Life on the frontier of the 1880s in Nebraska was rough, to say the least. Many settlers dwelt in sod houses, which did a good job insulating the home during the blazingly hot summer months and brutal winter months. Grass fires burned wide swaths. Locusts swarmed, consuming everything in sight. The First Sioux War was recent history. For the pioneers living in Kearney County Nebraska, life was brutal, but at least they escaped the plague, filth, and other horrors of the cities. Just 10 years as a national holiday, Christmas season was a time to look past the excruciating difficulties of everyday life and focus on the bright hope of birth of the Christ Child.
In 1862, in the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln had signed into law the Homestead Act. It was the catalyst for the “Great Dakota Boom” where thousands of people packed up and moved out west from the 1860s through the 1880s. The population of Nebraska, a state since 1867, exploded during the next twenty plus years.
The Minden St. Paul Lutheran Church building, now located at the Pioneer Village, was built by German immigrants in 1884. They sacrificed many amenities in their own homes to construct a suitable place to worship and celebrate. It was one of the earliest buildings acquired by Harold Warp in an auction purchase for $1,000.00 in Minden December 1950. The church includes original pews, pulpit, and organ while hosting thirty-minute nondenominational Sunday Services held during summer months.
Settling the vast open prairies, weathering winter storms, and finding joy to celebrate the coming of the Saviour during the Christmas season epitomizes the pioneer experience. For the settlers of the Great Plains, the months of November and December are days of progressively receding sunlight, unremittingly cold temperatures, and the ever-present threat—if not the reality—of knee-high snow. Arriving at the peak of this unpredictable weather, the Christmas season was extended as far as possible on both sides of December 25.
The tradition of decorating Christmas Trees (Tannenbaum) was also brought from Germany, as well as handmade Christmas cards, exchanging of gifts were meant to cement friendships and provide “charity” for those in need. Commercialism was not yet a major part of the celebration as it is today. Wreaths have been around since the ancient Greek and Roman times, but the evergreen Christmas wreath, often adorned with boughs of holly, eventually took on Christian meaning, with the circular shape representing eternal life and the leaves and berries symbolic of Christ’s crown of thorns and blood.
Caroling was a traditional part of the 1880s Christmas Season. Among the core group of sacred carols was “Si- lent Night,” “Joy to the World,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear,” “The First Noel,” and “What Child Is This,” most of which still are sung today to bring back Christmas memories and images. They also brought the gospel message of Christ’s coming as a baby to grow to be the Saviour and Sacrifice for our sins. It is interesting that Isaac Watts didn’t write “Joy to the World,” the most published carol, to originally be a Christmas song, as the lyrics do not reflect the Virgin birth of Jesus, but rather Christ’s Second Coming. During the Christmas season, the faith of our “fathers” speaks to His First Coming and anticipation of His Second Coming.
The Harold Warp Pioneer Village is throwing a nostalgic bash with “Christmas on the Prairie” on December 7 and 8! Get ready for a jolly whirlwind of family fun and festive cheer, featuring artisan demos, guided tours and themed holiday rooms in the Shops & Homes Building that take you down Christmas memory lane, a sneak peek of the new Pioneer Village Post Office exhibit, and the enchanting Charles Dickens Christmas Village!
Join in on some STEM-tastic holiday activities, snap some picture-perfect moments, embark on a scavenger hunt, and groove to live music. Plus, enjoy a cozy church service, sip on hot cider and chocolate, and score some holiday treasures at the museum’s gift shop sale. With lighted stations, storytelling, a magical lantern walk, and a special visit from Santa, it’s a holiday extravaganza you won’t want to miss! Check out our social media and website for all the festive details! https://www.facebook.com/haroldwarppioneervillage/
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