Nebraska History Podcast

About Nebraska History Podcast

The Nebraska History Podcast brings you the authors and articles from the Nebraska History Magazine. Join host Chris Goforth from the Nebraska State Historical Society as he presents previously published articles from the past in audiobook form. New episodes are available every other Thursday. Subscribe and enjoy Nebraska history during your commute, on your walk, in the cab of your truck, at your desk, in the field, and anywhere else you listen! Every episode, discover the unique stories and moments of Nebraska's rich history. Support the podcast at https://history.nebraska.gov/podcast.

Publisher

Nebraska State Historical Society

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Jan 2024

Latest episode

8 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

72 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Steamboating the Missouri River

   Before railroads and highways, stubborn little steamers battled snags, sandbars, and swift currents of the Missouri River to open the heart of the frontier. They carried settlers, soldiers, fortune‑seekers, and everyday cargo, and in doing so, helped build the towns and trade routes that shaped the Trans‑Mississippi West. Today, we explore the early days of travel along the Missouri River through the 1954 Nebraska History Magazine article “Steamboating on the Missouri River, (https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/doc_publications_NH1954Steamboating.pdf)” written by William J. Petersen.

2. 

   24 Sept 2026

   When Nebraska Almost Became Kansas

   Imagine towns like Beatrice, Holdrege, and McCook being in Kansas instead of Nebraska. 🤯 It nearly happened! In the turbulent late 1850s, political frustrations south of the Platte River grew so intense that southern Nebraskans seriously considered breaking away and joining Kansas. In this episode, we dive into this fascinating near‑miss moment in our state’s history from the 1972 Nebraska History Magazine article, “Sectionalism in Nebraska: When Kansas Considered Annexing Southern Nebraska, 1856–1860 (https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/doc_publications_NH1972Sectionalism.pdf)” by David H. Price.

3. 

   10 Sept 2026

   The Man Who Lead Nebraska as the Beef State

   Today’s story traces the remarkable rise of Thomas Benton Hord, who not only built the nation's largest livestock feeding empire but also helped lay the foundation for Nebraska becoming the modern-day Beef State. We discover his story through the 2015 Nebraska History Magazine article, “Thomas B Hord: From the Open Range to the Largest Livestock Feeding Enterprise in the United States, (https://history.nebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/NH2015TBHord.pdf)” written by James E. Potter.

Who has been a guest on Nebraska History Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Rebecca Buller
• Industry experts
• Tommy Thompson

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

5,038,516

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.2 / 5

11 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 73 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

80

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

77

Contact Nebraska History Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  The Pick Six Podcast - Husker sports news and analysis

• 

  Curious Nebraska

• 

  Early Break – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK

• 

  HuskerOnline Podcast

• 

  Once Again

• 

  History Unplugged Podcast