Nebraska History Timeline

• 1854-05-30 Kansas-Nebraska Act repeals Missouri Compromise creating the territories of Kansas and Nebraska
• 1855-09-03 Indian Wars: In Nebraska, 700 soldiers under American General William S. Harney avenge the Grattan Massacre by attacking a Sioux village, killing 100 men, women, and children.
• 1861-03-02 US creates Dakota & Nevada Territories out of the Nebraska & Utah territories

• 1863-01-01 1st homestead under the Homestead Act claimed, near Beatrice, Nebraska
• 1867-03-01 Most of Nebraska becomes 37th US state (expanded later)
• 1872-04-10 1st Arbor Day celebrated in Nebraska, later changed to Apr 22
• 1883-05-19 William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody opens Buffalo Bill's Wild West show in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1883-07-04 Buffalo Bill Cody presents 1st wild west show, North Platte, Nebraska
• 1891-04-07 Nebraska introduces 8 hour work day
• 1894-10-01 Civic organization, Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben founded in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1899-02-12 -47°F (-44°C), Camp Clarke, Nebraska (state record)
• 1917-12-01 Boys Town founded by Father Edward Flanagan west of Omaha, Nebraska
• 1917-12-12 Rev Edward Flanagan forms Boys Town outside Omaha, Nebraska

• 1924-05-03 Aleph Zadik Aleph is formed in Omaha, Nebraska by Sam Beber
• 1928-07-06 Largest recorded hailstone at the time 1.5 lbs (7 inches in diameter) falls in Potter, Nebraska
• 1931-07-27 Grasshoppers in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota destroyed thousands of acres of crops
• 1936-07-24 118°F (48°C), Minden, Nebraska (state record)
• 1936-12-12 1937 NFL Draft: Sam Francis from University of Nebraska first pick by Philadelphia Eagles
• 1937-01-05 Only unicameral state legislature in US opens 1st session in Nebraska
• 1950-07-08 33.4 cm rain fall at York, Nebraska (state record)
• 1950-07-09 13.15" (33.40 cm) of rainfall, York, Nebraska (state 24-hour record)
• 1966-07-03 Race riots in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1972-12-05 38th Heisman Trophy Award: Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska (FL)
• 1975-05-06 3 people die in tornado that strikes Omaha, Nebraska
• 1983-12-03 49th Heisman Trophy Award: Mike Rozier, Nebraska (RB)
• 1984-05-01 NFL Draft: Nebraska wide receiver Irving Fryar first pick by New England Patriots
• 1989-12-22 Cold wave: -6°F in Tulsa, Oklahoma; -12°F in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; -18°F in Denver, Colorado; -23°F in Kansas City, Missouri; -42°F in Scottsbluff, Nebraska; -47°F in Hardin, Montana; and -60°F in Black Hills, South Dakota
• 1992-04-06 US Supreme Court rules a Nebraska farmer was entrapped by postal agents into buying mail-order child pornography
• 1996-09-28 Nebraska & Penn State are 5th & 6th major colleges to win 700
• 1996-12-07 1st Big 12 Championship Game: Texas beats #3 Nebraska, 37-27
• 1997-11-01 Nebraska head football coach Tom Osborne records his 250th NCAA career victory with a 67-7 drubbing of Oklahoma; Osborne, in his 25th season, reaches milestone faster than anyone (301 games)
• 2001-12-10 67th Heisman Trophy Award: Eric Crouch, Nebraska (QB)
• 2004-05-22 The U.S. town of Hallam, Nebraska, is wiped out by a powerful F4 tornado that broke a width record at an astounding 2.5 miles wide. It also kills one local resident.
• 2006-12-02 11th Big 12 Championship Game: #8 Oklahoma beats #19 Nebraska, 21-7
• 2007-12-05 Westroads Mall massacre: A gunman opens fire with a semi-automatic rifle at an Omaha, Nebraska mall, killing eight people before taking his own life.
• 2008-02-08 Nebraska bans electric chair as sole execution method
• 2009-12-05 14th Big 12 Championship Game: #3 Texas beats #21 Nebraska, 13-12
• 2010-12-04 15th Big 12 Championship Game: #10 Oklahoma beats #13 Nebraska, 23-20
• 2018-05-24 Record US fentanyl seizure of 120lbs (54kg) confirmed by police in Nebraska in April, enough to kill 26 million people, one of largest drug busts in US history
• 2018-08-15 First ever US execution by fentanyl of Carey Dean Moore at Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln
• 2019-03-18 “Historic to catastrophic flooding" faced by Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota according to US National Weather Service
• 2019-03-20 Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts calls the state's flooding "the most widespread destruction we have ever seen in our state's history"
• 2019-03-21 Governor of Missouri Mike Parson declares a state of emergency as flooding from Nebraska and Iowa flows downstream into the state
• 2019-07-17 Irrigation canal system collapses near Fort Laramie, Wyoming parching 100,000 acres of farmland across Nebraska and Wyoming

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 160

• 1832-04-22 Julius Sterling Morton, American politician (3rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture) and founder of Arbor Day, born in Adams, New York (d. 1902)

• 1862-03-14 Eva Thatcher, American actress, born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1942)
• 1874-01-06 Fred Niblo, American film actor, director, and producer (Ben-Hur, The Mark of Zorro), born in York, Nebraska (d. 1948)
• 1876-09-26 Edith Abbott, American social worker and educator (University of Chicago Social Sciences), born in Grand Island, Nebraska (d. 1957)
• 1880-04-18 Sam Crawford, American Baseball HOF outfielder (MLB HR leader 1901, 08; AL RBI leader 1910, 14, 15; MLB record 309 career triples; Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers), born in Wahoo, Nebraska (d. 1968)
• 1882-05-09 George Barker, American portrait and landscape painter, born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1965)
• 1886-12-02 Earl Cooper, American auto racer (AAA National Championship 1913, 15, 17; Indianapolis 500, 1924 runner-up), born in Broken Bow, Nebraska (d. 1965)
• 1888-01-15 Joseph Henabery, American director (Cobra), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1976)
• 1892-01-02 Lura Anson, American silent film actress, born in Nebraska (d. 1968)
• 1892-08-06 Edmund "Hoot" Gibson, American rodeo champion, western actor, director, and producer (Horse Soldier, Last Outlaw), born in Tekamah, Nebraska (d. 1962)
• 1893-04-20 Harold Lloyd, American silent and sound film actor, comedian, and director (Why Worry?; The Freshman; Safety Last!; The Sin of Harold Diddlebock), born in Burchard, Nebraska (d. 1971)
• 1894-07-30 Carl Snavely, American College Football Hall of Fame coach (Bucknell, North Carolina, Cornell 180–96–16), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1975)
• 1894-09-16 Clarence Hennecke, American actor (The Strong Man, Murder by Television, Keystone Kops), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1969)
• 1896-09-10 Adele Astaire [Lady Charles Cavendish], American dancer and entertainer, sister of Fred Astaire (Last Man on Earth; Millie), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1981)

• 1896-11-23 Ruth Etting, American stage, radio, and screen singer ("Shine On Harvest Moon"; "Ten Cents A Dance"), and actress (Roman Scandals; Ziegfeld Follies), born in David City, Nebraska (d. 1978)

• 1900-07-31 Elmo Roper, American pollster (Roper Poll), born in Hebron, Nebraska (d. 1971)
• 1901-05-11 Mari Sandoz, American author (Cheyenne Autumn), born in Hay Springs, Nebraska (d. 1966)
• 1901-07-22 Charles Weidman, American choreographer and modern dancer (Candide), born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1975)
• 1902-09-05 Darryl F. Zanuck, American film producer and President (20th Century Fox), born in Wahoo, Nebraska (d. 1979)
• 1902-09-07 Roy Barcroft [Howard Ravenscroft], American actor (Oklahoma!; Freckles), born in Crab Orchard, Nebraska (d. 1969)
• 1902-09-13 Leland Hayward, American producer (Mister Roberts, Spirit of St Louis), born in Nebraska City, Nebraska (d. 1971)
• 1903-04-09 Ward Bond, American actor (Wagon Train, It's a Wonderful Life), born in Benkelman, Nebraska (d. 1960)
• 1904-08-15 Bill Baird, American puppeteer (Kukla Fran & Ollie, Muppet Show), born in Grand Island, Nebraska (d. 1987)

• 1906-09-21 Henry Beachell, American plant breeder, born in Waverly, Nebraska (d. 2006)
• 1907-05-18 Robley Evans, American nuclear physicist, born in University Place, Nebraska (d. 1996)
• 1907-09-03 Loren Eiseley, American anthropologist and natural science writer (The Unexpected Universe), and poet (Another Kind of Autumn), born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1977)
• 1907-11-09 Burrill Phillips, American classical composer (Play Ball; Perspectives in a Labyrinth), pianist, and educator, born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1988)
• 1908-02-18 Angelo Rossitto, American dwarf actor (known as "Little Moe", Carousel), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1991)
• 1908-08-27 Frank Leahy, American football coach (Notre Dame), born in O'Neill, Nebraska (d. 1973)

• 1909-04-24 Irven Spence, American animator, born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1995)
• 1909-10-01 Samuel Yorty, American politician (Mayor of Los Angeles 1961-73), born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1998)
• 1909-12-28 Johnny Goodman, American golfer (US Open 1933), born in South Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1970)
• 1910-01-06 Wright Morris, American novelist and photographer, born in Central City, Nebraska (d. 1998)
• 1911-03-13 L. Ron Hubbard, American sci-fi writer (Death Quest; Dianetics) and founder of Church of Scientology, born in Tilden, Nebraska (d. 1986)
• 1911-06-30 Virginia D. Smith, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska), born in Randolph, Iowa (d. 2006)
• 1911-08-05 Robert Taylor, American actor (Waterloo Bridge, Quo Vadis, Death Valley Days), born in Filley, Nebraska (d. 1969)
• 1913-01-07 Shirley Ross [Bernice Maude Gaunt], American actress (Cafe Society, Prison Farm, Waikiki Wedding), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1975)
• 1913-01-14 Tillie Olsen, American writer (Tell Me a Riddle), born in Wahoo, Nebraska (d. 2007)
• 1913-01-19 Anthony Dexter [Walter Fleischmann], Canadian actor (The Phantom Planet, Captain John Smith and Pocahontas), born in Talmage, Nebraska (d. 2001)

• 1913-08-04 Wesley Addy, American actor (Kiss Me Deadly, Bostonians, Loving), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1996)
• 1914-02-06 Thurl Ravenscroft, American voice actor (Tony the Tiger), and bass singer ("You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"), born in Norfolk, Nebraska (d. 2005)
• 1915-05-08 John Archer [Ralph Bowman], American actor (Destination: Moon, White Heat, Blue Hawaii), born in Osceola, Nebraska (d. 1999)
• 1915-08-24 Wynonie Harris, American rhythm and blues singer, born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1969)
• 1916-05-22 Gordon Binkerd, American composer, born in Lynch, Nebraska (d. 2003)
• 1916-06-14 Dorothy McGuire, American actress (Gentlemen's Agreement, Old Yeller, Summer Magic), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2001)
• 1916-06-23 Irene Worth [Hattie Abrams], American actress (Nicolas & Alexandra), born in Fairbury, Nebraska (d. 2002)
• 1916-07-18 Johnny Hopp, American baseball outfielder, first baseman (MLB All-Star 1946; World Series 1942, 44, 50, 51; St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Hastings, Nebraska (d. 2003)
• 1918-04-18 Cliff Hillegass, American publisher (Cliffsnotes), born in Rising City, Nebraska (d. 2001)
• 1918-06-19 Evelle Jansen Younger, American prosecutor (Charles Manson, Sirhan Sirhan), born in Stamford, Nebraska (d. 1989)
• 1918-07-14 Jay Forrester, Engineer, invented random-access magnetic core memory, born near Anselmo, Nebraska (d. 2016)
• 1919-08-29 Sono Osato, American Japanese ballet dancer, born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2018)
• 1920-09-14 Lawrence Klein, American economist who created computer models to forecast economic trends (1980 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2013)
• 1920-10-17 Montgomery Clift, American actor (From Here to Eternity, Judgement at Nuremberg), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1966)
• 1921-01-14 Ken Sailors, American professional basketball player (popularized and may have invented the jump shot), born in Bushnell, Nebraska (d. 2016)
• 1921-08-09 J. James Exon, American Democratic politician (33rd Governor of Nebraska), born in Geddes, South Dakota (d. 2005)
• 1922-09-01 Melvin Laird, American politician (Rep-R-Mich), US Secretary of Defense (1969-73), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2016)
• 1922-10-04 Malcolm Baldrige, American businessman and US Secretary of Commerce (1981-87), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1987)
• 1922-10-23 Coleen Gray [Doris Bernice Jensen], American actress (Apache Drums, The Killing), born in Staplehurst, Nebraska (d. 2015)
• 1922-10-29 Neal Hefti, American jazz trumpeter, arranger (Woody Herman; Count Basie); bandleader (Kate Smith Show) and composer ("Li'l Darlin"; The Odd Couple; Batman theme), born in Hastings, Nebraska (d. 2008)
• 1924-03-21 Philip Abbott, American character actor (The FBI; Sweet Bird of Youth), born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1998)

• 1924-07-19 Stanley K. Hathaway, American politician (27th Governor of Wyoming), born in Osceola, Nebraska (d. 2005)
• 1924-12-23 Floyd Kalber, American television journalist and anchorman (NBC Weekend News Anchor-1973), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2004)
• 1925-05-05 Bob Cerv, American baseball player (Yankees), born in Weston, Nebraska (d. 2017)
• 1925-05-05 Leo Ryan, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California), born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1978)

• 1926-11-13 Max Vernon Mathews, American composer, born in Columbus, Nebraska (d. 2011)

• 1928-08-25 Darrell Johnson, American baseball player, born in Horace, Nebraska (d. 2004)
• 1928-08-31 James Coburn, American actor (Our Man Flint, Magnificent Seven), born in Laurel, Nebraska (d. 2002)
• 1928-11-11 Edward Zorinsky, American (Sen-D-NB, 1976-88), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1987)
• 1928-12-25 Irish McCalla, American actress and artist (Sheena Queen of Jungle), born in Pawnee City, Nebraska (d. 2002)
• 1929-02-09 Bill Barrett, American politician (Rep-R-Nebraska 1991-2001), born in Lexington, Nebraska (d. 2016)
• 1929-03-27 Anne Ramsey, American actress (Throw Mama from the Train), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1988)
• 1929-12-01 David Doyle, American actor (Charlie's Angels, Rugrats), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1997)
• 1930-03-27 David Janssen, American actor (The Fugitive, Harry O), born in Naponee Nebraska (d. 1980)

• 1930-12-10 Clayton K Yeutter, American trade negotiator and Republican National chairman, born in Eustis, Nebraska (d. 2017)
• 1932-12-29 Inga Swenson, American stage and screen actress (110 in the Shade; Benson - "Gretchen"), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2023)
• 1934-11-20 Valentine J. Peter, American priest (Boy's Town), born in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1935-05-24 Joan Micklin Silver, American film director (Hester Street; Crossing Delancey), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2020)
• 1935-06-26 Douglas Peterson, American politician and diplomat, born in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1935-11-09 Bob Gibson, American Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (NL Cy Young Award 1968, 70; NL MVP 1968; 9 x MLB All Star; St. Louis Cardinals), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2020)
• 1936-01-27 Barry C. Barish, American Physicist (Nobel Prize 2017, gravitational waves), born in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1936-02-27 Chuck Glaser, American country singer (Tompall & the Glaser Brothers), born in Spalding, Nebraska (d. 2019)
• 1936-06-04 Bruce Dern, American actor (Nebraska, The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1937-04-26 Bob Boozer, College/Basketball Hall of Fame forward (Olympic gold 1960), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2012)
• 1937-04-27 Sandy Dennis, American Tony and Academy Award-winning stage and screen actress (Any Wednesday; Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?; The Out-of-Towners), born in Hastings, Nebraska (d. 1992)
• 1937-12-16 Edward Ruscha, American artist (Pop Art), born in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1938-01-07 Paul Revere [Dick], American rock organ player and pianist (Paul Revere & Raiders - "Kicks": "Indian Reservation"), born in Harvard, Nebraska (d. 2014)

• 1939-10-06 Doug Bereuter, American politician (Rep-R-Nebraska, 1979-2004), born in York, Nebraska
• 1939-12-06 Steve Alaimo, American pop singer ("Mashed Potatoes"; "Every Day I Have To Cry"), born in Omaha, Nebraska
• 1940-01-06 Ed Zschau, American politician (Rep-R-CA, 1983- ), born in Omaha, Nebraska

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