2025-2026 Programs & Events

Voices of the Past Programs

at Burlington Station - 603 N Plum St, Grand Island
programs begin at 2 pm
$5 for non-members, free for members

September 14, 2025 | Grand Island’s Oldest Law Firm
Ron Depue with Wolf, McDermott, Depue, Sabott, Butz, Porto & Fowles will share the history of their law firm which was founded 140 years ago by Ralph Horth and Charles Ryan.
 
October 12, 2025 | The Cathers of Hall County
Willa Cather is intimately bound up with Webster County. Yet, the wider Cather family thrived in other communities, including Grand Island. George and Frances Cather were the first Cathers to arrive in Webster County, but off and on between 1898 and 1964 their children lived in Grand Island. They attended Grand Island College and built lives in the city. Among them was Grosvenor P. Cather, a Grand Island College dropout, whose life and death on the battlefields of France inspired his famous cousin’s 1923 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, One of Ours. Dr. Nathan Tye, from University of Nebraska-Kearney, will explore the lives of the Hall County Cathers and their place within Willa Cather’s life and work.
 
November 9, 2025 | Robert F. Kennedy: The Road Not Taken
The Nebraska Democratic primary mattered in 1968. Because only fifteen states held primaries, Robert F. Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy made the state a high priority. Dennis and Dr. Laura Crawford will share how Nebraska brought out the best in Kennedy, and he brought out the best in Nebraska voters during his 8-day campaign in the state, including a stop at Grand Island.​

January 11, 2026 | Antique Christmas Ornaments
John Hanssen's popular program returns with a different era of historic Christmas ornaments.  

February 8, 2026 | Ordnance Plant History
Hall County Ordnance Plant historian Howard Uhrich returns to share more of his research on the Cornhusker Ordnance Plant history.    

March 8, 2026 | Betsey Hager Chapter; A Century of Service
Though they don't seek the spotlight, the members of Betsey Hager Chapter, National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter are approaching a remarkable milestone—100 years of service to our community. Laura Mattingly will share how over the decades, its dedicated members have donated thousands of volunteer hours, championing causes that are the objectives of the DAR: preserving our shared history, promoting educational opportunities for young minds, and honoring the sacrifices of our local veterans. As they prepare to celebrate a century of impact, meet some of the extraordinary women who have made this chapter a force for good in our community.
 
April 12, 2026 | Hargis House and Family
Jean Lukesh will share her research on the Andrew Hargis House, currently home to the Grand Island Women’s Club, and the Hargis family in Grand Island.   

2025-2026 Bygone Book Club

at Grand Island Public Library 
meetings begin at 11:30 am
everyone is welcome, this is a free event

August 16, 2025 | The Man from Worms by William F. Arendt 
Discussion led by Barbara Graves 
An inspiring personal story of business and family success in America’s heartland from Fred Bosselman, granddaddy of the truck stoppers. 
  
September 13, 2025 | A Lost Lady by Willa Cather
Discussion led by Sue Clement 
In the fading railroad town of Sweet Water, Mrs. Forrester is a graceful yet distant figure admired by all. To her aging husband, she is a cherished treasure; to Niel Herbert, who loves her from youth to adulthood, she is both captivating and tragic—steadfast yet unreliable, elegant yet vulnerable.

October 11, 2025 | The Sea of Grass: A Family Tale from the American Heartland by Walter R. Echo-Hawk 
Discussion led by Dr. Jean Lukesh
This historical novel, rooted in real events and people, explores the Central Plains through the Pawnee perspective. Drawing from ten generations of Echo-Hawk oral tradition, it reveals the spiritual depth and rich cosmology of Pawnee culture shaped by the land and Indigenous history.
 
November 1, 2025 | Son of the Gamblin' Man by Mari Sandoz
Discussion led by Mac Martin
The story of Cozad, Nebraska’s founder and his son, Robert Henri—a sensitive, gifted boy who became a renowned artist and teacher. Set against the backdrop of frontier hardship and violence, it also portrays the struggles of settlers facing nature’s harshest trials and ruthless cattlemen.

January 10, 2026 | Schimmer’s Sand Krog: Resort on the Platte by Robert Perry 
Discussion led by Stephanie Crosby
The story of a beloved Hall County landmark, established in 1898 by German immigrant Martin Schimmer. Once the heart of Grand Island’s German community, Schimmer’s Lake and its iconic Sand Krog thrived as a social hub for the community. 

February 14, 2026 | Valentine T. McGillycuddy: Army Surgeon, Agent to the Sioux by Candy Moulton 
Discussion led by Tom Frazer
A vivid biography of Valentine T. McGillycuddy—army surgeon, topographer, and Indian agent—captures his dramatic life on the northern plains, from tending to Crazy Horse in his final moments to clashing with Red Cloud over U.S. assimilation policies.

March 14, 2026 | From Society Page to Front Page: Nebraska Women in Journalism by Eileen M. Wirth 
Discussion led by Michelle Setlik
The compelling stories of Nebraska women journalists who broke barriers and reshaped the field. Drawing from her own experience as one of the first female reporters at the Omaha World-Herald, Wirth portrays bold women who reported from war zones, fought for civil rights, and covered everything from rural communities to the White House. 

April 11, 2026 | Haunted: The Strange and Profound Art of Wright Morris by Jackson J. Benson 
Discussion led by Jim Dean
Wright Morris left college early for Europe, where he had surreal adventures—including imprisonment by a mad Count—before returning to the U.S. to become one of the most experimental American novelists of the 20th century. A prolific author and pioneering photographer, he earned nearly every major literary award and helped create the innovative “photo-text” genre.

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Stolley House Events

at Stolley Park - 2103 W Stolley Park Rd, Grand Island​

November 30, 2025 |  Stolley Christmas Open House The historic Stolley House, in Stolley Park, will be decked out for the holidays and open to visitors to view free of charge. With holiday music, treats, and antique Christmas ornaments, this event will truly help get you in the holiday spirit! 1:00 to 4:00

July 19, 2026 | Art-In-The-Park The historic home of William and Wilhelmina Stolley, who settled in Hall County in 1857, and the oldest public schoolhouse in Hall County, will be open to visitors. The tour is open to the public and free of charge. 

Other Programs and Events

March 14, 2026 2:00-3:00 pm | Women’s History Walk
Join us at the historic Hargis House for our Women’s History Walk where we will recognize Hall County women who have broken barriers, paved the way for others, served as community leaders, faced challenges or adversity, and who have made a positive and lasting impact in Hall County. 
 
June 5, 2026 at 5 pm / June 6, 2026 at 9 am and 3 pm | Cemetery Tour
Our popular tour of the Grand Island City Cemetery returns the first weekend in June with new stories to share about our community and the people who lived here. Admission for this event is $10 for non-members and free for members. 

July 4, 2026 at 10 am | German Church Service
In celebration of the arrival of the first settlers on July 4, 1857 join us for our annual German language church service at the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran on the grounds of Stuhr Museum. There is no cost to attend the church service. However, if you plan to stay and participate in Stuhr Museum's Independence Day festivities, Stuhr Museum's regular admission fees will apply. 
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