Upcoming Events:

1. March 14, 2010 - Dr. Susanne Bloomfield on Nebraska writer Elia Peattie.

   In recognition of Women's History Month, on Sunday, March 14th at 2:00 P.M. the Neihardt State Historic Site will host a presentation on Nebraska novelist, poet, playwright, journalist, and social reformer, Elia Wilkinson Peattie. During the Progressive Era of 1890-1917 there were many changes in women's roles, particularly for the growing middle class, in the work place and by their involvement in social movements. Although journalism was still predominately a male only area, both Elia and her husband Robert worked as reporters for the Omaha World Herald. Peattie also had a prolific literary career of short stories which included romance, children's topics, and even ghost stories but, particularly in those of the West. According to biographer, Dr. Susanne Bloomfield, "Peattie realistically depicts life on the Nebraska plains during the homesteading period for Eastern audiences eager to read local color accounts of "exotic" locales." Her writings relate not only the transformations of Omaha in the 1890s toward the just society she envisioned but also reflect the passion of a woman convinced of each individual's ability to effect positive, lasting change within society.

   The program will include a Power Point presentation narrated by both Dr. Susanne G. Bloomfield and Ms. Carrie Crockett. Dr. Bloomfield is Professor of English at UN-Kearney where she specializes in literature of the American West, and is author of Impertinences: Selected Writings of Elia Peattie, a Journalist in the Gilded Age. Ms. Crockett is a Graduate Research Assistant. Both worked to create a digital archive on Peattie for the website, which can be accessed at http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/peattie/.

   The program begins at 2:00 PM and is free and open to the public; a reception will follow and the author's book will be available for sale and signing.

2. April 18, 2010 - Special performance by Tom May.

3. April 24, 2010 - Spring Conference: Neihardt and the Short Story

   Planning is already in place for the 2010 conference "Neihardt and the Short Story." Speakers will be Chickasaw author Linda Hogan, Dr. James Work of CSU, UNL Professor of writing Ricardo Garcia, and UNL professor of literature Dr. Karen Shoemaker. Dr. Neil Harrison, Dean of English Department at Northeast Community College will moderate.

For more information, please contact the Neihardt State Historic Site at 1-402-648-3388 or 1-888-777-4667 or on line at neihardt@gpcom.net. Visit the site at 306 W. Elm Street, Bancroft, NE.