In commemoration of the 50 years of The National Historic Preservation Act, we will be featuring all 19 historic sites in Sarpy County on the blog and in our member newsletter. In 1966, passed by congress and signed by President
Johnson, the National Historic Preservation Act has had a lasting impact on Sarpy County. After WWII, several historical sites and buildings were destroyed prompting action to be taken. This act helped form the legal framework to begin the historic preservation of landmarks, buildings and other significant areas. Since 1966, Sarpy County has had 20 sites enrolled with the National Register of Historic Places. The first site to be listed in Sarpy County was Fontenelle Bank in April of 1969. The most recent site to be listed is the Patterson Indian village which was listed in 2007 and is located off Highway 31 near the Platte river. We will be highlighting all the locations in Sarpy County that are listed on the register this upcoming year.
One way you can support preservation is by joining the Sarpy County Museum. Memberships are yearly and start at just $15. Membership with the Sarpy County Historical Society entitles you to receive our newsletter, vote at general meetings, hold office, and serve on committees. There’s always preservation happening behind the scenes. Currently, a group of volunteers is digitizing film negatives from two local newspapers while another is digitizing and transcribing a Spanish-American War diary. Even though our volunteers donate their time, we still need to pay for the supplies to properly safeguard these items and the tools to preserve them through digitization. Every dollar counts. Every supporter matters.
The Sarpy County Museum, incorporated in 1953, is committed to protecting, preserving and promoting Sarpy County’s rich history. It does this by hosting a variety of free programs, archiving local records and assisting with genealogy research. The museum is generously funded by Sarpy County and continues to rely on donations from members, volunteers and community supporters. The museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. For more information, contact the Sarpy County Museum, 402-292-1880 or museum@sarpycountymuseum.org