Events

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO AN UNDECIDED DATE. We will notify the public when a new date has been chosen.

On the Museum’s March Sunday Series program, the Omaha Organization for the Purpose of Storytelling – (OOPS) will be joining us for their presentation “Stories of Women”. Throughout history, stories have been passed down and told from generation to generation and this is your chance to hear them. The professional storytellers of OOPS will share both true and tall-tales related to women on the plains. Bring the kids and grand-kids for this family friendly and fun afternoon.

Light refreshments will be served following the presentation. The program is free and open to the public.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. We will update the public once a date has been decided. If you bought tickets, you will be contacted on what you will like done with your fundraiser donation.

After months of Dr. Erastus Upjohn’s doctors coat and outfit being conserved at the Ford Conservation center, we will finally be able to unveil it to you all! On March 31st at Lanskys in Twin Creek, we will have a sneak peek of the coat, a table of medical artifacts, and a medical history presentation over medicine in Nebraska. Food will be provided, and tickets will be sold at the door for $20 a person. Advanced ticket sales are available at the museum, and you can also RSVP by calling us at 402-292-1880.

Dr. E.N. Upjohn was born in England, September 14, 1811 and came to America in 1829, settling in New York first and later Michigan. Upjohn came with his family to Bellevue on May 10, 1854. As one of the first men of medicine in the Nebraska Territory, he found himself with an immense amount of work that spanned many miles. His saddlebag’s filled with instruments and early medicines. In the case of sickness or accident, he was the only hope for many of the area pioneers and consequently an unusual faith in the doctor and his powers grew. Upjohn served in the Second Nebraska Volunteer regiment in 1863 as a surgeon for the unit. His service to the community lasted for twenty five years until his death on March 11, 1879. Dr. Upjohn is buried with family in La Platte Cemetery, south of Bellevue. A sister, Helena married Fenner Ferguson, first Chief Justice of the Nebraska Territory. Dr. Upjohn was also cousins to the noted architect, Richard Upjohn, perhaps best known for New York City’s famed Trinity Church.

Award winning journalist, Joe Sarita will share the history of Susan La Flesche: America’s First Indian Doctor. On March 14, 1889, La Flesche received her medical degree―becoming the first Native American doctor in U.S. history. She earned her degree thirty-one years before women could vote and thirty-five years before Indians could become citizens in their own country. By age twenty-six, this fragile but indomitable Indian woman became the doctor to her tribe. Overnight, she acquired 1,244 patients scattered across 850 square miles of rolling countryside with few roads. Her patients often were desperately poor and desperately sick―tuberculosis, small pox, measles, influenza―families scattered miles apart, whose last hope was a young woman who spoke their language and knew their customs.

Before joining the UNL journalism faculty in 2000, Joe Starita spent 13 years at the Miami Herald, where he served as the paper’s New York bureau chief from 1983-1987.

Light refreshments will be served following the presentation. The program is free and open to the public. Sponsored by Humanities Nebraska.

Mark your calendars! Our annual Pie Social will kick off on Saturday, June 6th from 2-4pm. We love keeping this old fashioned tradition alive in our community, so come on out and show your support while enjoying some pie and ice cream on a summer afternoon.

Pie, drinks and ice cream will be available for purchase.

There will be a pie baking contest, so start perfecting your recipes. The Pie Social will kick off the annual Great Sarpy County Quilt Exhibit. Old-fashioned games will be set up for kids with crafts including make your own barn quilt, weaved cards and pie demonstrations. The Bellevue train depot and UP caboose will be open to explore. The pie social supports the museums efforts in maintaining the museum, train depot and caboose. Come for pies, quilts, trains and more June 6th at the museum!