National Willa Cather Center

10/13/2026

"In October, while the days were still warm, Thea and Tillie papered the room, walls and ceiling in the same paper, small red and brown roses on a yellowish ground. . . . The acquisition of this room was the beginning of a new era in Thea’s life. It was one of the most important things that ever happened to her." – 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑎𝑟𝑘

10/07/2026

In 1990, Nebraska Public Media's Ron Hull arranged a visit from Eva Marie Saint and her husband director Jeffrey Hayden; at that year's Spring Conference in Red Cloud, they read selections from Cather's _O Pioneers!_ for a packed house. The Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress, inspired by Cather's writing and her visit to Red Cloud, went on to develop _On the Divide_, a show that she and Hayden toured across the country. What champions they were for Cather's work over the years! Godspeed, Eva Marie Saint. The world has lost a real legend.

You can listen to _On the Divide_ with Saint and Hayden at this link: https://carlow.hykucommons.org/concern/generic_works/183c8426-6245-4044-a3fe-2189c6e49de2

10/06/2026

Help us welcome two writers from our 2024 Willa Cather Residency cohort as they share recent publications! Margot Kahn and Hillary Behrman will read excerpts from their books as they reflect on their unique writers-in-residence experiences.

To register:

https://www.willacather.org/events/virtual-author-series-margot-kahn-and-hillary-behrman

10/02/2026

The National Willa Cather Center Teacher Institute takes place during the summer, but the school year is when Cather-ready educators and students shine! This fall Lisa Laker, a 2026 Teacher Institute participant, debuted her creative writing lesson "Throw the Furniture Out of the Window: A Lesson from Willa Cather on Quality Over Quantity." Here you can see photos of Lisa's students engaging with "The Novel Démeublé," O PIONEERS!, and MY ÁNTONIA as part of their own short story writing process. We love seeing students contemplate Cather and express their creativity!

📖 You can find Lisa's lesson plan as well as a selection of materials created by Teacher Institute educators on our website: https://www.willacather.org/discover/educational-resources/teachers/general-resources

🖋We are accepting applications for the 2027 Teacher Institute! Learn more about how to apply and what participation includes: https://www.willacather.org/teacher-institute

🌻Thank you to the Ana McCracken Educator Endowment Fund for supporting the Teacher Institute!

📲Please contact Director of Education and Engagement Rachel Olsen at [email protected] with questions about this program.

10/02/2026

This was fun to see. Faculty at Harvard University compiled book recommendations for reads that capture youth. Much to our delight, a Cather title made the list. Any guesses as to which novel?

Harvard faculty recommend books that capture youth in all its joy and agony

09/29/2026

Spring and summer at the Cather Center are always filled with opportunities to connect, create, research, perform, and explore the prairie. Thank you to all who visited, toured, and engaged with history and the arts. You remind us that our work is valued.

Did you miss out? Not to worry, fall programming begins soon!

09/24/2026

Have you ever wondered what inspired some of the most morbid and disturbing moments in Willa Cather's fiction?

Are you curious about 19th century funeral practices and medical treatments?

Do you want to know more about the true crime experiences of past Red Cloud residents?

Join us on October 24 for a night of exploring the dark history that animates Cather's work!

Tickets go quickly! Register for yours on our website: https://www.willacather.org/events/cather-after-dark-

09/21/2026

Our recent motorcoach tour invited guests to experience the environment, architecture, and small-town spirit that Willa Cather famously described. It was a beautiful day in Red Cloud!

09/14/2026

We’re honored to welcome renowned author and historian Richard Norton Smith for a fascinating conversation to explore Willa Cather, 𝑀𝑦 𝑀𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑦, and the novel's enduring place in American literature. Thanks to Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, the event is free with advance registration. To register 👇

https://www.willacather.org/events/virtual-author-series-richard-norton-smith

09/11/2026

Willa Cather's 'One of Ours' was published 104 years ago this month. She modeled the protagonist, Claude Wheeler, on her cousin Grosvenor Phillips Cather. A member of the Allied Expeditionary Force, G.P. died in action in Cantigny, France, in 1918.

Image: G.P. Cather while serving under Gen. John J. Pershing in the Mexican Border War; he's pictured here with others serving at Camp Llano Grande in 1916.