It’s always fun to take a step back in time and get a glimpse of the Nebraska of yesteryear. These photos from the 1950s show a Nebraska that many of our readers will remember. But if you weren’t around at the time, welcome to 1950s Nebraska.

1. The Hammer Motel sign, complete with a giant hammer and nails, was a fun sight in Kearney in the 1950s.
flickr/Allen
The motel operated from 1947 to 1987, then served as UNK student housing until it was torn down in 1995. A much smaller replica of the Kearney landmark sign was recreated at the Great Platte River Road Archway museum.
2. The lights of the Nebraska State Fair are dazzling in this photo from 1950.
Wikimedia Commons
The first state fair after Nebraska became a state was held in 1868 in Nebraska City. In subsequent years, the fair was held in Brownville, Lincoln, and Omaha until Lancaster County was named the fair's official home in 1901. Ultimately, the fair stayed in Lincoln for more than a century before it moved recently to Grand Island.
3. This aerial view of the Cornelius Family Farm, near Madrid, in the late 50s or early 60s is so pretty.
flickr/Steve Cornelius
The land looks fertile and the farm looks like good, simple living built with a lot of hard work.
4. Another aerial view, this one of North Platte's business district in 1957, shows just how much time can change a place.
flickr/Pamla J. Eisenberg
This picture comes from a set of old postcards by Curt Teich, arguably the most well-known postcard printer ever.

Related Stories

These 15 Photos of Nebraska In The 1960s Are Mesmerizing

These 15 Photos of Nebraska In The 1960s Are Mesmerizing

 This Pioneer Village In Nebraska Is A Blast From The Past

This Pioneer Village In Nebraska Is A Blast From The Past

 Most People Have Never Seen These 11 Photos Taken During WWII In Nebraska

Most People Have Never Seen These 11 Photos Taken During WWII In Nebraska
5. Two-time presidential candidate Estes Kefauver rides a bike down an Omaha street in 1952.
flickr/Richard Masoner
Kefauver was ultimately unsuccessful in gaining his party's nomination on both attempts, but he sure looks like a plucky fellow in this photo from Time Magazine.
6. The 1959 Huskers lineup included halfback Clay White, seen here mid-tackle.
Wikipedia
This was the year the Huskers did the seemingly impossible by upsetting Oklahoma University's insane 74-game winning streak.
7. This fearsome tornado touched down at the Scottsbluff airport in 1955.
Wikimedia
Imagine looking out of your window to see this monster bearing down on a nearby structure. This photo was snapped by the Department of Agriculture's Central Regional Weather Bureau Office.
8. Some things never really change. This 1957 postcard displays the moonlight on the North Platte river.
flickr/Pamla J. Eisenberg
We're all used to seeing Nebraska's incredible beauty reflected in its lakes. This postcard would have been a nice way to share that beauty with someone far away.

Bonus: This video shows the story of Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate, Nebraska’s serial killing teenage couple. The couple and their crime spree were a huge (and tragic) part of the 1950s in Nebraska.

The photos used to compile this video are stunning. They were all taken around the time of the killing spree in the late 1950s.

What do you think of these pieces of our state’s history? Do you have any photos from the 1950s to share? Please post them on our Facebook page!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles

Explore Nebraska