Fort Kearney Marker
subject: Wooden Post Marker
description: 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 u…
creator: Kearney, Nebraska
source: Don Dingman
source: Merwyn Henderson (1989)
date: 1848-1871
date: 1910
date: 06/20/2015
date: 1950s
contributor: April White
contributor: Dr. Thomas Kiffmeyer
rights: Don Dingman
rights: University of Nebraska at Kearney (Images)
relation: http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/local/history-buffs-solve--year-old-mystery/article_25afb46a-ebfc-11e0-9a0e-001cc4c002e0.html
relation: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/markers/texts/old_ft_kearny_road.htm
relation: http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/39434712/
format: JPEG
format: Wooden Board
language: English
coverage: Kearney, Nebraska
coverage: Buffalo County, Nebraska
coverage: Platte River
coverage: Fort Kearney, Nebraska

Elephant Day Postcard
subject: Elephant Day Parade, Kearney, Nebraska.
description: Black and white postcard of an elephant parade in Kearney, Nebraska. Photograph taken by Solomon D. Butcher of S. D. Butcher & Son Photography Studio.
creator: S.D. Butcher & Son
source: Don Dingman
source: S. D. Butcher & Son
publisher: S. D. Butcher & Son
date: February 2, 1910
date: 06/20/2015
contributor: April White
contributor: Rob Foresman
contributor: Dr. Jinny Turman (scans)
rights: Don Dingman
rights: University of Nebraska at Kearney (Images)
relation: http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.art.008
format: JPEG
format: Postcard
language: English
coverage: Kearney, Nebraska

State Normal School
subject: Historic Kearney Postcards, State Normal School
description: Postcard showing the State Normal School of Kearney, Nebraska, c. 1910. The State Normal School opened in 1905 and is now the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The postcard is addressed to Mr. Lon Caldwell of Elgin, Nebraska.
source: Steve Rothenberger
date: 1910
date: 06/20/2015
contributor: April White
contributor: Rob Foresman
contributor: Dr. Jinny Turman (scans)
rights: Steve Rothenberger
rights: University of Nebraska at Kearney (Images)
relation: http://www.unk.edu/about/history.php
format: Postcard
format: JPEG
language: English
coverage: Kearney, Nebraska
coverage: Elgin, Nebraska

Central Avenue Postcard
subject: Central Avenue in Kearney, Nebraska Historic Postcards
description: Postcard showing downtown Kearney, Nebraska c. 1910. It is addressed to Miss Violet Peterson of Funk, Nebraska
source: Steve Rothenberger
date: 1910
date: 06/20/2015
contributor: April White
contributor: Rob Foresman
contributor: Dr. Jinny Turman (scans)
rights: Steve Rothenberger
rights: University of Nebraska at Kearney (Images)
relation: http://downtownkearney.com/photos/historic-preservation/
format: Postcard
format: JPEG
language: English
coverage: Kearney, Nebraska
coverage: Funk, Nebraska