Adding to the Hype: Nebraska City Historical Society

As the Chautauqua to be held in the Nebraska City draws closer, the county’s museums are joining in to promote the event through events and exhibits. Being held June 21 – 24, this year’s Chautauqua’s national theme is “World War I: Legacies of a Forgotten War” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of America’s entrance into the Great War. Expecting to draw thousands of out-of-area visitors to Nebraska City, the museums’ role is to engage our local residents so that they will have a better understanding of southeast Nebraska’s role in the war and be more than likely to attend the events.

Starting the commemoration, the Otoe County Museum of Memories in Syracuse opened for the season on Sunday, May 7, with a special exhibit on the uniforms worn by Otoe County men who served overseas. Next up is the Nebraska City Historical Society with their Spring Meeting featuring a presentation by Nebraska Author Karen Gettert Shoemaker. Planned for Monday, May 22, beginning at 7:00, in the Arbor Bank’s Friendship room, the event is made possible by Humanities Nebraska, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and the Nebraska City Historical Society.

Gettert Shoemaker’s historical fiction novel takes place in 1918 Nebraska. Focusing on a young woman of German descent, the novel exposes the prejudices towards German-Americans at that time as well as the impact of tragic events such as the influenza pandemic of 1918 brought on by the war. The author’s presentation will cover how Nebraska responded to the declaration of war against Germany and how it affected not only German immigrants but their children as well.

Providing a great opportunity to learn more about a war held over 100 years ago; while staged overseas, the war still greatly impacted Nebraska City and Nebraska in general. The Nebraska City Historical Society’s program is just another great addition building up to the Chautauqua in June.

IF YOU GO
Nebraska City Historical Society Meeting
Karen Gettert Shoemaker, “Behind the Meaning of Names”
7:00 pm., Coffee, Cookies & Conversation; 7:30 pm, Monday, May 22
Arbor Bank Friendship Room
No admission and open to all who are interested