City Dedicates Loren Eiseley Nebraska Historical Marker

Published on April 11, 2025

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and community representatives today dedicated a Nebraska Historical Marker honoring Lincoln native, anthropologist, educator, philosopher, and natural science writer Loren Eiseley in Irvingdale Park, 20th and Van Dorn streets.

Located in an area of Lincoln Eiseley explored as a boy, the historical marker reads as follows:

• Anthropologist, poet, and nature writer Loren Eiseley (1907-1977) was raised in the nearby neighborhoods of Lincoln. As a boy he collected specimens of aquatic life from this and nearby creeks and ponds to stock his homemade aquarium. His books such as The Immense Journey and The Night Country include personal narratives set in this area. His time exploring creeks such as this one inspired his most famous line: “If there is magic in this world, it is contained in water.”

Mayor Gaylor Baird said that in addition to honoring Eiseley, the monument also acknowledges how places like parks impact community members.

“Parks like this are more than green space. They are places where kids explore, imagine, and discover who they are,” Mayor Gaylor Baird said. “I hope this marker inspires people of all ages to pause, look around, and feel some of the very same magic that Loren Eiseley found here so many years ago.”

To celebrate the Eiseley’s legacy, Lincoln City Libraries is presenting a monthlong display at the Eiseley Branch Library, 1530 Superior St. Prepared by the Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors, the exhibit explores how Lincoln shaped Eiseley’s life and work through photos and books from the Heritage Room’s collection.

The marker is made possible by support from the Loren Eiseley Society, Nebraska Historical Society, Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Irvingdale Country Club and Indian Village Neighborhood Associations.

For more information on Lincoln Parks and Recreation, visit parks.lincoln.ne.gov.