20 percent discount on merchandise at Society museum stores during our eighteenth anniversary sale the week of September 21-27.

A few ideas from the Museum Store to help celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Nebraska State Historical Society:

• History of Nebraska, by James C. Olson and Ronald C. Naugle (Third Edition)
• Spans in Time: A History of Nebraska Bridges, published by the NSHS and the Nebraska Department of Roads
• Crystal dome paperweight
• New khaki cotton cap with embroidered image
• Tote bag
• T-shirt

The image of the ledger horse shown above is taken from the State Historical Society's museum collection and is featured on these items.

MUSEUM of NEBRASKA HISTORY, 15th & "P" Streets, 402-471-3447
10:00 - 4:30, Monday - Friday
1:00 - 4:00, Saturday and Sunday
Museum Store Catalog online

 

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