BEATRICE – A southeast Nebraska National Park is a busy place in June. The Homestead National Historical Park was hosting Beatrice third through fifth graders this week during the Beatrice Public Schools summer learning series.


Ranger Amber Kirkendall says students were taking part in virtual creation of a Homestead.  "The idea is really to connect the students to the cultural and natural resources, but then also connect them to the Homesteading story with something they're an expert with....Minecraft. I've already learned so much from them, but it really helps them remember.... what did you have to do? You had to build a shelter, you had to improve the land, plant a crop."


The park will host a similar session next week, along with one called "Bats Eat Bugs".

On the upcoming Flag Day, June 14th, the park will hold another Naturalization ceremony, where people take the oath to become new U.S. citizens.


Late in June, Homestead Days activities are scheduled over three days at the historical park west of Beatrice. One presentation will feature the Discovery Channel’s Marty Raney, a star of the Homestead Rescue series. Kirkendall says the park first contacted him back in 2019.


"He touches on Daniel Freeman. He touches on Ken Deardorff...the first and last Homesteader...and the fact that 93 million people are descended from a Homesteader. He focuses on a lot of people in the modern homesteading movement...and these small, independent farms, which are a legacy of the Homestead Act."


Raney is a 40-year resident of Alaska, who helps emphasize the Homesteading way of making do, with less.  "A lot of our exhibits in the Heritage Center talk about using and reusing what you have. We saw one of the episodes of the show where he was helping somebody on a generational homestead. And, that original homestead was a cabin...and they couldn't keep it. But, they took the wood from that and ended up building greenhouse-like boxes to extend the growing season in Alaska."


One of the Sunday presenters at the park during Homestead Days is Wichita War Dancer…Greg Victor, a champion Native American Fancy Dancer.


"He is actually a descendant from two different tribes....Tohono O'odham, on the border of Mexico...and then, Ponca. He is actually the direct descendant of Big Snake...who is the brother of Standing Bear. Big Snake was actually assassinated the same day that his brother won his (legal) case. It is very powerful to hear Greg and the Wichita War Dancer come and talk about how meaningful it is, for him to come to Nebraska. Big Snake wanted to go back to Nebraska, but the Ponca divided in Oklahoma and Nebraska and his family ended up staying in Oklahoma."


The National Historical Park will also host traditional craft and antique farming demonstrations on the prairie.   Below is the schedule of events.


Friday, June 23
1 p.m. Miss V, Family Friendly Musical Performer
2 p.m. Carolyn Zeisset, Children’s Author
Saturday, June 24
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Traditional craft demonstrations and Antique Farming Demonstration on the Prairie
12:00 p.m. Chris Sayre, British Isles and Irish Sampler
1:00 p.m. Homestead Harmonizers, A-Capella Choir
2:00 p.m. Marty Raney, Star of Discovery Channel’s “Homestead Rescue”
3:00 p.m. Golden Studio, Yazidi Music/Middle Eastern Music
Sunday, June 25
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Traditional craft demonstrations and Antique Farming Demonstration on the Prairie
12:00 p.m. Courtland Opry House Dulcimer Players, Dulcimer Music
1:00 p.m. Michael Murphy, Folk Music and Native American Flute
2:00 p.m. Greg Victors, Wichita War Dancer, Native American Fancy Dancer
3:00 p.m. David Marsh, Music of the Germanic Lands