Contact and Conflict - Fort Kearny State Historical Park

More than three centuries of Nebraska’s history during the Plains Indian Wars is the subject of a Fort Kearny State Historical Park presentation by Nebraska author Jeff Barnes on Saturday, September 10, at 1 p.m.

“Contact and Conflict: The Monumental Story of Nebraska and the Indian Wars” by historian Jeff Barnes is a chronological telling of the meetings of Native American and European Americans in Nebraska, from peace through war, as commemorated in historical monuments and markers. These memos from the past mark councils, trading and military posts, treaty sites, battles and massacre’s originating with the differing cultures on the Plains.

“The interest and pride of Nebraskans in their history is shown through scores of these markers and monuments across the state, which we continue to place today,” said Barnes, who appearance is sponsored by the Nebraska State Historical Society foundation with a gift from Ron and Judy Parks.

The presentation is in conjunction with Barnes’s newest book, Cut in Stone, Cast in Bronze: Nebraska’s Historical markers and Monuments. Sponsored by the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, the book is a full-color, comprehensive guide to the nearly 300 monuments, statues, markers, and plaques erected and placed across the state from Territorihood to the 1967 Centennial in commemoration of historical events, places, and people. In addition to the photographs of the markers and the history behind them, Barnes has included the locations and GPS coordinates to allow for site visits.

“The points of these contracts are marked throughout Nebraska, in some places familiar to many bit in other places remote and seldom seen,” said Barnes. “I think with the ‘social distancing’ that we’re encouraged to adopt, seeing these monuments in natural settings that haven’t changed greatly is a great Nebraska weekend adventure.”

Barnes is also the author of Forts of the Northern Plains, The Great Plains Guide to Custer, The Great Plains Guide to Buffalo Bill, Extra Innings: The Story of Modisett Ball Park and 150 @ 150: Nebraska’s Landmark Buildings at the State’s Sesquicentennial.

A fifth-generation Nebraska and former newspaper reporter and editor, Barnes writes and lives in Omaha. He is a past trustee of the Nebraska State Historical Society, fort chairman=n of the Nebraska Hall of fame Commission, and former marketing director of the Durham Museum.