The Kennard House, dedicated as the Nebraska Statehood Memorial in 1968, is the oldest standing structure in the original plat of Lincoln.

The House is one of the three buildings constructed by three principal officials of the state government to serve as a sign of confidence in the future of the capital. It is the only one that still stands today.

It boasts of an Italianate style of architecture that exudes the Victorian era. This 1869 residence of Thomas P. Kennard, the first Secretary of State of Nebraska, now functions as a house museum offering visitors the chance to learn more about the creation of the state capital and experience the formality of the Victorian lifestyle. It has undergone restoration procedures to bring back its original state from the 1870?s and it now offers tours all throughout the year.

The museum house is visited by hundreds of adults and children who long to learn more about the Nebraska statehood as well as the location of the capital, the commissioner?s homes, life story of Thomas P. Kennard, Italianate architecture, the lifestyle during the 1870?s, and many more.