Kearney’s contribution to World War II was absolutely staggering. Kearney became a processing hub for soldiers in between training and the frontlines. Many Kearney women also joined into the service either under the WASPS (Women Airforce Service Pilots) or the WAC (Women’s Army Corps). These women would go on to be vital assets to the home front during and even after the war. Some would go on to be deployed in postwar Germany and other nations around the world. After the airbase closed in 1949, it was refitted for civilian use and is today used as Kearney's regional airport.
When considering the magnitude of Kearney and the many trials and tribulations women in our community have endured through its history, our old red-light district encompasses the full potential of the hard work and underlying tones to free themselves of the lower class comes to light in this specific fragment of Kearney women’s history. Though it may be seen as unorthodox and explicit to the masses of yesterday and today, it is still imperative we tell the stories of what women had to do in the shadows while avoiding the law for wages to survive and to break through the barrier which set men and women apart in the occupational realm. Therefore, we will engage with stories regarding the Madame of the local brothel that we regard as an entrepreneur and head of the lowly deeds which women had to go through for an income and to make a living. Through indecency and the will to risk that of which locals and as well as the government deems wrong and unjust, these stories halt the true evil within the greater story being that these women were more than capable and willing to do the same things any other person within city limits were measured to be unworthy of specific rights. In poverty and the ambition to become what we see as an equal, these women set the criteria for what would become our beloved city and bond to the glorious story of women’s economic upbringing.
During the mid-1900s it was relatively uncommon for women to own restaurants. Instead, they were the head waitress for the men who ran the business. One example of this would be the former Central Café, located in downtown Kearney. Contrary to this, within the same time period, was the M&M Café which was owned and run by Sophie Moon and her sister-in-law Mildred (Millie) Moon. Together, Sophie Moon was the head cook and Millie was the head waitress, running their restaurant from open to close six days a week.
For the last 130 years, Mother Hull Home has been an active member of the Kearney community, serving the needs of the elderly and the poor. It has been owned continuously since 1889 by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. Its namesake, Nancy Hull, was both the wife of a local physician and the treasurer of the WCTU at the time. The building started in the original Kearney Courthouse, then moved later to the site where it exists in today. The Home was the first hospital in Kearney, though it is now a skilled nursing facility.
The Kearney chapter of the Red Cross had its first headquarters at City Hall. The Red Cross is an international organization that has been helping local communities since 1881, when it was first founded. Women have been the running force behind the Red Cross for decades and their work can still be seen in different communities today.
"The Good Life." You see it on signs, you may hear Nebraskans recite it like some ancient ethos. Fewer people truly made "The Good Life" accessible to everyone than Carol Cope. From her humble childhood in rural Pawnee County, teaching in North Platte, earning a Master's degree from UCLA, to being the co-owner of Claussen's Shoe Store in Kearney, Carol's life was extraordinary, and one could argue it was her life's work to make everyone's life as extraordinary as hers.
When we see the Victorian home and well kept yard, many think tea parties. While that may have been a function, the Kearney Woman's Club has been on the forefront of social and political thought since its inception. The local organization was formed in 1887 and first titled "The Clio Club," not merging with the larger, national organization and calling themselves the "Kearney Woman's Club" until the mid 1900s. The club's gathering spot, ironically a house, was built in 1886 and remains standing and in use to this day.
This was the home of Pauline and Augustus Frank from 1891-1904. Pauline continued to live in the home after the passing of Augustus until 1904, when she relocated and began working for the city library. The house is still standing today despite there being some changes to the property itself.
This is the home of Eliza Galloway, who was the first African American Resident of Kearney, a former enslaved woman who was born in Maryland. Eliza was well known as a domestic who worked in many different homes in Kearney.The homes of Kearney's elite were very familiar with Eliza and her work, as she was a domestic in many of their homes; including the home of George and Phoebe Frank.
Maud Marston Burrows was a journalist and one of the first female attorneys in the state of Nebraska. Maud's biggest scoop was when she was granted the only one on one interview with Nellie Bly, for her record breaking travels around the world in 72 days. However, Maud was also a suffragist and an advocate for women's votes in the state even after universal suffrage was granted. She attended several conferences and caucuses in regards to women's votes; as well as, advocating for women's role in the workplace, especially as attorneys. Maud continued to speak for those who were voiceless, including the ill, young female industrial workers, and even attempted to run for state legislature.
Good Samaritan Hospital is one of the five hospitals in Nebraska run by the Sisters of Saint Francis. The first two sisters, Sister Liliosa and Sister Colett, arrived in Kearney in 1921, roughly three years before the first patient was admitted in July of 1924. Today, Good Samaritan Hospital continues to provide important health services for rural Nebraskans.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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A tour that explores how women in Kearney, Nebraska have shaped the history of the community through their involvement in business, politics, the military, and reform organizations.
