The Board members for History Nebraska Foundation is made of up several people who have served on the Nebraska Historical Society Board and community leaders. As mentioned before, the Foundation was started in 2020 and has been quite success in it's first year. During it's first year it has provided nearly $100,000 in support for History Nebraska projects and initiatives which include:
•$11,500 in sponsorships for the Bison Exhibit at NHM
•$500 for Historical Markers
•Nearly $60,000 to support employee learning and recognition initiatives, community outreach, strategic communications and more.
Recently they submitted a grant request for $478,500 for American Rescue Plan Act which would allow History Nebraska to install a commercial kitchen in the NHM building.
Some of Nebraska's Historical Sites are:
•Chimney Rock National Historic Site, Bayard (left above)
•Fort Robinson, Crawford
•George W. Norris House, McCook
•Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center, Omaha
•John G. Neihardt State Historic Site, Bancroft
•Nebraska History Museum, Lincoln
•Neligh Mill, Neligh
•Thomas P. Kennard House & Nebraska Statehood Memorial, Lincoln (above next to Chimney Rock)
•More than 600 historical markers across the state
Nebraska has many historical sites to visit and learn more about the history of Nebraska.
Services and Responsibilities:
The History Nebraska Foundation helps educate audiences through interactive programming. They produce printed and online educational material. Help preserve the state archives and collections of rare manuscripts, photographs, objects, and newspapers from communities across the state. They help provide research assistance to professional historians, genealogists, students and the public. They help property owners, communities, and local governments as they preserve historic buildings. When help in preserving historic buildings, they also work these people to get the tax credit that they deserve. A good example where they conserve and restore fragile and damaged objects, paper, and paintings is the Gerald Ford home located in Omaha, NE. They also help with these same items for museums and individuals. They work hard to discover and interpret a lot of Nebraska's rich archeological heritage.
Exciting Initiatives:
The History Nebraska Foundation has completed a full inventory of Historical Markers and have either worked on the damage ones or replaced them. They are looking at identified gaps in the historical markers. If anyone knows where new markers on sports, arts (musical, theater, etc.), Native American perspectives, Civil Rights or 20th century immigration/refugee movements, they can go online and get an application fill it out because they are currently accepting these applications for new markers.
During 2020 many of their workers was working to do digitization of records because of COVID, they were able to get more than 13 million records digitized in 18 months. A program called Preservica allows access online from anywhere to get these digitized records.
Below are few of the Capital Projects that they are working on today:
•Kennard House - they want to put back the addition that was originally on the house and allow individuals to use it as a meeting place. The addition would serve as a conference room.
•History Nebraska Museum - put in a kitchen that would show how food comes from our agriculture in the state and have a display of some of the very old machinery used years ago to produce that food.
•Ford Center - restoring some of the paintings in the home.
•Neligh Mill - At the Neligh Mill they want to be able show school children just how the old mill turned out some of its items using the very old machinery.
Exhibits:
One of the current exhibits that the History Nebraska Museum has is on Bison through May 15th. A new exhibit that will be coming is "WOMEN: A Century of Change. The Museum is working on having some exhibits on Grow Nebraska and Acheology.
Need:
The History Nebraska foundation has had great success so far, utilizing, the $270,000 start up funds provided by History Nebraska. The operating funds they currently have on hand can provide for approximately 10 months of continued operations. There is a need for additional support to ensure History Nebraska Foundation can continue to fulfill its mission of supporting History Nebraska and its exciting initiatives.
One way you can help is through "Give to Lincoln Day" which started May 1st and runs through May 26th. The History Nebraska Foundation's goal is $20,000. There is a $500,000 matching pool which a certain percentage would be given to History Nebraska Foundation. If any gift over $1,000 is received that individual would receive a complementary 1-year History Nebraska membership.
History Maker Campaign:
This campaign is like a Capital Campaign which would go for 3 years. The foundation would like to raise $900,000. During this campaign all gifts of $10,000 or more, unless otherwise requested, will be acknowledged by a press release, Messaging on website, social medias, and newsletter. Any gift of $50,000 or more would become an official "History Maker" status, ad be recognized on physical donation boards at History Nebraska Headquarters, The History Nebraska Museum, Chimney Rock and Fort Robinson. Any gifts of $75,000 or more would have right of first refusal for future capital campaign naming opportunities.
If you want to know more about the History Nebraska Museum or the Foundation go to: historynebraskafoundation.org or visit at 1500 R Street.
