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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

Homestead National Historical Park

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Homestead National Historical Park

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This is the official page for Homestead National Historical Park and it is managed by NPS employees.

10/19/2026

A howling good time at Homestead National Historical Park

Come to the Heritage Center at Homestead National Historical Park Saturday, October 24 starting at 4 p.m. for our annual Howling Homestead event.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities throughout the evening, including storytelling, the mad scientist’s science magic, Nebraska animals and animal ambassadors, raptors, and a hike through the tallgrass prairie.

There is no fee for the event, and the first 100 children will receive a free pumpkin to take home courtesy of the Friends of Homestead. Hot apple c***r and cookies will also be available. Come dressed for the weather, but since it’s fun without fright, please leave costumes at home.

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Photo: NPS

10/13/2026

Ice Cream the Full Scoop by Gail Gibbons is October’s Read With A Ranger book!

Gail Gibbons details the many firsts in ice cream history, from the earliest ice cream crank to the original waffle cone. Follow ice cream's journey, such as many homesteaders did, from farm to factory to freezer. We will have a paper ice-cream social craft to make and take home.

Read with a park ranger every 3rd Saturday of each month in 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

Wonderful for young children and their caregivers, all ages of children are welcome to attend these free programs. Listen to a park ranger read a picture book and then participate in a related activity or craft connected to the book's themes. Themes will include National Parks, nature, farm life, homesteading, and much more. All props, books, and craft supplies will be provided by the park ranger.

Every 3rd Saturday of each month in 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Check Homestead’s website for updated book information at: Read with a Ranger - Homestead National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)

October 17 – Ice Cream the Full Scoop by Gail Gibbons

November 21 – Hey, Hey, Hay by Christy Mihaly

Image: NPS

10/09/2026

Join us around the campfire, Saturday, October 10 at 7:00 pm as we present "American as Apple Pie: Baseball and the Homestead Act." This program will delve into the important role baseball played in homesteading communities and homesteading social networks.

This campfire program will be held at the fire pit behind the Education Center. Folding chairs will be available, but lawn chairs and blankets are welcome. Insect repellant and water are highly recommended.

Image: Dempster baseball team, c. 1910.

10/05/2026

Attention kids of all ages! Come to the Education Center at Homestead National Historical Park on Saturday, October 10, at 10 a.m. and join us in a free ranger-led activity as we solve a mystery about leaves and fall colors. Come dressed for the weather. Jackets, hats, and gloves are recommended.

Fall brings major changes to the woodland at the park. Leaves change colors and fall from the trees, leaving bare branches. Why do the leaves change colors? Why do they fall off? Does the whole tree die? Answer these questions and more. Weather permitting, participants will take a short hike into the woodland to investigate various leaves to see if we can solve the mystery. We’ll then make leaf etchings on paper to take home, using crayons and markers with the leaves we find. We’ll also earn a Junior Ranger badge.

09/29/2026

Join Artist-in-Residence Izzy Anderson as she discusses her love of art and the National Park Service on Saturday October 3rd at 10 am at our Education Center. Izzy is an artist who combines classical medium such as painting with composing music to accompany the artwork. Izzy is a trained pianist who combines her music skills with her love of art. She has done several artist-in-residencies throughout the park service and will speak about her experiences with the programs. If you love art or music, we encourage you to join us as Izzy talks about her residency experience.

09/28/2026

Reach for the Stars at Homestead National Historical Park!

Come to the Heritage Center at Homestead National Historical Park on Saturday, October 3, at 7 p.m., and join us for a ranger-led night sky activity. We will have four telescopes on hand for use, or bring your own. The rings of Saturn and the Milky Way galaxy will be our primary focus, along with other constellations and galaxies. Red-lens lighting will be provided, and jackets, gloves, and hats are recommended.

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09/26/2026

Today, we look into the Homestead photo archive at park events! The archive has documented Howling Homestead. This program at Homestead started back in 1998. The event changed over time, and it continues to this day!

At Howling Homestead, you can hear historical stories fit for the fall season. You can watch a “mad scientist” conduct fun experiments, live raptor and reptile demonstrations, and hike with a park ranger through the tallgrass prairie.

The fun continues with crafts. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of Homestead, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the park!

Come join us at the next Howling Homestead on October 24th! The date is fast approaching and will be a fun a fun community night at the park!

Image Credit: NPS

09/21/2026

On Saturday, September 26, at 7 pm, join Park Guide Tanner Christy at Homestead National Historical Park's Education Center for a campfire program that will tell the story of the Medal of Honor and the Homesteaders who have a connection to America’s highest award for valor. You are welcome to bring lawn chairs with you or chairs will be provided. As always, admission to the park and to all park events is free.

(Image Credit: Library of Congress, cropped photo of Medal of Honor awarded to Seaman Charles B. Woram, U.S.S. Oneida, U.S. Navy, battle of Mobile Bay, August 5, 1864)

09/20/2026

Help us count critters, like this praying mantis!

Join staff at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center on Saturday, September 26, to celebrate National Public Lands Day. The park will honor America's public lands by exploring local biodiversity through three unique guided nature walks:

8:00 a.m. – Bird Walk
10:00 a.m. – Plant Walk
12:30 p.m. – Insect Walk

Each walk lasts approximately one hour. Park staff will demonstrate how to use community science apps like eBird and iNaturalist to document observations. The data collected by volunteers helps determine what species live in Homestead’s prairies and woodlands. Identifying what lives on the land—and tracking how it changes over time—is the crucial first step to effective land management.

Documenting biodiversity is a powerful way to celebrate National Public Lands Day.

09/16/2026

Who's Who at Homestead National Historical Park?

Come to the Education Center at Homestead National Historical Park on Saturday, September 19, at 7 p.m., and join us for a ranger-led activity as we study owls. Many of these night hunters call the park home, but we don't get to hear them after the park closes. We plan to take an evening hike in the woodland, play owl sounds, and perhaps hear an owl or two calling! The event is free, and insect repellent, jackets, and flashlights are recommended. Image: NPS

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Address

8523 W State Highway 4
Beatrice, NE
68310

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14022233514

Website

http://www.nps.gov/home

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