Untold History of Southeast Nebraska

06/19/2026

06/19/2026

🍎 When Southeast Nebraska Grew More Than Corn

It’s not often we post outside our usual Southeast Nebraska region, but this photo is too good not to share.

This image shows the Crete Nurseries exhibit at the Custer County Fair — an impressive display of apples, fruit, and nursery products from Crete in Saline County.

Back in the day, Southeast Nebraska was full of locally owned nurseries, orchards, gardens, and greenhouse businesses. The region had a booming trade in trees, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and landscaping plants — and businesses like Crete Nurseries helped show off what Nebraska soil could produce.

Look closely at this display: barrels, baskets, rows of apples, and signs advertising nursery stock. It is a wonderful reminder that fairs were once major showcases for local growers and agricultural businesses.

Do you remember any old nurseries, orchards, greenhouses, or fruit farms in your area?
What locally grown Nebraska fruit or produce do you remember best?

06/19/2026

🏛️ Fairview: William Jennings Bryan’s Lincoln Home - About to be Moved or the 2nd Time

This postcard shows Fairview, the Lincoln home of William Jennings Bryan — one of Nebraska’s most nationally known political figures.

Bryan was a three-time Democratic nominee for president, a U.S. Secretary of State, and one of the most famous public speakers of his era. His home, Fairview, once looked out over open land — a fitting name for a house with a “fair view” of the prairie capital.

Today, Fairview sits surrounded by the Bryan Health campus, and plans are underway that may move the historic home again as the hospital grows around it.

It raises an interesting question: how do we balance preserving historic places with the changing needs of a growing city?

Did you know William Jennings Bryan’s home was still standing in Lincoln?
Have you ever visited Fairview?

06/19/2026

📸 Our 2026 Photo Contest opens July 1!

Start looking through your best photos now — entries will be open from July 1 through September 30.

✨ Free to enter
📷 One photo per category
🗳️ Public voting: October 1–30
🏆 Winners announced: October 31

This is your chance to share the beauty, history, seasons, animals, places, and everyday moments that make our region special.

Get your photos ready — the contest opens July 1!

06/18/2026

Did you know this famous residence of about to be moved?

We hope you can join us in person tomorrow at the LNK TV Studio (555 S. 10th Street Suite 103) at 12 pm for the lecture by Ed Zimmer and Jill Dolberg on the history of the The William Jennings Bryan House which is in the process of being moved to another location on the Bryan Medical Center Campus. We are not able to live stream the lecture this month, but the recording will be available afterwards.

06/17/2026

🇺🇸🚗 When the Automobile Was the Star of the 4th of July! 🚗🇺🇸

This wonderful photograph captures the Auto Parade in Ulysses, Nebraska, on July 4, 1911—a fascinating glimpse into a time when the automobile was still a novelty and a source of community pride.

Lined up along Main Street, these early cars sit beside horse-drawn buggies, symbolizing a moment when two eras of transportation shared the road. Flags decorate the vehicles as families gathered to celebrate Independence Day, proving that Nebraskans have always known how to throw a hometown celebration.

Just imagine the sights and sounds:
🎺 A brass band playing patriotic marches
🇺🇸 American flags waving from every storefront
🚗 Proud owners polishing their new automobiles
🐴 Horses sharing the street with the latest motorcars
🍉 Picnics, speeches, baseball games, and fireworks to finish the day

It's a snapshot of a community embracing the future while still holding onto its traditions.

Do you have memories of a small-town 4th of July parade?

Did you ride on a float, decorate your bicycle, march with a club or band, or wait for candy to be tossed from passing vehicles? Share your favorite Independence Day memories in the comments!

📸 Preserving the stories of Southeast Nebraska—one photograph at a time.

#1911