Tag Archives: Nebraska Memories

Throwback Thusrday: On the Roundup

We’ve rounded up another #ThrowbackThursday for you!

This week’s photographic postcard was taken around 1913 and is provided by the Nebraska Library Commission.

See more Nebraska-related materials 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: Stinard Falls

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week we have a 14 x 9 cm color postcard of Stinard Falls near Valentine, Nebraska.

This photo is provided by Omaha Public Library. The items from Omaha Public Library in Nebraska Memories include early Omaha-related maps dating back from 1825 to 1922, as well as over 1,100 postcards and photographs in the Omaha area. The Omaha Postcard Collections show scenes of Omaha, spanning a time period from the 1890s to the 1920s.

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

It’s off to the races with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This 3″ x 5″ acetate negative photograph is owned by the Thorpe Opera House Foundation. It is part of the Boston Studio Project collection.

Want to see more of Nebraska’s 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: Fire Escape

Check out what we found on the Nebraska Memories archive!

This week’s #ThrowbackThursday features a 4-1/2″ x 3″ black and white photograph of Havelock Central Elementary School during the 1950’s. Pictured is a large tubular structure attached to the building that was used as a fire escape.

This picture is provided and owned by Lincoln Public Schools. Historical materials related to the Lincoln Public Schools have been collected and saved in some form and 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. This collection of school building photographs is the beginning of what hopes to be a growing and evolving digital collection.

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: Fourth of July on Adams Ranch

Happy 4th of July! Let’s celebrate with a #ThrowbackThursday!

This 9-1/2″ x 3-3/4″ panoramic black and white photo shows a large group of men, women and children gathered together at Adams Ranch in Brownson to celebrate the 4th of July in 1904.

This photo is part of the Cheyenne County Historical Society and Museum collection on the Nebraska Memories archive. Cheyenne County Historical Society and Museum, located in Sidney, worked with the Nebraska Library Commission to digitize items from their collection of historical photographs representing people and places of Sidney, Fort Sidney, Potter, Dalton and other communities and sites in the county. Images in this collection include photographs showing business districts in the heart of these towns, troops stationed at the fort, and William Jennings Bryan speaking at Cheyenne County Court House.

Interested in Nebraska History? Explore 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: Prince Wilhelm of Sweden

We’ve got a royal #ThrowbackThursday for you!

This black and white photo was taken on May 12, 1927. It shows Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (front left) during his visit to the Immanuel Deaconess Institute. Those pictured with him are other Swedish dignitaries, people connected with the institute, and detectives.

This photo is part of the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center collection on the Nebraska Memories archive. The rich and well documented history of Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska is shown in these images of the early buildings, people and artifacts.

Interested in Nebraska history? Check out 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. 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: Lincoln Statue

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week, we have an 8″x10″ glass plate negative of the bronze statue that sits outside of the Nebraska State Capitol building. Shown in profile, this statue of Abraham Lincoln stands on a granite pedestal and behind it, carved into the granite wall, is the Gettysburg Address.

This statue was dedicated in a ceremony on September 12, 1912 and predates the current capitol building. The statue is located on the west side of the building.

This photo is part of the Townsend Studio collection on the Nebraska Memories archive. The studio holds a collection of glass plate and acetate negatives of early Lincoln and early residents.

Interested in Nebraska history? Find out more about this photo in 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: Baseball Game

The College World Series kicks off this weekend and we’re celebrating with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

This week’s black and white photograph is provided and owned by History Nebraska. Check out more digitized content from 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: Chief James Red Cloud

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This 8″x10″ glass plate negative is from 1934. It features Chief Red Cloud’s grandson James as he stands on steps of Nebraska’s State Capitol. He is pictured wearing beaded clothing and a full feather headdress.

This picture is part of the Townsend Studio collection. Check out materials in 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: Bookmobile at School District 32

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories!

This week we have a 4-1/8″ x 2-1/2″ black and white photograph of the Nebraska Public Library Commission’s bookmobile from 1937.

This picture is provided and owned by the Nebraska Library Commission. The collection includes materials on the history of libraries in the state of Nebraska, mainly libraries built with Carnegie grants. This collection  also includes items showcasing the history of Nebraska’s state institutions.

Interested in Nebraska history? Find out more about this photo in 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: Florence School Bus

Happy #ThrowbackThursday from Nebraska Memories.

As children all over Nebraska are finishing up the school year we thought this throwback to 1931 was perfect. School buses have changed a little in the last 87 years.

This photograph was taken in front of the old Florence Elementary School at 8516 N. 31st Street by Dorothy Edwards, a teacher at the school. The Florence School bus was owned and driven by Sam Smith, shown standing just inside the door at the front of the wagon. The boy in the center carrying a book is Sammy Smith Jr., son of the driver. The tall boy on the far right, also carrying a book, is Billy Gale. His sister, Vivian Gale (Gast) is the curly-haired girl in the back row. Mrs. Gast stated that she and her brother had red hair. Mrs. Gast also stated the bus was painted a dark green with red trim; the door was yellow. The street where this picture was taken is still unpaved. The old Florence school was closed and torn down in the mid 1960s. It was replaced by the current Florence Elementary on N. 36th Street.

Historical materials relating directly to the Omaha Public Schools have been located in various departments and school buildings. Many schools still maintain their own collections. In 2003, staff from the Educational Research Library / Library Services received a small grant to begin collecting and organizing these materials in a central location. This group of pictures and their accompanying stories is but a tiny part of the District’s over 150 year history.

Interested in Nebraska history? Find out more about this photo in 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: Football game near Old Main

Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s celebrate with a 1907 Thanksgiving #ThrowbackThursday!

Football game near Old Main

Back in 1907, fans and spectators gathered to watch Nebraska State Normal School (NSNS) at Kearney play Doane College in a Thanksgiving day football game. In this 5-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ black and white postcard, we can see the two football teams facing off, a group of spectators standing against a tall wooden plank fence, and in the background, the NSNS Administration Building. Written at the bottom of the card is: “Doan Colage and Kearney State Normal, Thanksgiving ’07 By SD Butcher & Son”.

Interested in Nebraska history? Find out more about this photo in the Nebraska Memories archive! Photo provided by the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Archives, Calvin T. Ryan Library located in Nebraska Memories.

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: Old Style Threshing Outfit

It’s a tribute to the harvest season with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday!

Old style threshing outfit, Nebraska

This week we have a 1907-1917 black and white photograph on a postcard. It depicts a group of men threshing wheat with horses attached to a threshing machine as they walk in a circle. In the background is a stack of hay or wheat and more men. Information printed on item: 567 Old Style Threshing Outfit, Nebraska.

Are you interested in Nebraska’s history? Find out more about this photo in the Nebraska Memories archive! Photo provided by the Nebraska State Historical Society located in Nebraska Memories.

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: Nebraska Veterans

NLC is proud to honor Nebraska’s many Veterans with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday.

Lieutenant M.J. Coulter bomber crew group This week we have an 8″x10″ glass plate negative of Lieutenant M.J. Coulter and bomber crew, taken December 6th, 1943. Identified in the photograph are M. Coulter, standing second from the left; W.H. Field, bottom row right and R.D. Espana, bottom row center.

Are you interested in Nebraska’s military history? Find out more about this photo and other military items in the Nebraska Memories archive! Photo provided by the Townsend Studio collection located in Nebraska Memories.

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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Looking at the Postmarks

Hanson's Cafe, Omaha, Neb. There are over 1,000 postcards in Nebraska Memories and many of them include images of both the front and backs of the cards. I’ve always found it entertaining to read the messages written on the postcards. It wasn’t until the past year or so that I started to really pay attention to the postmarks on the cards. I’ve always looked at the postmark to see what year the card was sent but the postmarks can provide additional information.

Let’s start with the basics first. Most, if not all of the postmarks that I’ve looked at in Nebraska Memories include the day, month, year and time of day along with the name of the town. The postmark above is on the back of a postcard of the Hanson’s Café. You can see that it was postmarked on July 13, 1909 at 12 midnight. This card was sent from South Omaha, Nebraska. In 1909, SouthPost office, South Omaha, Neb. Omaha was its own town. South Omaha was annexed by Omaha in 1915. On a side note, I always like it when I can connect unrelated items in Nebraska Memories to each other. In this case, there is a postcard of the South Omaha Post Office in the collection. The post office building was completed in 1899 so it’s possible that the postcard of Hanson’s Café passed through that building. The post office building is still being used as a post office today.

Omaha Boulevard, South West, Omaha, Nebraska Some postmarks contain more information. The image on the left is the postmark on the back of the Omaha Boulevard, South West, Omaha, Nebraska card. Do you see where it says Union Depot Postal Site? I think the last word is “site” it is hard to read. I’m assuming that means the card was cancelled at the Union Depot.

State Capitol, night scene, Lincoln, Nebr. This postcard of the state capitol at night was postmarked On Mary 14, 1912 at Station C in Lincoln. I know Station C doesn’t mean a lot on its own but I checked a few of my favorite research sources and found just what I was looking for in the 1918 Lincoln City Directory. 1918 Lincoln City DirectoryPage 49 in the book provides a wealth of information about the post offices in Lincoln. The book provides the location of the main Lincoln post office plus the locations of stations A, B, C and 1-7. According to this information, Station C was located at 716 N 27th street. That’s about at the corner of 27th and Vine Street.

Scribner High School, Scribner, Neb. Another interesting postmark I ran across was the received postmark. It appears that some items were marked as received when they reached their destination. I was curious to see how long it took a postcard to reach its destination in the late 1900’s so Post Headquarters and barracks, Fort Crook, Neb.I put together the chart below. It shows the date, time and location of both postmarks. For the last column, I wanted a general idea of the distance between the two locations so I used a map to find the shortest distance. I was surprised to see how quickly the cards reached their destination. (Click on the town names listed in the Mailed From column to see the postcards.)

Mailed From Postmark Sent Mailed To Postmark Received Miles between
Hastings Feb 24, 1908 at midnight Kearney Feb 24, 1908 at 6:00 AM 57
Lincoln Feb 21, 1908 at 8:00 AM Hastings Feb 21, 1908 at 4:00 PM 108
Lincoln Sep 10, 1907 at 8:00 AM Moulton, IA Sep 11, 1907 at 7:00 AM 282
Omaha Feb 12, 1907 at 4:30 PM Corning, IA Feb 13, 1907 at 7:00 AM 80
Omaha May 13, 1905 at 7:00 AM Union City, MI May 15, 1905 at 8:00 AM 623
Omaha Apr 16, 1908 at 7:30 PM Woodbridge, NJ April 18, 1908 at 2:30 PM 1,251
Scottsbluff Jun 23, 1906 at 5:00 PM Omaha Jun 24, 1906 at 7:00 AM 451
Scribner Aug 16, 1907 at 8:00 AM Ansley Aug 17, 1907 at 7:00 AM 170

Grand Island, Nebraska The last type of postmark I want to highlight is the RPO postmark. RPO stands for Railway Post Office. I didn’t know anything about RPO until I started doing some research for this blog post. I learned that mail clerks road on the train and sorted the mail as they went and it was a dangerous job. If you would like to know more about railway mail service, the Smithsonian provides a great history of the service.

Residence of Colonel W. F. Cody, (Buffalo Bill) North Platte, Neb. There are two postcards in Nebraska Memories that have RPO postmarks. They are both for the Omaha & Ogden (Utah) route. The postmarks contain the date and time information along with one unique piece of information. The postmarks also include the train number. An article in the Jan 1909 edition of the Omaha BeeJan 1909 edition of the Omaha Bee talks about how the increase in mail required more clerks on the railroad lines west of the Missouri river. To the left is first paragraph of the article that talks about the Omaha & Ogden route.

I hope you enjoyed learning about a few of the different postmarks. Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, 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. Nebraska Memories 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, contact Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.

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Throwback Thursday: 1951 Halloween Party

1951 Halloween party, Nebraska Children's Home Society

NLC is getting all geared up for Halloween with this week’s #ThrowbackThursday! Photograph of children and teenagers at a Halloween party for the Nebraska Children’s Home Society in 1951.

Photo provided by the Nebraska Children’s Home Society collection located in Nebraska Memories.

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 Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information.

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Throwback Thursday: Omaha Boulevard, South West, Omaha, Nebraska.

Picture postcard of Omaha Boulevard, South West, Omaha, Nebraska.  Approximate date the early 1900s.

 

Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, 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. Nebraska Memories 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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Caring for the Children

Nebraska Memories Archive: Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital

If you lived in a small rural town in the early 1900s, would you expect your local physician to be able to handle a case of Pott’s disease or a cleft palate? In 1905, the Nebraska Legislature believed children with deformities needed extra help and funded what was first known as the Nebraska State Hospital for Crippled, Ruptured and Deformed Children but soon became the Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital. As reported in the Biennial Report of The Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital for the period ending November 30, 1908, the hospital was established “by act of the Legislature … to provide hospital care for the crippled and deformed of this state who by such hospital treatment might be converted from wards of the municipalities or counties from which they came into individuals who in one way or another might become self-sustaining and independent.” As further biennial reports show, the patients were not all children.

Half of the $10,000 budget for the first year was used to remodel the boys’ dormitory on the campus of the Home for the Friendless. The hospital then opened for patients on October 1, 1905. The first year’s report to the governor, while describing its work with 106 patients, outlines the problems of not having a newly built hospital with all the facilities needed to treat and rehabilitate patients.

In 1908, the Lincoln City Directory lists the hospital’s address as 2129 S. 11th Street and directs visitors to take the S. 10th Street streetcar. No matter how patients arrived, they came from all parts of the state, including Sioux County in the farthest northwest corner.

Over the next few years, the hospital took over additional buildings on the campus and extensions to the buildings were added, like the sleeping porches at right. Fresh air was considered important in recuperation, and without air conditioning, sleeping quarters with as many windows as possible made things more comfortable. As a number of the patients stayed for an extended period of time, various services needed to be provided such as a teacher to school classes and a gymnasium for physical training.

By 1915, the hospital had its new building (shown at left) at 1041 South Street, a block away from the old one. According to the biennial report of 1916, this building included “new and modern office rooms, library, reception rooms, dining rooms, school rooms, laboratory, surgical department complete, and three wards with a capacity of forty beds. … the different floors communicate by inclines instead of stairways.” But the report also includes recommendations for further updates of the other buildings.

The State Library Commission was in charge of furnishing the new library at right, as well as stocking it with materials and supervising it. The library served both patients and employees. Students of the nursing school established at the hospital would have found many useful materials here. The school started in 1906, provided two years of training, following which some graduates went on to study for higher degrees. The students provided extra help with nursing duties and probably cut down on salaries that would have been paid to full-time staff.

The children’s ward at left looks rather spartan but was probably very easy to keep clean. Patients didn’t necessarily stay in the wards all the time. In addition to fresh air, the doctor’s also promoted the benefits of sunshine and activity. Vocational training was encouraged for those who could manage it. Visitors were permitted for a few hours every day. And the entertainment was provided, especially in later years. For example, in the 1950s, Jock Mahoney, an actor, stuntman, and former stepfather of actress Sally Field, visited with patients in the hospital.

The hospital continued to add buildings and make improvements over the years. In the 1920s a cottage was built for the superintendent, and a separate dormitory was built for the nurses. A dental department was added and the physiotherapy equipment expanded in the 1930s.

Although the hospital admitted and treated 1,587 patients in the 1970-1971 biennium, the 1971 Legislature decided to accept the recommendation of a 1968 study which said the hospital should be closed.

Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, 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. Nebraska Memories 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, contact Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.

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