Custer County Historical Society/Museum and Research Center

Custer County Historical Society/Museum and Research Center Historical Museum & Research Center
Solomon D. Butcher -Pioneer (Sod House) Photo Gallery

Summer Hours 10:00 to 5:00 M-Sat (Memorial to Labor Day)
Winter Hours 1:00-5:00pm M-F
Stroll through a 1880s soda shop, mercantile and pharmacy; browse the Solomon Butcher Photo Gallery; see fashions of the past and our military history, or
find your Custer County ancestors in the Research Center

08/15/2026

I got over 500 reactions on my posts last week! Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉

Elizabeth Chrisman, the eldest of the Chrisman sisters, was the first woman to hold a land claim in Custer County. In 18...
08/14/2026

Elizabeth Chrisman, the eldest of the Chrisman sisters, was the first woman to hold a land claim in Custer County. In 1886, she purchased her parcel directly from the U.S. government for $2.50 per acre under the Preemption Act of 1841. This was a significant achievement, as it was rare for women to own land outright at that time. Elizabeth was joined by her sisters Harriet “Hattie,” Lucy “Lutie,” and Jennie Ruth “Ruth” Chrisman. The sisters were unmarried and chose to delay marriage to preserve their land claims. By 1886, Lizzie had already secured her claim; Lutie filed hers in 1887, and Hattie and Ruth followed later.

In the 1880s cattle and horses had taken over the Sandhills of Nebraska . Herds of 15,000 to 50,000 head were controlled...
08/13/2026

In the 1880s cattle and horses had taken over the Sandhills of Nebraska . Herds of 15,000 to 50,000 head were controlled by cattle barons . Names like John Bratt, W.D. Paxton and the Bosler Brothers.

https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/doc_publications_NH2013Cowboys.pdf

1872 Buffalo Billy Claim of Intension in Custer County
08/12/2026

1872 Buffalo Billy Claim of Intension in Custer County

08/08/2026

Anna Bates Towns ...A photo journey she started in 1920.

We are seeing some very cool clocks today
08/06/2026

We are seeing some very cool clocks today

Clock Day is starting with a 1900 Waterbury Escapement clock.
08/06/2026

Clock Day is starting with a 1900 Waterbury Escapement clock.

08/06/2026

I was recently asked what do memberships and grants do for the Custer County Historical Museum. You are part of a group of people dedicated to perserving history.

We were made aware of school census from 1910 thru 1964 in Spring of 2025. 54 years of information on 284 Districts.They were in need of preservation. Over this past year (2025-2026), 21 Volunteers, a couple of Chapters/Lodges, board members and our Curator have devoted over 700 hours of repairing and mending documents, and finally scanned, 40,000 pages. Thankfully have been recovered.
These are being added to our reseach center, in 55 binders, in 10,000 sheet protectors, with inkind time (hours) that would be $8,150.00 dollars. This priceless information was degrading and would have been lost.

US acquired Nebraska as part of Louisiana purchase from France 1803 it recognized that ownership of land remained with s...
08/05/2026

US acquired Nebraska as part of Louisiana purchase from France 1803 it recognized that ownership of land remained with several Indian nations.

Address

PO Box 334, 445 S 9th Avenue
Broken Bow, NE
68822

Opening Hours

Monday 1pm - 5pm
Tuesday 1pm - 5pm
Wednesday 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 1pm - 5pm
Friday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

(308) 872-2203

Website

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