Brown County
Historical Society
This web site and design , is copyrighted and owned by Doris Jones Harris and Marty Honorable ,and is provided free of charge for the Brown County Historical Society.
Come visit and peruse the Historical Society Buildings and
join in the fun of discovering the past.
Brown County Historical Society and Genealogy Center
406 E. 4th St-Hiway 20
Ainsworth, NE
mailing address:
Brian Johnson
88055 427th Ave.
Ainsworth, NE. 69210
donnamj59@yahoo.com
Thanks for stopping by!
No unauthorized commercial use may be made of this material ©2004-2024 DJH
Who We Are
Mayor Clyde Burdick appointed a Committee in early 1973
to organize a historical society or organization
to preserve the history of the area.
Vance Nelson, curator of the Fort Robinson museum and a member of theprofessional staff
met March 1, 1973 with Henry Miles, Gerald Skinner and the Mayor.
A slate of temporary officers composed of Wiley Lentz, Mary Mulligan and Clayton Bejot,
were named to proceed with ground work necessary for the formation of such an organiztion.
On April 6,1973 the group met to elect officers and
directors and to vote on By-Laws.
On June 3, 1973 the society met with the following present:
Mary Mulligan, President, Wiley Lentz, Vice President,
and at this meeting Sharon Brede was elected Secretary-Treasurer
and the President appointed
Ann Wales as corresponding secretary and Nellie Hulshizer as new reporter,
and Paul Bejot to have charge of the scrap book.
The Fred Coleman heirs donated their family home, located two miles east of Ainsworth,
to the Society. The home was moved into Ainsworth October 8, 1985.
The first open house was a walk through December 21,1986, to show the house to the public.
The Brown County Historical Society, is a non-profit organizatiion.
The Society operates with out tax funds. We have food sales, raffles
and other projects to raise money.
The Society held meetings in members homes or at the Courthouse
from 1973 until December 9, 1986.
The Society collects not only area memorablila and history,
but are also collecting genealogy and family histories.
There were 4 charter members and 97 members.
For information about the Historical Society or the Museums, please write:
Brian Johnson, President
Phone # 402-387-2626
Ainsworth, NE 69210
donnamj59@yahoo.com
Donna Johnson, Secretary
Phone # 402-387-2626
Ainsworth, NE 69210
donnamj59@yahoo.com
Becky O'Hare, Vice President
Phone # 402-760-0111
Ainsworth, NE 69210
Carlene Burrows, Treasurer
Phone # 402-376-5615
Ainsworth, NE 69219
Kathy Burchell
308-627-1843
Ainsworth, NE 69210
Genealogy-Historian
kmburchell34@hotmail.com
The Society meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 P.M.
at the Brown County Historical Society-Coleman House
located406 E. 4th St.-Hiway 20
New Members Welcome!
Yearly membership $10.00 per year.
What a bargain!
Business Membership $25.00.
Still a bargain!
or Lifetime Memberships are Available! $100.00.
Fantastic Price!
Please make checks payable to:
Brown County Historical Society
% Brian Johnson
88055 427th Ave.,
Ainsworth, Nebraska, 69210.
If you are or your family are current or former Brown County residents,
please show your support for all that the Brown County Historical Society does
to preserve the past history of our families and the community, and
join this wonderful and dedicated group.
Your membership dollars will be a vital help in furthering this work.
Group Tours are available by appointment. Call 402-387-2626 for more information.
GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE
Please contact us for your research possibilities.
We have a large selection of family histories and information available.
Basic Research of family files and cemetery records
Research of newspapers or census records on microfilm
Photocopies are available at cost, payable in advance for extensive searches.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Brown County Historical Society collects, preserves,
studies and interprets materials that tell the history of Brown County, Nebraska.
The purpose of the museum is to collect artifacts, manuscripts, social & cultural history.
To make available the study of collections for research
and other use by the general public,
register and preserve social and economic history of Brown County,
and to provide exhibits, tours, programs and educational services on a regular basis.
Admission is free to all our Society's buildings, with donations accepted.
COLEMAN HOUSE
Located at 406 E. 4th Street-Hiway 20
This house was donated to the Society by the Fred & Alta Coleman family.
It is maintained and furnished by the Historical Society, with donations by it's members
and relatives of local families.
In this museum are: Old clothing-Circa: late early 1900's to present.
Old books, maps, family files, pictures, furniture, newspapers,tools, quilts, household items and dishes.
There is also an old pump organ donated by Cash Hagan of Johnstown, NE. The Coleman house was recently in 2024 moved from its prior location on Old Hiway 7 to its new location at 406 E. 4th St.-Hiway 20.
Located next door is the
OLD HENDERSON GAS STATION.
Very small old style gas station with pumps and with other station memoribilia. The station was run by Ab Henerson but when the Dixon family bought it in 1942, the station had been closed.
This is a Work In Progress!!
PARADISE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT #53 SCHOOLHOUSE.
Located south of Ainsworth. This school was leased to the Brown County Historical Society under a 99 year lease by Duane & Lois Lewis. Contact RuthAnn and Darrel Steele Sr. at phone 402-387-1219 or mail at 86683 State Hiway 7, Ainsworth, NE. 69210-1821 for Directions.
BOOKS AVAILABLE
They still have Tales of Brown County, Nebraska. It is a hardbound book with 600 pages. It is about 1/3 History and 2/3 Family stories.
They also have the new book Business History of Brown County, Nebraska 1883 to 2014. It is a hardbound 400 pages with about 500 pictures.It tells the history of about 45 types of busines's like bakeries, garages, lumber yards, etc. It aslo iincluded about 35 pages of maps, timeline and individual stories wrotten by the owners. It is fully indexed.
For more information, contact the Brown County Historical Society, 8805 427th Ave.,
Ainsworth, NE 69210
Phone # 402-387-2626
The Brown County Historical Society has printed the book "The Postal History
of Brown County, NE.", which includes the history from late 1800's to the present time for
all of the Brown County Post Offices with pictures of many of the post offices.
This book was written and compiled by Maynard Harr, retired postal employee. from Ainsworth, NE.
For information contact Brown County Historical Society
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