National Willa Cather Center

06/11/2026

Join Board President, Peter Cipkowski for a look into Cather's work and fruitful life as an author. 🖋

Along with readings of Willa Cather by Linda Besesti and Matt Reidy, Cipkowski will make remarks on how Cather broke new ground as an artist by illuminating ordinary lives and struggles, lending dignity and significance to her characters' inner worlds.

Learn more at the link in our bio. 🔗

06/10/2026

Explore Nebraska, one bookstore at a time!

Join the Nebraska Book Trail this summer! Pick up a map and punch card at our bookstore, then hit the road and visit participating bookstores across the state. Collect a punch at every stop, discover new literary treasures, and make unforgettable bookish memories along the way.

Complete your trail card and submit it at the end of the summer for a chance to win exciting prizes!

Where will your next chapter take you? Learn more here: https://www.nebraskabooktrail.com/get

06/09/2026

With the official opening of our depot exhibit, we want to share something with a bit of personality.

With restoration complete, the next chapter begins: bringing the Burlington Depot’s stories to life.

As the backdrop to Willa Cather’s first encounters with the Nebraska frontier, the depot offers a powerful setting for exploring the people, cultures, and experiences that shaped her writing. Through multilingual interpretation, immersive soundscapes, vibrant graphics, and hands-on activities, visitors of all ages will be invited to step into the past and experience the journey for themselves.

From student groups to families, the reimagined depot will be more than a historic site; it will be a place to discover and connect.

Learn more about All Aboard: West-Bound Trains in American Culture here: https://www.willacather.org/discover/exhibits/all-aboard-west-bound-trains-american-culture

06/08/2026

Get a look into the stage adaptation of “My Ántonia,” by Theater Latté Da! 🌾

Showing June 3-July 12 this adaptation, inspired by Willa Cather’s beloved novel, offers a heartfelt celebration of resilience and the lasting strength of women.

Will Dusek and Sara Masterson Photo by Dan Norman The World Premiere of the new musical My Ántonia at Theater Latté Da is one of the best new musicals I’ve seen in some time. Intimate, inviting, fu…

06/03/2026

We hope you'll join us from 6:30 to 8:00 on Thursday evening at the Burlington Depot for the opening of our latest exhibit, All-Aboard: West-Bound Trains in American Culture. 🚂

Taco bar courtesy of the Red Cloud Booster Club, beverage service courtesy of On the Brix, and good company and conversation!

06/02/2026

Listen to this discussion by MPR News with Kate Kilbane of the Kilbanes as she shares insight into her process for composing the music behind the production.

After a bandmate first brought her the idea, Kilbane fell in love with Willa Cather’s characters, whose stories ultimately inspired the set.

Listen here: https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2026/06/01/a-story-about-community-musical-adaptation-of-my-antonia-to-premiere-in-minneapolis

06/02/2026

THIS WEEK! Hear from author and rare book expert Rebecca Romney 📚

Using Willa Cather’s posthumous legacy as a case study, this talk explores the people behind archival collections, their decisions, discoveries, and lasting influence on the stories we tell about writers and their work. Join us for a look at the unexpected ripple effects of preservation, followed by a book signing in the bookstore

This event is free and open to the public; registration is required. Funding was provided by Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Register here: https://www.willacather.org/events/willa-cather-archival-chain-and-making-literary-legacy

06/01/2026

We have some exciting new items arriving at the bookstore soon!

Here's a sneak peek at one of the many treasures we can't wait to share with you. This special piece highlights the work of a talented, lesser-known Nebraska artist and is sure to be a unique addition to our collection.

Follow us for updates as new items arrive in-store and online!

👀 Any guesses what this might be? Share your thoughts in the comments!

05/28/2026

Get your reading in before the spring conference!

From the world of Willa Cather and her timeless stories to the works that sparked some of literature’s greatest legends, this year’s conference brings something for every reader. Whether you’re drawn to classic voices or fresh perspectives, you’ll find stories that inspire, challenge, and stay with you long after the last page.

Get these titles in store or online at: https://shop.willacather.org/books/conference-related/7

05/27/2026

Read up on a literary pilgrimage to Red Cloud and plan your own to discover Cather!

On an early June afternoon in Red Cloud, chairs are full in the town’s opera house, visitors drift between storefronts clutching their bookstore purchases