National Historic Landmark

Palmer Site

Palmer, Howard County, Nebraska
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000447

About this property

The Palmer Site, also known as the Skidi Pawnee Village and designated by the Smithsonian trinomial 25HW1, is a prehistoric and historic archeological site near Palmer, Nebraska in Howard and Merrick Counties. The site is a Native American habitation site associated with the Skidi people, a branch of the Pawnee people, which may have been documented by an American exploratory expedition led by Stephen H. Long in 1820. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964. The site is located on private property. The Palmer Site's primary period of occupation is believed to have been in the early 19th century. Its features include 120 lodge sites and a feature interpreted as a council circle, as well as a Native American burial ground, from which several burials were removed or relocated due to nearby road construction. The site was recorded by at least three separate 19th-century exploratory expeditions. Stephen H. Long's 1819-20 expedition along the Loup River almost certainly encountered the village, describing its location and that of several other villages. Another expedition visited the village in 1833, and an 1844 expedition documented that it was abandoned. This village is believed to have been the site of the notorious Morning Star ceremony, a Skidi custom of human sacrifice. It was also probably the home of Petalesharo, a Pawnee warrior of famously interrupted one of those ceremonies by rescuing that year's victim, a Comanche girl. Petalesharo is believed to be buried here.

Location

Palmer, Howard County, Nebraska

Categories

PREHISTORICHISTORIC - ABORIGINAL
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Palmer Site

This page lists Palmer Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Questions about this property

When was Palmer Site listed on the National Register?

Palmer Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Palmer Site?

Palmer Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Palmer Site a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Palmer Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Palmer Site?

The period of significance for Palmer Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Palmer Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Palmer Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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