Original wooden road marker for Fort Kearney Crossing. The dates on the front are 1848, 1871. The marker was installed in 1910 and found years later. The dates on the front mark when the trail to Fort Kearney crossed the Platte River from 1848-1871 on the Overland-Oregon Trail, and there are visible bullet holes. Don received the marker as a birthday present c. 1996. It was found in the 1950s by amateur archaeologist Merwyn Henderson. This web article has a much more detailed history of the artifact: http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/local/history-buffs-solve--year-old-mystery/article_25afb46a-ebfc-11e0-9a0e-001cc4c002e0.html Don Dingman has this important information to include: There were three crossing points on the Platte River. All of these crossing points were, and still are, located in Buffalo County, Nebraska. There were two crossing points on the north side of the river, and one on the south side at the ferry crossing point on the Oregon Trail where this marker was placed. The Soldier's Free Homestead Association of Gibbon, Nebraska (a.k.a. the Old Settler's Association) was a Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) group of civil war soldiers. They first came to Buffalo County in 1871 on a train with the purpose of homesteading land there. In the following years, they would meet on the grounds of Fort Kearney for picnics and reunions (see attached PDF photos). In 1906, this group organized into the Fort Kearney National Park Association with the goal of having their beloved fort declared a national part. At that time they decided to have an annual three-day reunion and gain political support for their idea with their representatives in Washington D.C. The group wanted to place large, granite markers on the three crossing points and also honor General Carrington. Carrington had done a complete survey of the islands and the crossing route in 1866. He was still alive in 1910 and had planned to be at the reunion that same year. Sadly, his health was failing and he was unable to attend. Two years later, General Carrington died in 1912. The group had a vision of Fort Kearney and the surrounding area eventually being a national park with many stone monuments and markers to tell the history and stories of Fort Kearney and the Oregon Trail. In August 1910 came the reunion at the fort and it was a marked success. They named the reunion "Camp Carrington." Over 500 people camped at the old fort and there were four to five thousand visitors including the Governor of Nebraska and a Nebraska Congressman. Originally, the marker was meant to be dedicated and placed on Thursday afternoon (August 25, 1910), but was moved to Thursday morning due to some train schedule mix ups with the ceremony's scheduled speakers. The Fort Kearney National Park Association did not have the funds to purchase a stone marker so a temporary one was placed instead. The marker was dedicated by the Women's Relief Corp (WRC) to the women that crossed the Platte River at that point on the Oregon Trail. Don Dingman also adds: For the GAR to place a marker on any western trail is extremely rare. Unfortunately the effort in Washington failed that year and the group ended along with its cause.
University of Nebraska at Kearney (Images)
Letter to Kathleen Fleming from Kermit Fleming, May 17, 1945
A melancholy letter from Kermit Fleming, stationed in Italy in 1945 to his sister, Kathleen Fleming. Kermit claims "the war is over." He describes staying in a barren hotel with only cots and some electric lights. Throughout the letter, he expresses longing for home, family, and friends. He is surprised to hear that Kathleen is working and paying income tax, and he is paid $50 per month. He also responds to previous letters from Kathleen and says "if I never hear another gun go off, I'll be happy." At the end, Kermit describes a new battalion doctor, Abe Fellman, from Omaha.
Cathy Maasdam, Lincoln History Harvest, 2014
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Envelope addressed to Miss Kathleen Fleming
This envelope is addressed to Kathleen Fleming, Cathy Maasdam's mother, who was living in Omaha, Nebraska. It is from Kermit Fleming, Kathleen's brother, who was stationed in Italy at the end of World War 2. This envelope was stamped on May 18, 1945. This item was contributed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln spring 2014 History Harvest.
The first side of this artifact is a letter from the Klopp & Bartlett Company encouraging the recipient to purchase supplies from Klopp and Bartlett, a Nebraska company. On the second side of Klopp & Bartlett Co. letter is a list of incomes for the following items: - rye ($281.71; 1897 - 1909) - oat ($143.59; 1899 - 1918) - hay ($690.87; 1897 - 1917) - straw ($18.42; 1897 - 1898) - wheat ($11.167.13; 1890 - 1918) - corn ($8.356.63; 1890 - 1918) - pigs ($10.145.59; 1890 - 1918) - cattle ($4.256.70; 1891 - 1918) - horses ($1.066.40; 1890 - 1917) - potatoes ($27; 1890 - 1918)
Patricia Stogdill; Wilber Czech History Harvest, 2016
Historic Kearney Nebraska Hotel, Postcard
Postcard depicting the view of Kearney from Ft. Kearney Hotel.
Wooden walking cane that has a hidden, detachable knife at the top. L.D. Powers, local Buffalo County enthusiast, carved the cane in January 1939. See associated article for further information.
Chautauqua Tent and attendees in Minden, Nebraska.
Photograph of "Chautauqua System" tent taken in Minden, NE. by L.E. Partridge with spectators. Man is paying admission with small dog at receipt gate. Dates hand-written on photo indicate Aug. 22-30, unspecified year.
Chautauqua, Minden, Nebraska, L.E. Partridge
Letter from Chase E. Dibble to a Military Officer at Fort Kearney, Nebraska Territory, October 17, 1866
This handwritten letter was sent from Lieutenant Chase E. Dibble to Captain James P.V. Niell at Fort Kearney, Nebraska on October 17th, 1866 regarding receipts for Quarter Master's property. The letter predates Nebraska's statehood, and was contributed at the spring 2014 University of Nebraska-Kearney History Harvest.
Steve Rothenberger, University of Nebraska-Kearney History Harvest, 2014
"Who? What? When? Where?" Article about The Grand Grocery
An article from the Lincoln Journal-Star describing the Grand Grocery, one of Lincoln's first retail food centers. It was built in 1872 on the corner of 10th and P streets and was purchased by Marian and Henry Stier in 1935.
Jim & Annette Stier, Lincoln Germans History Harvest 2014
"Who? What? When? Where?" Article about Russian Germans
A brief description on the immigration of Germans from Russia to Lincoln, NE. Mentions Hattie Plum William''s "A Social Study of the Russian German" and lists where they settled in Lincoln, NE.