Author Archives: nebraskaprairiemuseum

From the July 2013 Stereoscope: The Shorthand Sisters By Gloria Bryan and Rose Ann Swanson During the 40’s, three Hollertz sisters graduated from Ragan High School, Gloria (Mrs. Ward Bryan) in 1942, Leone (Mrs. Bill Heldenbrand) in 1945 and Rose Ann (Mrs. Rod Swanson) in 1947. At that time a girl could take Normal trainingContinue reading “The Shorthand Sisters”

From the July 2013 Stereoscope The Holdrege Business College By Susan Perry Holdrege has had two business colleges which were in operation from 1903 through several more years. In 1903 the first business college and normal school were in operation. The school had S.S. Hayman as president, O.O. Hayman as principal and two teachers wereContinue reading “The Holdrege Business College”

From the July 2013 Stereoscope: Alfred Viren’s Carpentry By Barbara Blackburn In 1903, at the age of thirty, Alfred Mathias (Sundburg) Viren left Sunborn, Dalarna, Sweden to settle in Phelps County, Nebraska. Dalarna is a mountainous forest area, full of lakes, poets, musicians and skilled craftsmen. The land there did not lend itself to anythingContinue reading “Alfred Viren’s Carpentry”

From the Jan 2015 Stereoscope: The Holdrege Roller Mills The flour mill was located at Fourth and Sherman Streets. One hundred years ago, every plains town of any size had a roller mill, powered by a coal-fired steam boiler. Most went out of business in the 1940s or 1950s, because they weren’t as cost-effective asContinue reading “Holdrege Roller Mills”

Jan 2007 Stereoscope The D-L-D Highway By Dr. Robert C. Anderson Did you ever wonder why the road to the Prairie Home Cemetery northeast of Holdrege has a “gentle curve” at Lincoln Street and 18th Avenue? Well, let me tell you about it.In May of 1911, a meeting was held in Holdrege with representatives fromContinue reading “The D-L-D Highway”

October 2009 Stereoscope. The Bertrand Church Window Arrives! On October 8, 2009 another piece of Phelps County history made its way to the Nebraska Prairie Museum. The large stained glass window, along with a smaller stained glass window from the former Congregational Church in Bertrand, had been donated to the museum in 2007 by LelandContinue reading “Bertrand Church Window”

Stereoscope – November 2007 WWII Scrap Metal Drive By Susan Perry (This is a longer article but worth the read!) This was the headline in the Holdrege Progress on July 17th, 1942. This was the first day of a challenge issued by the World Herald to all the counties in Nebraska. This was one timeContinue reading “WWII Scrap Metal Drive”

An article from the Feb 2008 Stereoscope: Great Blizzard of 1888 Furnished Thrilling Experiences Both For Parents and Children By Sandra Slater An early incident of pioneer history will show the present generation something of the conditions under which school sere started in that period, and will also show the great contrast with the educationalContinue reading “The Great Blizzard of 1888”

Here is a story published in the August 2008 Stereoscope One Man’s Dream – by Susan Perry 20 years ago, the young Rev. Alex Nordin had a dream which has long ago overflowed into Phelps County history. Rev. Nordin wanted to care for children that had no place to live, either because they were orphans,Continue reading “One Man’s Dream”

From the 2010 Stereoscope ; Silver City – by Susan Perry Time: late 1945 Place: Holdrege, NebraskaSetting: Holdrege Chamber of Commerce meeting Scenario: Severe Housing Shortage in Holdrege The immediate problem the Chamber needed to address was: The veterans were returning and new residents were arriving to fill plentiful jobs. There was nowhere for peopleContinue reading “The Silver City”