Nebraska History Podcast

Podcast description: Fort Robinson in northwest Nebraska once served as a World War II prisoner of war camp. One of the war’s best-kept secrets was a special program meant to denazify German soldiers, implemented at camps across the country, including Fort Robinson. This episode explores this secret program through the 2005 Nebraska History Magazine article, “Still the Old Marlene: Hollywood at th...

The trial of Mary Sheedy and alleged co-conspirator “Monday” McFarland for the murder of Mary’s husband, John Sheedy, caused an uproar. How could a middle-class woman of the Victorian Era commit adultery and murder in Lincoln, Nebraska We return to the scene of the crime in this 2001 Nebraska History Magazine article titled “ The Great Sheedy Murder Trial and the Booster Ethos of the Gilded Age in...

It was a plague of biblical proportions. Swarms of locusts assaulted crops, tools, and clothing. The events not only devastated farmers but also foreshadowed today’s expectations about the government’s role in responding to natural disasters. Today, we dive into the 2008 Nebraska History Magazine article, “Grasshoppered: America’s Response to the 1874 Rocky Mountain Locust Invasion,” written byAle...

Horse racing was a popular sport in the American West. As preparations for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago were being made, it was suggested that a grand horse race from the West to Chicago should take place. In this episode, we explore the planning, promotion, opposition, and story of the actual race itself through the 1972 Nebraska History Magazine article, " The Chadron-Chicago 1,...

Traveling shows were an extremely popular form of entertainment in the 20th century. In Nebraska, one man started a show that became one of the state's most popular productions. In this episode, explore the history of that show through a 2017 Nebraska History Magazine article titled " Walter Savidge Amusement Company " by Rebecca Buller.

Radio has always played a role in connecting people. Early homemaker radio programs, like Mary Moore Homemaker on WJAG in Norfolk, focused on providing content and support for the women in their listening areas. In this episode of the Nebraska History Podcast, we explore radio's impact in connecting with and influencing women in Nebraska through the 2019 Nebraska History Magazine article, &quo...

World War I unexpectedly triggered an agricultural boom in Nebraska, leading to the rise of a fascinating and intensive potash industry. This episode explores the impact of this boom on the state, from the rapid growth of new communities to the development of cutting-edge (and sometimes flawed) technologies used to extract this valuable resource. Join us as we share Richard E. Jensen's insight...

What did Crazy Horse look like? This Oglala Lakota leader's image has been the subject of much debate, as no confirmed photograph exists. Today, we explore the circumstances that prevented a photo from being taken and share firsthand accounts of his appearance through Randy Kane's 2018 article in Nebraska History Magazine, "What Did Crazy Horse Look Like?"

Grover Cleveland Alexander, a Hall of Fame pitcher from Elba, Nebraska, achieved legendary status in baseball but faced significant personal setbacks. Despite his remarkable baseball career, marked by National League records and a World Series championship, Alexander's life was also defined by struggles with alcoholism and health issues. We explore the contrast between his professional success...

In this episode, we travel back to 1935, to a time when the Republican River transformed from a gentle stream into a raging force of nature. Join us as we explore the devastating flood that swept through the Republican River Valley, claiming 113 lives and reshaping the landscape of recovery and federal intervention in American life. We learn more through the 2016 Nebraska History Magazine article,...

Join us as we explore the life of Susan LaFlesche Picotte, Nebraska’s first Native American physician, who served the Omaha tribe from 1865 to 1915. Author Valerie Sherer Mathes explores Picotte's pioneering medical career and advocacy for her community's rights. Discover how Picotte transformed healthcare and fought for justice. This article was originally published in a 1982 issue of Neb...

The Nebraska statehood struggle revealed the significance of national Reconstruction policy on the level of local frontier politics. Nebraska's admission marked the first time Congress forced a "condition" upon a new state requiring it to acknowledge its power to set voting qualifications. In this episode, we dive deeper into the struggles of Nebraska's statehood through the 1988 Nebraska History...

Frederick Douglass, one of the most renowned leaders of the abolitionist movement, had an adopted sister, Ruth Cox Adams, who later lived in Nebraska. Her experiences may have influenced Douglass’s belief that the full liberation of Black Americans required the political empowerment of women. This episode explores this relationship through the 2010 Nebraska History Magazine article, " Always...

Senator George Norris championed the unicameral legislature during the 1920s and 1930s, arguing for its advantages over the two-house system. In this episode, we explore Senator Norris's efforts to establish the unicameral in Nebraska in the 1964 Nebraska History Magazine article " George W. Norris: The Unicameral Legislature and the Progressive Ideal " by Robert F. Wesser.

On December 18, 1900, Pat Crowe and an associate kidnapped fifteen-year-old Edward A. Cudahy, Jr., son of a wealthy Omaha meat packer, and held him for $25,000 ransom. Since kidnapping had been an infrequent crime, Nebraska had no kidnapping statute. Because of this, Crowe was tried and acquitted on other charges. Although many professed outrage at the verdicts, Crowe had become something of a fol...

The Air Mail Service began between Washington D.C. and New York City in 1918. As a coast-to-coast service was being developed, Nebraska would become a key player in its completion. In this episode, we explore the early history of the Air Mail Service through the 2018 article, “Trail Above the Plains: Flying Airmail through Nebraska from 1920 to 1930 by Kathleen Alonso.

Many Christmas activities and unique holiday customs developed in Omaha in the 1850s. By 1980, beautiful downtown store window displays had disappeared, but a strong tradition of charitable work has endured for over a century. This look back at the history of Christmas in Omaha comes from the 1987 Nebraska History Magazine article, " Sales, Santa, and Good Fellows: Celebrating Christmas in Omaha ,...

Winters in Nebraska are hard to predict. Some bring seasonal weather with hardly a drop of precipitation, while others can bring snow storms threatening life and property. During the winter of 1948 and 49, Nebraskans learned to adapt and survive one of the worst seasons in Nebraska history. In this episode, we take a comprehensive, in-depth look at the impact of that winter through the 2002 articl...

Explorers and fur traders occasionally tested the shallow Platte's navigability in the nineteenth century. How many succeeded? What did they carry? Why did they stop? Railroads eventually made most river traffic obsolete, and the Platte served primarily as a source of irrigation water for crops. But there's more to the story. This episode is from Lawrence Allin's 1982 Nebraska History Magazine art...

Hastings, which had welcomed 20,000 people in a peaceful celebration of its history in 1939, had become a community in which residents called one another names in the local newspaper in 1942. The Naval Ammunition Depot built during the ensuing years caused the relatively insular community to suddenly accommodate a huge increase in population, which brought with it diverse social and ethnic groups...

The dream was of a great city in Nebraska—the future gateway to the entire American West. It would be the largest, most important urban center between Chicago and San Francisco. The dreamer was Dr. John Evans, a Chicago real estate tycoon and the namesake of Evanston, Illinois. Evans believed he had the vision and experience to make Oreapolis succeed. He failed. This episode is from the article "O...

In 1930, a daring heist rocked the heart of Lincoln, Nebraska, and became the biggest bank heist in U.S. history for over two decades. Six unmasked robbers, taking advantage of an unguarded bank, walked away with a staggering two and a half million dollars. The audacious crime sent shockwaves through the community and law enforcement agencies alike. Despite arrests and the recovery of some stolen...

As the US Army moved westward, military forts had to find ways to be more self-sufficient. This was the case at Fort Atkinson, Nebraska, among other locations nationwide. Their success varied, however, and officials expressed conflicting opinions about the appropriateness of soldiers spending their time farming. This episode is from the article, " To Plow, To Sow, To Reap, to Mow: The US Army...

In 2009, Michael Oriard’s book, “Bowled Over,” examined the effects of politics and social change on big-time college football during the past fifty years. The author of this episode’s 2010 article, Russ Crawford, investigates the issues of race, power, and money in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s storied football program. This episode features the 2010 Nebraska History Magazine article, &quo...

Lured by Marlon Brando's mother, actor Henry Fonda got his start at the Omaha Community Playhouse in 1925. Fonda maintained close ties with the Playhouse after his rise to stardom, and in time, his children Jane and Peter made their theatrical debuts there, too. Author Leo Adam Biga joins Chris Goforth to discuss his article and the significant relationship between the Fondas and their home st...