Homestead National Historical Park to Host a Living History Extravaganza

News Release Date: August 27, 2026
Contact: Amber Kirkendall, 402-223-3514

BEATRICE, Neb.
- Homestead National Historical Park will present a day of living history activities at the Homestead Heritage Center on Saturday, September 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. As the nation commemorates America's 250th anniversary, the event will explore how the ideals of the nation's founding continued to shape the homesteading experience through music, living history demonstrations, and special presentations.

The free activities, demonstrations, and performances will begin at 10 a.m. with members of the Blue Valley Antique Club using vintage farm equipment to disk and drill the Heritage Center's demonstration field. Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy sewing and spinning demonstrations, make button toys and cornhusk dolls, and participate in other hands-on activities that reflect daily life on a homestead.

At 11 a.m. Offutt Brass, the brass ensemble of the United States Air Force Heartland of America Band, will perform. Comprised of two trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba, and percussion, the ensemble performs a diverse repertoire of classical selections, patriotic favorites, jazz, popular music, new compositions, and distinctive arrangements.

At noon, historical interpreter Steven Edenbo will portray Thomas Jefferson and explore the ideas that shaped the nation's founding and later influenced the Homestead Act. A Thomas Jefferson interpreter since 1999, Edenbo has spent more than two decades researching and portraying the third president. His work has appeared in numerous History Channel and PBS documentaries, including the six-part History Channel documentary Thomas Jefferson, and he regularly portrays Jefferson at historic sites such as the National Archives and Independence Hall. His presentation examines how the principles expressed at the nation's founding helped shape the Homestead Act and inspired generations of Americans seeking opportunity through homesteading.

At 1 p.m., Darrel Draper will present the story behind the Statue of Liberty's journey to America. Originally intended as a gift from France to commemorate the centennial of American independence, the monument's path to the United States proved far more complicated than anticipated. The program examines the challenges France faced in presenting the statue, the people involved in its creation, the ten-year delay before its dedication, and the evolution of its meaning to Americans. The presentation also explores the Statue of Liberty's connection to homesteading, as many immigrants first encountered the monument upon arriving in the United States before claiming land under the Homestead Act.

Homestead National Historical Park is a unit of the National Park Service, located four miles west of Beatrice, NE. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Trails are open daily from dawn to dusk, and admission is free! For more information, please call (402)-223-3514, or visit http:www.nps.gov/home.

Remember, Homestead National Historical Park has an exciting schedule of events planned for 2026. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Instagram (@HomesteadNPS), "X" (@HomesteadNHP), and Facebook (Homestead National Historical Park).

About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America's most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov .

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