Historic Sites In Nebraska. More Than Just Parks has 5 incredible must-see sites for you to visit.
I’ve been to so many of these amazing places since retiring from teaching in 2018. Did I mention that I taught history? I spent a lifetime teaching about the history behind these momentous sites. Then I got to see them firsthand. And now I’m sharing the stories of these incredible places with you. It doesn’t get any better than that!
I’m going to give you my list of the 5 Historic Sites In Nebraska that you’ll want to see.
To be clear, this list includes national park sites (as in sites managed by the National Park Service) as opposed to national parks.
If you’re planning a trip to the Cornhusker State then one book that I highly recommend is: Detour Nebraska: Historic Destinations & Natural Wonders by Gretchen Garrison.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Historic Sites In Nebraska
5. Scotts Bluff National Monument
We begin our countdown of the Top 5 Historic Sites In Nebraska at #5 with Scotts Bluff National Monument.
First established in 1919 by Presidential Proclamations, Scotts Bluff National Monument preserves and protects over 3,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie, rugged badlands, towering bluffs, historic trail remnants and riparian area along the North Platte River.
And when it comes to history, the bluff served as an important landmark for pioneers on the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer and Pony Express Trails.
Visitors can walk in the footsteps of pioneers on remnants of the Oregon Trail, drive to the top of the bluff via the Summit Road and stand in awe at the sight of the bluffs raising from the prairie.
CHECK OUT: 25 BUCKET-LIST FAMOUS HISTORIC LANDMARKS IN AMERICA (MUST-SEE)
Nearly Four Miles Of Hiking Trails
You will find almost four miles of hiking trails at the Scotts Bluff National Monument.
The rock along Summit Trails and Saddle Rock Trail is soft and crumbly; leaving the paved trails can be extremely dangerous.
Check Out The William Henry Jackson Collection
One of the more interesting figures you’ll learn about is William Henry Jackson. He was an extraordinarily gifted photographer best known for his iconic images of Yellowstone National Park.
He was also a gifted artist whose drawings and paintings provide valuable insights to life in a time when America was suffering through the Civil War and venturing westward in search of a national identity.
Scotts Bluff National Monument houses the world’s largest collection of original William Henry Jackson sketches, paintings, and photographs. (Source: National Park Service)
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Seeing The Flora & Fauna At Scotts Bluff
Scotts Bluff National Monument is one of the few places in the Panhandle of Nebraska where wildlife is protected in a natural environment.
There you will find various species of reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals and invertebrates.
Wildlife commonly seen include coyote, mule deer, prairie dogs and rattlesnakes.
You can also find a variety of plants including Plains Prickly Pear, Ponderosa Pine, Rocky Mountain Juniper, Soapweed Yucca and Winterfat.
4. Niobrara National Scenic River
Coming in at #4 on our list of the best historic sites in Nebraska is the Niobrara National Scenic River.
As the National Park Service proclaims, it’s 76 miles of free-flowing fun. It’s a place where you can canoe, tube, or kayak.
It’s a family friendly river and offers scenic views of waterfalls, wildlife, and the unique geology of the Niobrara River Valley. But it’s also a scenic site that’s not without its history, too, which is why I included it.
The Early People Of The Niobrara
According to the National Park Service, the early people of the Niobrara knew it as a sacred place where “Niobrara” – spreading water river– flowed freely and wildlife were abundant when the seasons made the river an ideal place for them to be.
The Niobrara River Valley was first cared for by twenty-one roaming Native American Nations who knew the resources of the land and celebrated the river as a fruitful home during bison hunting seasons.
When the Homestead Act of 1862 was signed into law by President Lincoln, settlers from the East and South moved in to claim 160 acres of land, driving Westward expansion and starting communities of diverse people in small settlements like Valentine, Brownlee, and DeWitty.
There were contentious times as homesteaders set out to plot their homestead boundaries, raising fences and contending with nature to make the sandhills and five other ecosystems work in harmony and become prosperous while reservation systems were set up for the first caretakers of the Niobrara River Valley.
Take A Scenic Drive Along The River
Today you don’t have to struggle to tame the land. Instead you can take a scenic drive along the Niobrara River.
The Lower Niobrara River Valley Scenic Drive travels along stretches of the lower Niobrara River and Verdigre Creek both located in the 39-Mile District of the Missouri National Recreational River.
There’s also the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway which is a beautiful route that includes hills, valleys, and jagged cliffs. It follows Nebraska Highway 12 from South Sioux City to Valentine for 231 miles.
The highway retraces much of the path where outlaws such as Doc Middleton, Kid Wade and their associates used to hideout.
So Many Waterfalls, So Little Time
The western third of the Niobrara Scenic River is home to over 200 waterfalls. The highest of these is Smith Falls.
It plunges 63 feet over a sandstone cliff. Many locally-owned ranches are found along the river retaining the valley’s rural flavor; yet, much of its wild character is preserved.
Teeming with diverse wildlife, beavers, bull snakes, turkeys, coyotes, foxes, and both white-tailed and mule deer are commonly sighted along this river.
CHECK OUT: 5 MUST-See Historic Sites In Oklahoma
Historic Sites In Nebraska
3. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
Coming in at #3 on our list of the best historic sites in Nebraska is a site with a history which goes way, way back. I’m referring to the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.
If you love history, like I do, then it doesn’t get any better or older than full skeletons of extinct Miocene mammals.
This is what paleontologists unearthed in the hills of Nebraska. Through their efforts the age of mammals comes to life at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.
Scientists discovered the bones of ancient mammals in the 1890s. Some of the most famous are the devil’s corkscrew burrows.
These corkscrew-shaped tunnels into the Earth’s core were built by prehistoric land beavers called Palaeocastors.
You Have To See It To Believe It And See It You Can At Agate Fossil Beds
Paleocastor had powerful clawed forelimbs for digging and long, curved teeth like modern beavers.
Herds of Stenomylus, gazelle-camels about two feet tall, grazed grasslands beside the three-toed, pony sized rhinoceroses Menoceras.
The most common mammal in the bonebed, Monoceras may have roamed these plains in large herds.
Fossil remains of the ancestors of the modern horse, Parahippus, have also been found in the waterhole. (Source: National Park Service)
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Discovery Of The Fossils
Agate Springs Ranch, owned by James and Kate Cook, was the place where the original discovery of the petrified bones of a mammal was made. This happened in the 1880s.
In 1892, Professor Erwin H. Barbour of University of Nebraska arrived.
He was the first scientist to examine the strange “Devil’s Corkscrews of Agate.”
These were later identified as the fossilized burrows of Paleocastor.
It’s Not Jurassic Park, But It’s Still Well Worth The Visit
Twelve years later, Olaf Peterson of the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburg became the first professional paleontologist to excavate in the ‘great bonebed’ in the Fossil Hills.
Now you can travel back 23 millions years to see these incredible creatures. You will find them at the visitor center.
It’s not Jurassic Park, but it’s still well worth the visit. And, the best news of all is that you don’t have anything to fear from these creatures.
“Archaeology is the peeping Tom of the sciences. It is the sandbox of men who care not where they are going; they merely want to know where everyone else has been.”
-Jim Bishop
Experience A Different Perspective On Native American History
Visitors can also see an amazing collection of Northern Plains Native American artifacts.
You can explore the Lakota and Cheyenne culture by checking out the James H. Cook collection of gifts from Chief Red Cloud.
These gifts were given by the Lakota to James Cook when they visited him at the Agate Springs Ranch.
While you’re there, you can see Chief Red Cloud’s shirt and moccasins.
There’s Two Excellent Walking Trails
There’s two excellent walking trails. The one mile Daemonelix Trail features exhibits of the spiral corkscrew fossil of the Paleocastor, an ancient land beaver that lived here in the Miocene.
The 2.8 mile Fossil Hills Trail takes visitors to the historic dig sites. While you’re there you can explore the source of the famous fossil discoveries.
There’s also a boardwalk to take you over natural wetlands and the Niobrara river.
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2. Missouri National Recreational River
In the runner-up position on our list of the best historic sites in Nebraska we have the Missouri National Recreational River.
Among the Nebraska National Parks where history takes a backseat to nature my favorite is the Missouri National Recreational River.
It’s a national recreational river that’s located on the border between Nebraska and South Dakota. With its sprawling boundaries, there are endless recreational opportunities in this national park.
Activities include the following: biking, bird watching canoeing, fishing, hiking, hunting, and kayaking.
There’s History Too
According to the National Park Service, humans have shaped and in turn been shaped by the mighty Missouri River. There are numerous prehistoric and historic village sites within the Missouri National Recreational River boundaries.
Early cultures developed along the river, most notably the Woodland Culture, dating back up to 2,500 years.
They were followed by the Iowy, Arikara, and Mandan. By the time Euro-Americans arrived, the land was populated by the Omaha, Ponca, Yankton Nakota, and Teton (Brule’) Lakota.
The Santee Dakota were relocated to this area from Minnesota. Changes to the river brought about by human activity over the past two centuries have dramatically changed the lives of countless people.
Among these are:
- Chief Standing Bear – in a landmark court case he proved that Indians were “persons” under the law, free to enjoy the rights of any other person in the land.
- Grant Marsh – Among the numerous Missouri River steamboat pilots, he was possibly the greatest ever.
- Lewis and Clark – The Missouri National Recreational River corridor can serve as a microcosm of the expedition. (Source: NPS)
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#1 Historic Site In Nebraska
1. Homestead National Historical Park
For the #1 historic site in Nebraska we have selected Homestead National Historical Park.
Homestead National Historical Park brings the epic homestead story to life for visitors of all ages.
Now the best place to begin is at the beginning (a.k.a. the Homestead Heritage Center).
This multipurpose facility demonstrates the true scope and importance of the Homestead Act of 1862.
The Homestead Acts
If you’re unfamiliar with the history of this place then have no fear. As a retired history teacher, I’m also looking to do a quick history lesson, but have no fear as I don’t intend to assign any homework. So, here we go!
The Homestead Acts were laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of public land which was typically called a homestead.
It Allowed Nearly Any Man Or Woman A “Fair Chance”
By granting 160 acres of free land to claimants, it allowed nearly any man or woman a “fair chance.” It was our government’s way of giving its citizens the opportunity to have a better life and a brighter future provided they were willing to work the land.
Among its provisions was a five-year requirement of continuous residence before receiving the title to the land and the settlers had to be, or in the process of becoming, U.S. citizens.
The Homestead Acts opened up America’s public lands to homesteaders who were looking to build a place to live and work. One of the most famous was the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889.
At Homestead National Historical Park, visitors learn about many aspects of the homesteading story. An exhibit titled “Opportunity and Displacement” discusses how land laws affected Native Americans.
Of course, if you are interested in learning more then I recommend: The Homestead Act and Westward Expansion: Setting the Western Frontier by Irene Harris.
Things To Do At Homestead National Historical Park
There are some fascinating historic places to visit including the Palmer-Epard Cabin, built in 1867, by George W. Palmer.
There’s also the Freeman School which serves as a reminder of the role the old one-room schoolhouse played in the history of the prairie frontier.
And, if you want to see what an actual homestead looks like, I recommend a visit Daniel Freeman’s homestead claim. Today the claim is a part of the Homestead National Monument.
CHECK OUT: 10 BEST Civil War Sites In America
Map Of Historic Sites In Nebraska
List Of Historic Sites In Nebraska
- Homestead National Historical Park
- Missouri National Recreational River
- Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
- Niobrara National Scenic River
- Scotts Bluff National Monument
About The People Behind More Than Just Parks
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks. I taught history for over a quarter of a century. Now I enjoy researching and writing articles for More Than Just Parks. I’m always on the hunt for topics where nature and history intersect so please feel free to share any ideas that you might have with me.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
Meet The Parks Brothers
Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) absolutely LOVE the national parks and public lands.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
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