Most archaeology in Nebraska is conducted or sponsored by universities and various state and federal agencies including: the National Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Federal Highway Administration, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the Nebraska Department of Roads, and History Nebraska (formerly the Nebraska State Historical Society). The Nebraska Archaeological Society is our state’s amateur archaeology organization. There have been thousands of archaeological sites discovered in the state of Nebraska and many dozens of these have been the subject of some level of detail excavation. Remarkably, this is the result of covering less than 10 percent of the land in Nebraska looking for sites. There are many more undiscovered archaeological sites in Nebraska and many unanswered questions about our past inhabitants.
Medicine Creek Reservoir was completed in 1949. It was built primarily to control destructive both on Medicine Creek and in the Republican River drainage, and also as part of the Irrigation Project, administered by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). Although Read More …
The earth is a fundamental religious symbol for American Indian peoples. Among horticultural and hunting tribes alike, Mother Earth is the female principle, the expression of fertility and creator of life, begetting vegetation, animals, and humans. In this elemental role Read More …
This project is designed to assist cultural resource specialists involved in Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) project planning and development. The goal was to develop Geographic Information System (GIS) data layers that spatially delineate Read More …
The Nebraska Panhandle is an area characterized by varied topography and climatic extremes lying within an upland region known as the High Plains. Western Nebraska is rich in archeological resources and the full range of cultural/temporal periods is represented in Read More …
Today W. Duncan Strong (1899-1962) has been all but forgotten in the history of American archaeology. He made no front-page discoveries or theoretical breakthroughs; his single claim to fame was his contribution to Great Plains archaeology. This work, carried out Read More …
When the University of Nebraska Archeological Survey was established in 1929, its then director, Dr. W. D. Strong, envisaged two primary objectives. The first was a preliminary survey of the State, including both surface reconnaissance and sampling excavations, designed to Read More …
Two images of Courthouse and Jail Rocks with their NRHP Photograph Property Forms.
From the days of Robert Stuart’s trip down the Platte River in 1812, Court House and Jail House Rock have been significant landmarks mentioned by travelers following the North Platte Valley. By the time the Forty Niners traversed the area, Read More …
Between February 4 and 7, 1865, Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho warriors engaged a force of U.S. Army soldiers at Mud Springs, Nebraska. Historical records from both sides indicate that this fight marked an early phase of the Indian Wars. Based Read More …
This preliminary study examined the cultural and logistical factors underlying the settlement of the historic town of Wyoming, Nebraska. Located along the Mormon Trail, this site provides a new U.S. window for understanding the dynamics of nineteenth century emigrant trails. Read More …