Category Archives: Preservation

Throwback Thursday: Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show

Welcome to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show!

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday takes us back to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in 1894. This specific show is taking place in a Brooklyn, New York arena. The performers include both Native Americans and white men dressed as either cowboys or United States Army soldiers. The participant on the left side center of the photograph, identified with an X, is George W. Johnson of Holdrege.

This 12″x16″ sepia-toned photograph is owned by the Phelps County Historical Society and is published by the Holdrege Area Public Library. The library partnered with the Historical Society to digitize a collection of images portraying the history of Phelps County since the mid 1880’s. Subsets of this collection depict the Atlanta POW Camp which housed German prisoners of war during WWII, photos of Dr. Frank A. Brewster, known as the “Flying Doctor,” and the Christian Children’s Home. There are also several photographs from the George W. Johnson collection at the Museum that show typical scenes from the Buffalo Bill Wild West show in which Johnson was a performer.

If you want to see more Nebraska history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive! It’s a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Art Deco Style

We’re going back to the 30’s with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This 8″ x 10″ black and white acetate negative shows the lobby of a building located in Omaha, Nebraska. This room is decorated in Art Deco style. The floor is tiled in a bold angled pattern and the walls are made of marble. The doors located on the back wall are decorated with metal work.

This image is part of the William Wentworth Collection that is provided and owned by the Durham Museum. The collection consists of 4663 negatives of images that document life in Omaha, Nebraska from 1934 through 1950. William Wentworth worked as a freelancer and a commercial photographer, providing unique view of architecture, businesses, and community life in Omaha.

Are you someone who likes history? Especially history related to the state of Nebraska? Then check out all the materials and collections featured on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Cochrane-Woods Library

Take a look at what we found on the Nebraska Memories archive!

This 5 1/8″ x 3 1/2″ color photograph shows the front of the Cochrane-Woods Library during the late 1970’s.

Ground breaking for the library was on March 3, 1968. The building opened in early February of 1970. The 55,000 square foot building was built at a cost of $1,436,000. It can hold 400 people and has shelving space for 200,000 books.

This #throwback image is provided by Nebraska Wesleyan University. The archives housed in the Cochrane-Woods Library holds several thousand photographs on various media. In 2008, the archives launched an effort to digitize, catalog, and describe photographs of NWU’s campus buildings. The collections consists of mainly exterior shots of individual buildings, along with several views of the campus layout as it evolved.

If you are someone who likes history, especially materials related to Nebraska, be sure to check out the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Playground Break Time

Take a break and check out this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

These ten children take a break from playing on the playground on the property of the Nebraska Children’s Home Society.

This 3″ x 4 3/4″ black and white photograph is provided and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Chartered in September of 1893, the founders had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family. The agency has never charged fees for adoption services, and still today relies primarily on private donations to fund its services.

If you like history and want to see more materials related to the state of Nebraska, check out the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Southwest View of Omaha

Check out the view in this week’s #Throwback Thursday!

This black and white lantern slide shows an aerial view of Omaha, Nebraska, taken from the Omaha National Bank Building located on the northeast corner of 17th and Farnam streets.

This image is provided and owned by Omaha Public Library. The items from Omaha Public Library in Nebraska Memories include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,100 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area.

If you want to see more Nebraska history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive! It’s a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Tunnel near Crawford, NE

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This 3-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ black and white photographic postcard shows railroad tracks leading into a tunnel. This tunnel is believed to be the Belmont Tunnel that was constructed for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad between 1888 and 1889. Located about 10 miles south of Crawford, the 698 foot tunnel was considered a feat of engineering for its time.

This image is provided and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The Nebraska Library Commission’s collection includes materials on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, mainly libraries built with Carnegie grants. The collection also includes items from the 1930s related to the Nebraska Public Library Commission bookmobile, as well as items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.

If you want to see more Nebraska history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive! It’s a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Johnny Rodgers

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback features Husker football great Johnny Rodgers alongside civil rights activist Charles B. Washington. This 7″x5″ black and white photograph was taken at the presentation ceremony for the Heisman Trophy in 1972 when the award was presented to Johnny Rodgers.

This image is provided and owned by Omaha Public Library. Items in this collection include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,100 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area. Also included is the Charles B. Washington Collection, comprising items relating to his life.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Charles B. Washington with Jackie Robinson and Bob Boozer

We’re celebrating another week of Black History month with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

From Omaha, Nebraska, Charles B. Washington was a journalist, mentor, and activist. He is known for his work in the North Omaha area. On September 14, 1986, the North Branch of the Omaha Public Library was renamed after him.

Jackie Robinson, from Cairo, Georgia, broke racial barriers in professional athletics when he became the first African American to play Major League Baseball.

Bob Boozer was an Omaha native who played for Tech High. He went on to play for Kansas State University and became the number one draft pick of the NBA’s Cincinnati Royals in 1959.

This 10″x8″ black and white photograph is published and owned by Omaha Public Library. The items published by Omaha Public Library in Nebraska Memories include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,100 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Sweet Lips

We’ve got a sweet Valentine’s Day themed #throwback for you!

This piece of music was written by Jess Williams, a long-time resident of Lincoln, Nebraska and a nationally famous ragtime pianist.

This content is provided and owned by the Polley Music Library of Lincoln City Libraries. Just over 250 pieces of Nebraska sheet music are available through the Nebraska Memories databases, as well as concert programs, manuscripts, theatre programs, photographs, and other Nebraska memorabilia which features an element of music. Searchers can also listen to a dozen performances of selections performed by local musicians.

Want to see more Nebraska history? Check out all the collections on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Charles B. Washington and Louis Armstrong

The month of February is Black History Month and we’re celebrating with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

In this 5-3/4″ x 10″ black and white photograph, Nebraska’s own civil rights activist Charles B. Washington is shaking hands with Louis Armstrong, one of the most influential figures in jazz history.

This week’s image is provided and owned by Omaha Public Library. The items on the Nebraska Memories archive include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1925 to 1922, as well as over 1,000 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area.

Are you interested in Nebraska history? If so, check out all the collections on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Home Economics Class

This #ThrowbackThursday is going back to school!

This 9 1/2″ x 7 3/4″ black and white photograph features students in a Home Economics class at Whittier Junior High School. The school, named after John Greenleaf Whittier, was located at 22nd and Vine streets in Lincoln, Nebraska. The building was built in 1923 and used until the 1970s as a junior high school. It was then used as an alternative high school until 1980.

This image is provided and owned by Lincoln Public Schools. Historical materials related to the Lincoln Public Schools have been collected and saved in some form in various offices, library sites, and schools since the inception of the first school in the county. Over the past 15 years, the Library Media Services Department has made a deliberate attempt to collect, preserve, and archive the history of LPS and make various items available to the staff and also the public.

If you are interested in Nebraska history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Snow Sledding

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback is from the Nebraska Children’s Home Society collection on the Nebraska Memories archive. NCHS founders had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family. The agency has never charged fees for adoption services, and still today relies primarily on private donations to fund its services.

Want to see more Nebraska history? Check out all the collections on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Charles B. Washington

For this week’s #ThrowbackThursday, Nebraska Memories celebrates Nebraska’s own civil rights activist, Charles B. Washington.

From Omaha, Nebraska, Charles B. Washington was a journalist, mentor, and activist. He is known for his work in the North Omaha area. On September 14, 1986, the North Branch of the Omaha Public Library was renamed after him.

This photo is provided and owned by the Omaha Public Library. The items from Omaha Public Library in Nebraska Memories include early Omaha-related maps dating from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,000 postcards and photographs of the Omaha area. Also included is the Charles B. Washington Collection, comprising items relating to his life.

Check out the items in this collection and more on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Len Franklin

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback is an 8″x10″ glass plate negative from the Townsend Studio collection on the Nebraska Memories archive. Townsend Studio has been in continuous operation since it was founded in 1888 by Timothy Townsend with his sons, Alva C. and Charles. In 1970, James N. Clark purchased the studio and today it is run by his son, Bradford J. Clark.

The collection includes glass plate and acetate negatives of early Lincoln an early residents including General John J. Pershing, William Jennings Bryan and Mari Sandoz. Images also include University of Nebraska and high school sports teams, state governors and Lincoln mayors.

Are you interested in Nebraska history? If so, check out all the collections on the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Breakneck Hill

It’s the first #ThrowbackThursday of the new year!

Southeast of Crawford, Nebraska, a dirt road snakes its way down a steep and rugged hill called Breakneck Hill. The rural road this hill is located on was a primary road for farmers and ranchers in the area. The road still exists today.

This 5″x7″ black and white photograph is owned by the Crawford Historical Society and Museum. The Crawford Historical Society and Museum, in partnership with the Crawford Public Library, digitized a number of images of the Crawford area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The collection includes portraits of Crawford residents, photographs of local businesses, and souvenir postcards. Check out more materials in this collection on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Omaha Community Playhouse

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week’s #throwback features an 8.5″ x 11″ black and white glossy photograph of the east side of the Omaha Community Playhouse in 1976.

From 1928 until 1959, the Omaha Community Playhouse occupied a building at 40th & Davenport. In 1959, it moved to a bigger and newly-constructed building at 69th and Cass, where it currently resides. The theater was renovated after a tornado hit in 1975. The renovations resulted in a second story and new glass-fronted lobby.

This image is provided and owned by the Omaha Community Playhouse. Their collection includes digitized images of the Playhouse and some of its performances. Some of the actors included in these images are Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, and Dorothy McGuire. Check out this collection on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in this project, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: “A Christmas Carol”

Christmas is right around the corner and we thought this photograph was perfect for this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

The Omaha Community Playhouse put on its first production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in 1976. The novella was adapted for the stage by Charles Jones, one of the Playhouse’s directors.

This color photograph from the late 1970s or early 1980s is provided and owned by the Omaha Community Playhouse. The Omaha Community Playhouse collection includes digitized images of the Playhouse and some of its performances. Some of the actors included in these images are Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, and Dorothy McGuire.

Check out this collection and many more on the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Immanuel Children’s Home at Christmas

It’s time for another Christmas themed #throwback!

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday is a black and white photograph that was taken during the Christmas season at the Immanuel Deaconess Institute’s Children’s Home.

This image is owned and published by the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center. The rich and well documented history of Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska is shown in these images of early buildings, people and artifacts. An archive of thousands of photos, papers and items has been maintained for over 120 years, carefully stored and currently housed at the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center campus.

Are you interested in Nebraska history? If so, check out the Nebraska Memories archive!

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Christmas Wish

We’re getting into the Christmas spirit with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

The young girl in this photo was a resident at the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Her wish was for a family before Christmas and her wish was granted as she was adopted a week before the holiday.

This 3-3/4″ x 5-3/4″ black and white photograph is published and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. The NCHS was chartered September 1, 1893 by founders who had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family.

If you’re interested in seeing more Nebraska history, check out the Nebraska Memories archive.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Dinner Time

Happy Thanksgiving from NLC! We’re celebrating the holiday with a #ThrowbackThursday!

We’re headed back to the 1950s with today’s #throwback. This image shows several women preparing food in the kitchen of the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Many women volunteered on a regular basis.

This black and white photo is provided and owned by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society. Founders of the NCHS had a vision for a better future and believed that every child deserved a family. The agency has never charged fees for adoptions services, and still today relies primarily on private donations to fund its services.

Are you interested in Nebraska history? Check out the Nebraska Memories archive to see many more historical images digitized from photographs, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books, and other materials.

Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. The Nebraska Memories archive is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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