UNK Special Collections is comprised of materials on select subject areas, such as the history of Nebraska and the Great Plains. For this collection the Library is committed to assembling primary and secondary scholarly materials on specific topics that support UNK's curricular and research needs.
Select digitized materials are available here.
Statement on Harmful Material: Materials in UNK Archives and Special Collections are historical in nature and reflect the society in which they were produced. As such, they may contain racial, gender, sexual, religious, and other language and imagery that are offensive by today's standards. The documents, images, publications, and other materials have been retained in order to fully represent the materials in their original format. If the offensive text is not in the original, but in a finding aid, catalog record, or other description created by library employees, please contact Archives and Special Collections to bring this to our attention. Archives & Special Collections is guided by the core values of the Society of American Archivists. If you have questions about this statement or about Archives and Special Collections’ work, we welcome your feedback. Please contact us at archives@unk.edu or 308-865-8593.
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More Farmers' Alliance songs of the 1890's - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
The present song collection continues the recital of farmers' greivances against the railroads and the banking and political interests allied with them. Most songs have been gleaned from the files of the Farmers' Alliance.
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More Santee-Sioux Indian Legends - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Produced by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska.
Seven Santee-Sioux legends from the files of the Word Carrier.
Statement on Harmful Material: Materials in UNK Archives and Special Collections are historical in nature and reflect the society in which they were produced. As such, they may contain racial, gender, sexual, religious, and other language and imagery that are offensive by today's standards. The documents, images, publications, and other materials have been retained in order to fully represent the materials in their original format. If the offensive text is not in the original, but in a finding aid, catalog record, or other description created by library employees, please contact Archives and Special Collections to bring this to our attention. Archives & Special Collections is guided by the core values of the Society of American Archivists. If you have questions about this statement or about Archives and Special Collections’ work, we welcome your feedback. Please contact us at archives@unk.edu or 308-865-8593.
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Pioneer Dance Calls - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
Explanation of the history of dances in Nebraska pioneer days as well as a selection of dance calls
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Reminiscences of Dad Streeter - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
These reminiscences of George W. Streeter, who prefers to be known as Dad Streeter, relate experiences and events in which he participated while living in Nebraska during the 1880's. He lived the life of a roving cowboy.
In addition to his stories of the range, his accounts of bull-whacking, mule skinning and stage-draiving, the pranking of tenderfeet and missionaries, his meetings with Cattle Kate, Calamity Jane and Buffalo Bill, the hazards of prairie fires and blizzards, frontier justice and encounters with Indians, are a valuable contribution to the folklore of the West.
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Santee Sioux Indian Legends - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Eight Santee-Sioux legends collected from the files of the Word Carrier, a paper published by the Santee Normal Training School.
Statement on Harmful Material: Materials in UNK Archives and Special Collections are historical in nature and reflect the society in which they were produced. As such, they may contain racial, gender, sexual, religious, and other language and imagery that are offensive by today's standards. The documents, images, publications, and other materials have been retained in order to fully represent the materials in their original format. If the offensive text is not in the original, but in a finding aid, catalog record, or other description created by library employees, please contact Archives and Special Collections to bring this to our attention. Archives & Special Collections is guided by the core values of the Society of American Archivists. If you have questions about this statement or about Archives and Special Collections’ work, we welcome your feedback. Please contact us at archives@unk.edu or 308-865-8593.
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Ballads - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
"The ballads in this collection were sung in pioneer Nebraska. They have come from the people themselves, having been repeated by word of mouth from generation to generation...It is only from spontaneous folk singing that the ballads can be given color, atmosphere, and new themes, so many of which have been suggested within the past few years by such epic Nebraska events as the drouth, three-cent hogs, ten-cent corn, farm foreclosures and the Farm Holiday Movement."
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Farmers' Alliance Songs of the 1890's - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
These Farmers' Alliance songs have been gleaned from the files of the Farmers' Alliance - the official organ of the Nebraska State Alliance. This weekly paper, published in the 1890's, was later known by a variety of titles. It was always liberal and strongly populistic in its views.
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Nebraska Cattle Brands
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
"Nebraska cattlemen have more than 13,000 brands registered with the Division of Live Stock Brands in the Secretary of State's OFfice.
All the brands are a part of the folklore of the state, since their designs were originated by the stockmen themselves...Regardless of whether the brand design was made into a romantic flourish of the setting sun, or into a simple initial, it became a trademark and thing of pride for its owner. So all these cattle brands, apart from their practical worth in the stock business, have an aura of romance and strangeness."
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Place Name Stories - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska.
"The following pages are devoted to those Nebraska place names that reveal interesting stories concerning their origin. In some instances the story of a locale's naming, as in the case of Weeping Water, derives from a folk legend. This, however, makes the story all the more interesting; since it is the tale, not the fact, in which we are interested in this pamphlet. Consequently all the hundreds of Nebraska places that have been named in honor of early settlers, railroad officials, or towns in other states have been omitted."
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Songs About Nebraska - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
"The songs collected in this pamphlet are those that are sung the most or are best known by the people of the state. For each song we include a brief history and we have included the melody for those not sung to familiar airs. In each case permission to use the words and music has been granted us by the proper proprietor of the song or the holder of the copyright."
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The History of Fort Kearney
Lyle Edwin Mantor
History of Fort Kearny and its role in the colonization of the west. Also contains information on the use of the land after the fort closed and the early days of the area's conversion to a historic site. Contains additional reference material such as lists of the commanding officers at Fort Kearny and discussion of available primary sources related to the fort.
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Animal Legends - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska.
These legends are for the most part stories of the supernatural power possessed by animals. The belief that animals had supernatural power did not discount the power of a supreme being known to the Pawnee as Tirawa. WIthin their habitat the Pawnees had certain places which they held sacred. Five such places of importance in animal legend, which were also known to other Indian tribes are Pahuk, a promontory in a bend of the Platte River a few miles west of Fremont; Nakiskat, on an island in the Platte River near Central City; Tauraspako, on the south side of the Platte near Grand Island; Kitsawitsak, bear Beloit, KS; and Pahowa, a spring near the Republican River. Pahuk, the chief one of these animal lodges, was known and held sacred by other Indian tribes. The Dakotas called it Paha Wakan (Holy Hill).
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Children's Games - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska.
Knowledge concerning the playing of the games in this collection has been gained by several years of contact with groups of children through the teaching and supervision of games. Their authenticity as Nebraska Folklore has been confirmed by original research in which several schools of the State have aided, and by bibliographical research.
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Children's Singing Games - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Produced by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
These games are all suitable for children in the grades. Some of them are also played by high school pupils and adults. Many of them can be adapted for dances or drills. They are all traditional, coming to us for the most part from England or by way of England. The many versions indicate the local adaptations made during their travels to us from the Eastern Seaboard States.
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Cowboy Songs - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Part of the Nebraska Folklore series produced by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska.
Many of these songs, handed down and repeated by word of mouth, are adaptation of old English ballads. Many of them have become so changed by adaptation and transmission that their sources are doubtful . Some few of them originated in Nebraska. Their authenticity is based upon their inclusion in a syllabus of titles, Folk -song of Nebraska and the Central West; direct contribution from Nebraska pioneers; or both:- -- In many compilations, cowboy songs are so classified because they have found particular favor with the cowboys. This group of songs have the additional characteristic of being about cowboy life . Some of them have Nebraska locale.
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Cowboy Songs (Part Two) - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project
"These are songs sung by cowboys about cowboys. Few of them, if any, have a Nebraska origin, but all are much sung in this State. To obtain some of the songs it was necessary to piece fragments together from oral contributions, scrap books, and personal collections."
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Historical Legends - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Produced by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska.
Legends related to Spanish exploration of Nebraska. As stated in the pamphlet: "Some truth and much fiction are indiscriminately mixed in these narratives. The various accounts of the edpeitions differ to such an extent in dates, incidents, and geographical placements that they are classified as legends. Enough facts common to all the narratives and corresponding with other actual data make them historical legends".
Includes The Seven Cities of Cibola, The Land of Quivira, The Expedition of Don Diego Dionisio de Peñalosa, and The Villasur Expedition.
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Indian Ghost Legends - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
"These Indian tales are reproduced as a result of reconstruction and piecing together. Elderly Indians and early residents, scattered over the State, furnished from their memories the titles and fragments of the stories. A great many other stories exist as titles only, and some others too fragmentary to piece out. Those included in this pamphlet appear to be among the commonest or most generally known and are here reproduced by correlating versions of the same story from different sources. They are not offered as newly found versions of old tales."
Statement on Harmful Material: Materials in UNK Archives and Special Collections are historical in nature and reflect the society in which they were produced. As such, they may contain racial, gender, sexual, religious, and other language and imagery that are offensive by today's standards. The documents, images, publications, and other materials have been retained in order to fully represent the materials in their original format. If the offensive text is not in the original, but in a finding aid, catalog record, or other description created by library employees, please contact Archives and Special Collections to bring this to our attention. Archives & Special Collections is guided by the core values of the Society of American Archivists. If you have questions about this statement or about Archives and Special Collections’ work, we welcome your feedback. Please contact us at archives@unk.edu or 308-865-8593.
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Indian Place Legends - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Produced by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
These legends are representative of three of the outstanding tribes of Nebraska Indians: Pawnee, Omaha and Sioux. The fact that other versions are extant and that living Indians within the same tribe disagree concerning the authentic version confirm them as true folklore. The themes of these legends have been obtained from histories, folklore compilations and unpublished manuscripts.
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Legends of Febold Feboldson
Federal Writers' Project
Credited to Paul R. Beath of Gothenburg, NE, who wrote other books on Feboldson, a figure of legends and tall tales.
"The tales of Febold which I have selected represent the lighter, even humorous, side of the pioneer plainsman's serious and often tragic struggle to wrest a living from a stubborn land".
Statement on Harmful Material: Materials in UNK Archives and Special Collections are historical in nature and reflect the society in which they were produced. As such, they may contain racial, gender, sexual, religious, and other language and imagery that are offensive by today's standards. The documents, images, publications, and other materials have been retained in order to fully represent the materials in their original format. If the offensive text is not in the original, but in a finding aid, catalog record, or other description created by library employees, please contact Archives and Special Collections to bring this to our attention. Archives & Special Collections is guided by the core values of the Society of American Archivists. If you have questions about this statement or about Archives and Special Collections’ work, we welcome your feedback. Please contact us at archives@unk.edu or 308-865-8593.
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Legends of Febold Feboldson and Antoine Barada - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Compiled by the Federal Writers' Project of Nebraska.
"The following pages are a continuation of excerpts from a manuscript written by Mr. Beath concerning Nebraska's foremost legendary character, Febold Feboldson...
Antoine Barada ranks second only to Febold as a legendary or mythical character of Nebraska. There is evidence, however, that a person by this name really lived, evidence which is lacking in the case of Febold. As to how much of the story given below (written by members of the Project) is true, we do not know."
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Proverbs, Prophecies, Signs and Sayings (Part Two) - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
"The following pages conclude the work on signs, sayings, omens, etc., begun in our Pamphlet Nine. In these two issues, we have attempted simply to list the proverbs, metaphorical phrases and omens in current use in the State, leaving the task of definition or description to the larger work in preparation on Nebraska folklore."
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Proverbs, Prophesies, Signs, and Sayings - Nebraska Folklore
Federal Writers' Project
Put together by the Federal Writers' Project in Nebraska
"A Nebraska origin is not claimed for the proverbs and sayings in this pamphlet. They are, however, used in Nebraska. They have been confirmed by numerous consultants. The more familiar this material is to Nebraskans the more truly does it merit its place in Nebraska folklore, and the more its value will increase with the passing of time."
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Days of Yore: Early History of Brown County, Nebraska
Lillian L. Jones
History of Brown County, Nebraska. Detailed coverage begins in 1857, and includes settler colonialist interpretation of the relationship between the Sioux, the U.S. government, and colonists.
Written drawing on primary sources collected from early residents by the author. Also contains quotes from interviews with early white settlers. Includes individual sections on Ainsworth, Meadville, Long Pine, and drought in the 1890s.
Statement on Harmful Material
Materials in UNK Archives and Special Collections are historical in nature and reflect the society in which they were produced. As such, they may contain racial, gender, sexual, religious, and other language and imagery that are offensive by today's standards. The documents, images, publications, and other materials have been retained in order to fully represent the materials in their original format. If the offensive text is not in the original, but in a finding aid, catalog record, or other description created by library employees, please contact Archives and Special Collections to bring this to our attention. Archives & Special Collections is guided by the core values of the Society of American Archivists. If you have questions about this statement or about Archives and Special Collections’ work, we welcome your feedback. Please contact us at archives@unk.edu or 308-865-8593.
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Molly Whiteface: The Tale of a Cow
Bruce McCulloch
In this story of MOLLY WHITEFACE, the tale of a cow, we have enjoyed the intimate and interesting way in which Mr. McCulloch has carried the calf along from her happy home in the West to her ultimate end on the market.
UNION STOCK YARDS COMPANY OF OMAHA, Limited.