Nebraska was home to prehistoric peoples beginning about 12,000 years ago. In the 1700s, members of the Omaha, Oto, Pawnee, Ponca, Lakota, Cheyenne, and other indigenous peoples arrived. In 1803, Nebraska was part of the Louisiana Purchase, when the United States bought large amounts of land from France. During westward expansion, Nebraska saw wagon trains and then railroad trains. Finally, it was the first territory to become a state after the Civil War, in 1867.
It was also one of the few states to get a presidential veto. In order to become a state, a territory has to be admitted by Congress. The admission goes to the president for a signature, as laws usually do. President Andrew Johnson refused to sign. Congress overrode the veto and went ahead and made Nebraska a state. The issue was whether states should be able to disenfranchise people living there — that is, to make laws saying that they could not vote.
Of course, in 1867 women could not vote in the United States. But Nebraska wanted to say that only white men could vote. Congress insisted that they change their constitution to get rid of that rule. President Johnson believed that states should be able to make their own rules about voting without interference from the federal government, but Congress thought civil rights were more important than states’ rights.
Nebraska is a classic Great Plains state and an important agricultural state. We visited two towns in the state, a small one and a big one.
Brownville
We started out in Brownville, a little town which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The whole town!
We visited the John B. Didier Log Cabin, dating from 1854, the same year that the first homesteader in the country came to Brownville. We were excited to be able to go inside.
The cabin now sits in a little park, but there would have been no pavement when Didier built his little house on the prairie.
There were grander houses built later on, and the town became a cultural center for the territory.
In fact, we found a building which was a bookstore, gallery, and cafe. Apparently it started out that way in 1863, before Nebraska even became a state. A combination bookstore, gallery, and cafe sounds like a perfect hangout to us.
Especially one offering fine food.
The food was indeed fine and we found some books to purchase, too.
Here’s another gallery! The is the Palmerton Gallery featuring American art.Â
Omaha
We headed from Brownsville up to Omaha, where we visited the Joslyn, a very special museum in an art deco style.
This museum was a gift to the town. Sarah H. Joslyn gave the museum to the town in 1931, in memory of her husband, businessman George A. Joslyn.
We were intrigued by this inscription. I thought it must be from a poem, but it turns out that it is an inscription, composed for the building, that refers to the conquistadors coming to the Americas. It’s a controversial inscription nowadays. It says,
The art deco style of the building is on display throughout. You can see influences from ancient cultures in these columns.
“Pronghorn Antelope,” a sculpture created by Paul Manship in 1914, shows some of the most important elements of art deco style: a stylized geometric look, modern interpretation of ancient influences, and simplicity rather than realistic detail. This work is considered one of the early masterpieces of the movement.
This beautiful fountain courtyard also shows these characteristics.
We could have stayed in this room for a long time. The sound of the water and the beauty of the artwork and the plants make it a very peaceful place.
The plants in the planters include coleus, ferns, and other shade-loving plants.
As you would expecting an art museum, the Joslyn includes many beautiful paintings. This slideshow includes some of our favorites, including works by Raymond Jonson, Grant Wood, and Thomas Hart Benton. Among these beautiful 20th century American works, we also found “The Knitting Girl” by 19th century French master William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Some of us like to just admire and enjoy paintings, while others like to learn about the artists and the background of the paintings. Both are great ways to experience art.
Visit the Joslyn’s website if you plan to go in person. If not, you may enjoy another shared visit by William Collen.
Whenever we visit a new place, we like to try out the local food. We were charmed to discover that lunch in Omaha can include popcorn in the place where you might usually enjoy chips. But Ohama is known for sandwiches, including the classic Reuben, which was born here.
We found Omaha to be a beautiful, friendly city. Seeing both Brownville and Omaha gave us a taste of the variety of places in Nebraska.
