July/August 2000
2000 State Fair
Be a part of the State Fair in the new millenium. The NSHS plans to participate in the State Fair, so don't miss this opportunity to volunteer. The 2000 State Fair runs from Friday, August 25, through Monday, September 4 (Labor Day). Volunteers are needed to greet the public and provide information at the Cunningham Schoolhouse and Hudson Log Cabin in the Heritage Village area. Hudson Cabin volunteers also conduct the sale of merchandise. Volunteers may choose to work from the following three- or four-hour shifts: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 1:00-4:00 p.m., and 4:00-7:00 p.m. Parking and gate admission is provided by NSHS.
Individuals interested in volunteering at the State Fair should contact Marcia Friesen at 402-471-4746. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to this annual project!Old Mill Days at Neligh
Old Mill Days, 2000, will be celebrated at the Neligh Mill State Historic Site with a free performance by renowned folk musician Chris Sayre. Chris will perform on Monday, July 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 near the reconstructed flume and penstock on the grounds of the Neligh Mill. Chris plays a variety of traditional folk instruments ranging from an English concertina accordian, to a resophonic guitar and musical saw. His entertaining style of playing, singing, and explaining his many unusual instruments is always a hit. The hill facing the flume and penstock creates a natural amphitheater; please bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy this free performance sponsored by the Nebraska State Historical Society. For more information please contact the Neligh Mill State Historic Site at 402-887-4303.
New Deal Exhibit
A New Deal for Nebraska Artists, an exhibit of artwork produced during the Depression, is on display on the third floor of the Museum of Nebraska History until May 31, 2001. The works were created by artists employed by the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), the first federal art project of the Civil Works Administration (CWA).
In October 1933 the federal government created the CWA, an agency under Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal that funded temporary employment programs for the winter months of 1933-34.
The PWAP employed artists at minimum wages to create works of art for use in government buildings and other public facilities. Selected on the basis of artistic qualification and need for employment, twenty-eight artists worked on the PWAP in Nebraska.The exhibit features thirteen works by both trained and amateur artists, including paintings by well-known Nebraska artists Augustus Dunbier and Gladys Marie Lux.
NSHS Annual Meeting Set for October 28
The 2000 annual meeting is scheduled in Lincoln on October 28. Paul Fees from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming, will be the featured speaker at the luncheon. During the luncheon Society awards will be presented and a members' meeting conducted.
This event is open to the public. Look for more details about the meeting in the September/October issue of this newsletter.
Historic Buildings Survey
The State Historic Preservation Office is preparing for this year's Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey (NeHBS). The survey is conducted on a county-by-county basis and currently includes over 80,000 properties that reflect Nebraska's architectural and historic past.
This year surveys will be conducted in Pierce and Madison counties in northeast Nebraska. Consultants are hired to drive every rural and urban public road in a county and record each property that meets certain historic requirements. In addition to fieldwork, the history of the area is gathered in order to understand the historic context of the buildings that are surveyed.
The purpose of the NeHBS is to help local preservation advocates, elected officials, land-use planners, economic development coordinators, and tourism promoters understand the wealth of historic properties in their area.
Exhibits at the Museum
Looking for some fun things to do this summer? Come to the Museum of Nebraska History, Fifteenth and P Streets, Lincoln. Enjoy the air conditioning and the exhibits. Featured exhibits include:
Lincoln: A Kid's Eye View - Fifth graders from Brownell Elementary School in Lincoln created this exhibition about Lincoln's culturally rich neighborhoods and ethnic communities.
The History Adventure Center - Take a trip through time at the interactive History Adventure Center. This exhibit is for kids for all ages, allowing them to take part in the Pawnee summer hunt, trade farm produce in town, emigrate to Nebraska on the railroad, or take a summer vacation auto touring across Nebraska.
The Museum of Nebraska History is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, 9:00-5:00. All exhibits at the Museum of Nebraska History are open on Sunday from 1:30-5:00, with the exception of the History Adventure Center.
Exhibits Focus of Program
Please join us on Wednesday, July 12, for a volunteer program at the Museum of Nebraska History, Fifteenth and P Streets, Lincoln.
The program will begin at 10:30 a.m., and is entitled, "Exhibits Update." The program will be presented by Paula Doe, exhibits coordinator for the Nebraska State Historical Society's Museum of Nebraska History. Paula will discuss new and upcoming exhibits at the Museum of Nebraska History. A potluck lunch will follow the program.
Please join us for the program and the potluck. RSVP to Deb McWilliams at 402-471-4955 regarding your attendance, or if you have any questions.
Gifts Galore at the Museum Store
Looking for a unique and special gift? The museum store in Lincoln carries a wide variety of gifts for children and adults. Check out the merchandise at the Museum of Nebraska History, Fifteenth and P Streets, Lincoln.
There are numerous educational gifts for children: including a wide variety of books, musical instruments such as harmonicas and jaw harps, t-shirts, stamp kits, and jewelry. For the adults we carry books, pottery, jewelry, cookie cutters, baskets, and many other items created by Nebraska artists.
If you can't get to Lincoln, stop at one of our other stores located at Fort Robinson near Crawford, Chimney Rock near Bayard, the Gerald Ford Conservation Center in Omaha, the Neligh Mill, Neligh, and the Norris House in McCook.
For further information about available merchandise or stores, contact Kris Riggs at 471-3447 or 1-800-833-6747.
DeVries Completes Indexing
Ray DeVries has completed indexing the Department of Public Instruction Biennial Reports, 1861-1960. The original reports (which are available in the Library/Archives in original format or on microfilm) contain information about schools and school districts throughout the state, including photographs (school buildings, classes, individuals) as well as data on personnel, statistics, activity reports, and speeches. A printout of this index arranged by county is currently available. This index should be available in a searchable format online by the end of the year.
Brown Bag Series
The Brown Bag Lecture Series (a history forum) is held on the third Thursday of each month, at 12 noon, in the Blackman auditorium, Museum of Nebraska History, Fifteenth and P Streets (131 Centennial Mall North), Lincoln. So bring your lunch and enjoy the lecture! The July and August programs are as follows:
July 20: Murder in a Small Nebraska Town: Public Executions in Nebraska
- Steven J. Ramold, Ph. D., Library/Archives Division, Nebraska State Historical SocietyAugust 17: 1750s Pawnee Village Archaeology - Dan Watson, Historical
Archaeologist, Nebraska Archaeological Survey, University of Nebraska State MuseumIf you are unable to attend the lecture at the Museum of Nebraska History, catch the series which is broadcast each month on Lincoln Cablevision government access channel 5. Lectures are televised the month following the original presentation. The history forum lecture series is broadcast on Wednesdays at 12 noon and 8:30 p.m., Fridays at 5:00 p.m., and Sundays at 8:00 p.m.
The Society is also seeking volunteers to work as camera operators to film the Brown Bag lectures. Training is provided for anyone interested in becoming a camera operator. For further information about becoming part of the camera crew contact Deb McWilliams at 471-4955.
New Faces
Diana Allard, Ford Center, library/archives
Jen Becic, archeology
Bev Faubel, museum store
Annette Parde, museum
Kathy Shurtliff, library/archives
Calendar
July 4: Independence Day holiday
Note: In observance of Independence Day, Society headquarters and the Ford Conservation Center in Omaha will be closed Tuesday, July 4. The Museum of Nebraska History and all historic sites except Neihardt and Cather will be open regular hours. Call for holiday hours at the Neihardt Site (402-648-3388) and Cather Site (402-746-2653).July 12: Volunteer Program
10:30 a.m., Museum of Nebraska History, Lincoln, NebraskaJuly 20: Brown Bag Lecture
12:00 noon, Museum of Nebraska History, Lincoln, NebraskaAugust 17: Brown Bag Lecture
12:00 noon, Museum of Nebraska History, Lincoln, NebraskaAugust 25-September 4: Nebraska State Fair
Call Marcia at 402-471-4746 to volunteer!
Volunteer News is published bi-monthly for the world-class volunteers at the Nebraska State Historical Society. For information about volunteering with any of our divisions, or at any location across the state, contact:
Deb McWilliams, Volunteer Services
402-471-4955 or 1-800-833-6747
Apply for Volunteer Service today!