Lincoln, Nebraska – 1889 State Capital Bird’s-Eye View Map

The people who built Lincoln, Nebraska in its first two decades as state capital are named along the bottom margin of this bird’s-eye view map of the city as it stood in 1889, drawn by Milwaukee view artist Henry Wellge, published that year by the American Publishing Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and offered here as a museum-quality reproduction. The title block reads “Lincoln, Neb. State Capital of Nebraska. (County Seat of Lancaster Co.) 1889.” Above it the artist laid out the whole city in perspective, block by block, from a vantage point high over the rail yards. A lettered and numbered index ties the buildings in the view to the institutions, businesses and proprietors that occupied them.

Historical Context

Lincoln was twenty-two years old when this view was published. In 1867, the year Nebraska became a state, the village of Lancaster was chosen as the capital and renamed for Abraham Lincoln. The University of Nebraska was established two years later, and the first Burlington and Missouri River Railroad train arrived in 1870. The 1880 census counted about 13,000 residents, and a second, larger state capitol was finished in 1888. The index on this sheet records what that growth looked like to the people living in it: three daily newspapers, three street railway companies, a column of banks with their capital stated, and a State University with four buildings.

The Map’s Features

The main view looks across the rail yards in the foreground to the commercial blocks, the tree-lined residential streets and the open ground beyond, with the lettered streets marked along the grid. Letters and numbers on the buildings match the index, which opens with the State Capitol (A), the Lancaster County Court House (B), the Government Building and Post Office (C) and the State University’s Main Building (D), then runs on through schools, churches, hotels, newspapers, railroads and manufactories. Three inset views carry the picture past the city’s edge: “West Lincoln,” with its smokestacks and rail lines; “South End of the City, from Corner ‘A’ and ‘Tenth’ Streets,” with the State Penitentiary labeled on the horizon; and the State Insane Asylum. The line above the title reads “Copyrighted and Published by American Publishing Co. 205 Second Str. Milwaukee, Wis.” The view is a perspective drawing, not a measured plan.

Historical Significance

Bird’s-eye views were how American towns pictured themselves in the decades after the Civil War, and Henry Wellge, a German-born artist based in Milwaukee, drew roughly 150 of them. This one records Lincoln at the close of the 1880s, a year after the second state capitol was finished and within two years of the founding of Nebraska Wesleyan University, which already has its own letter in the index. Its lasting value is in the names. John Fitzgerald’s Lincoln Brick and Tile Works, William Gray, architect, at 109 South 10th Street, the Windsor Hotel and the Nebraska State Journal are all keyed to the view, which makes the sheet a directory of the city for anyone whose family lived, worked or studied there.

Framing Options

This map is available unframed or professionally framed and ready to hang. Our framing partner uses museum-quality materials to protect and present your map for long-term display. Choose from a classic Black frame or a warm Walnut Brown frame — both available with your order. Please allow 3–4 weeks for delivery on framed orders.

Museum-Quality Reproduction

This is a high-quality reproduction of the original historic map, professionally printed on premium archival paper using the Giclée printing process to preserve fine cartographic detail, line clarity, and period authenticity for long-term display.

Perfect For:

Lincoln residents and Nebraska families with roots in the city
University of Nebraska alumni, faculty and supporters
Collectors of 19th-century bird’s-eye views and the work of Henry Wellge
Local historians and genealogists tracing 1880s Lincoln businesses and addresses
Law offices, studies and government offices

Specifications:

Depicts: Lincoln, Nebraska, state capital and seat of Lancaster County, as it stood in 1889
Original Publication: 1889
Publisher: American Publishing Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cartographer: Henry Wellge
Style: Bird’s-eye view city map with index and inset views
Product Type: Giclée reproduction on premium archival paper
Printed In: Rochester Hills, Michigan

Dimensions (Width x Height): 28 x 19.3 inches (71.1 x 49 cm)

Each map is printed using the finest materials and methods. Your map will be handled with white gloves from start to finish. We use the Giclée printing method on premium archival paper, which produces a clear, extremely detailed, durable map perfect for proud display in your home or office.