Bruun Memorial Library

Bruun Memorial Library Located in Humboldt, Richardson County, Nebraska

Memory Monday...It's almost September and that seems a good time to start looking at some Fair pictures. This picture, f...
08/31/2026

Memory Monday...
It's almost September and that seems a good time to start looking at some Fair pictures. This picture, from 1938, features Emajoe Newby, Miss Nebraska 1938 (on the Miss Nebraska site her first name is given as Emmajane, but local records have Emajoe). That was the same year she graduated from Humboldt High School.

Memory Monday...Local chapters of the home guard formed across Nebraska towns and cities when regular military personnel...
08/24/2026

Memory Monday...
Local chapters of the home guard formed across Nebraska towns and cities when regular military personnel and young men deployed overseas. The Federal government recognized them with the Federal Home Guard Act in 1917. Richardson County had four units--Falls City, Humboldt, Shubert and Salem. This picture shows the Humboldt Home Guard, 1917-1918. The numbers are a little hard to see but following are the names to match the numbers: 1 Sgt. L.W. Stalder, 2 Pvt. Fred Davis, 3 Pvt. C.E. Cope, 4 Pvt. Alvin Gingerich, 5 Corp'l. J.G. Herwig, 6 Corp'l. Alfred Rist, 7 Pvt. Chris Hecht, 8 Corp. Geo. Marshall, 9 Pvt. Milo Hynek, 10 Pvt. John Leatherman, 11 Pvt. E.A. Litchfield, 12 Pvt F.W. Porak, 13 Pvt. C. Hendricks, 14 Pvt. Leo Wedner, 15 Pvt. O. O'dell, 16 Pvt. W.J. Boss, 17 Pvt. T.H. Gillan, 18 Pvt. E.H. Rist, 19 Pvt. Arnold Schuetz, 20 Pvt. John W. Klossner, 21 Pvt. Chas C. Hecht, 22 Pvt. W. Schmelzel, 23 Pvt. N.C. Campbell, 24 Pvt. Frank Tupa, 25 Pvt. Chas. Sherman, 26 Pvt. Norman Bullis, 27 Pvt. Joy M. Nims, 28 Pvt. B. Ninger, 29 1st Sgt. Geo. Sanford, 30 Sgt. J.J. Haydon, 31 Sgt. A. Sherman, 32 Pvt. Frank Hynek, 33 Pvt. Fay Thompson, 34 Pvt. R.H. Hummel, 35 Pvt. O.E. Zook, 36 Pvt. Robt. Draper, 37 Sgt. G.D. Jenkins, 38 Sgt. J.C. Fail, 39 Corpl. J.A. Harris, 40 Pvt H.V. Albright, 41 Pvt. Milton Kotouc, 42 Pvt. F.A. Hummel, 43 Corpl. H.H. Kirchner, 44 Pvt. Edgar Todd, 45 Pvt. Harry Bowers, 46 Pvt. Otto Kotouc, 47 Pvt. L.H. Howe, 48 Pvt. Wade Dorland, 49 Pvt. Floyd Uffner, 50 Pvt. Chas. Hynek, 51 Pvt. H.W. Howe, 52 Corpl. F.M. Boss, 53 Pvt. Chas. Mann, 54 Corpl. E.W. Clift, 55 Pvt. J. Hartzel, 56 1st Lt. Guy L. Cooper, 57 Capt. P.A. Epley, 58 2nd Lt. Roy Patchen

Memory Monday...This picture is dated 1909, and shows the south side of the square (looking west). It's obviously before...
08/17/2026

Memory Monday...
This picture is dated 1909, and shows the south side of the square (looking west). It's obviously before the streets were bricked, and transportation was one or two horse power. We like this picture because it has the library sign on the left side. The bank sign refers to the Humboldt Bank (built by Frank Samuelson), also referred to as the First National Bank (there were multiple banks in Humboldt at that time). Other businesses on the south side of the square at that time included a grocery store, a merchantile (sic) store, the opera house block, a harness shop, and a shoe store.

Here's a picture of recent visitors to the library. I'm afraid they may be fly by night and not stay around long. (sorry...
08/11/2026

Here's a picture of recent visitors to the library. I'm afraid they may be fly by night and not stay around long. (sorry it's a little blurry)

Memory Monday...This picture shows a wet race on the south side of the square. No year is given, and no explanation abou...
08/10/2026

Memory Monday...
This picture shows a wet race on the south side of the square. No year is given, and no explanation about what a wet race is. But it appears that it might be a type of firemen's race. It's almost as interesting to note the background. There's the hitching post around the square (a small section of this can be seen at Quad County Museum) and the Klossner harness shop (that's the big building on the right). Sorry about the quality...sometimes we have to work with what we've got.

Memory Monday...Though no date is given, this picture is obviously later than many posted previously. It shows the North...
08/03/2026

Memory Monday...
Though no date is given, this picture is obviously later than many posted previously. It shows the North side of square, looking east, and features the Humboldt Theater, City Hall, Hummel's Cream Station, Park Hotel (all buildings that are no longer there).

Memory Monday...Baseball was a big deal in early small-town Nebraska. This picture shows the Humboldt Baseball Club in ...
07/27/2026

Memory Monday...
Baseball was a big deal in early small-town Nebraska. This picture shows the Humboldt Baseball Club in 1884 & 1885: 1 O.A. Campbell 2 Dr A.R. Scott, 3 Charles Smith, 4 Wm Comstock, 5 Bunk Fleming, 6 Rice McNulty, 7 L.H. Howe, 8 Oscar Beard, 9 Lon McKeon, 10 W.H. Ungles

Memory Monday...The Sandfort men harvesting 1907--from left: John Henry (father), & Sons, Edward Elmer, Robert Walter,...
07/20/2026

Memory Monday...
The Sandfort men harvesting 1907--from left: John Henry (father), & Sons, Edward Elmer, Robert Walter, Carl Henry Nicholas, Albert Arthur (sorry about the picture quality)

Memory Monday...Lots of pictures of the bandstand have been shared. But it's not often we get a chance to see what the f...
07/13/2026

Memory Monday...
Lots of pictures of the bandstand have been shared. But it's not often we get a chance to see what the fountain beside the bandstand looked like in earlier days. No date is given, though the fountain was constructed in July 1912. While the east side of the square can be seen in the background it isn't clear enough to be identifiable)

Memory Monday...We're only a few days past the 4th of July, so it seems fitting to share a picture of the Humboldt Boost...
07/06/2026

Memory Monday...
We're only a few days past the 4th of July, so it seems fitting to share a picture of the Humboldt Boosters, taken in 1910. This group, with at least 14 cars and 60 people, including the band, toured the area to promote the 4th of July celebration in Humboldt. Some accounts gave the numbers a little higher with 17 cars and 75 people. Towns they visited include Dawson, Verdon, Falls City, Shubert, Stella, Howe Station, Auburn and Johnson. That year noise-making agencies were prohibited. So activities included horseshoe pitching, a farmer's water fight, a hitch-and-go race, a comic walking race, a horseback potato race, water polo, an automobile parade, ball games, band music and the four Geyers, who provided juggling and acrobatics.

Address

730 Third Street
Humboldt, NE
68376

Opening Hours

Monday 2pm - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 12pm
2pm - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 12pm
2pm - 6pm
Friday 10am - 12pm
2pm - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm

Telephone

+14028622914

Website

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