Jessica credits her love of history and desire to preserve the past to childhood trips with her grandmother, when she would visit old farmsteads and crumbling buildings in the countryside of western Nebraska. She saw old homes that often still had dishes in the cupboards or rolls of wallpaper stashed in a closet. As registrar, Jessica deals with artifacts like this in the museum’s permanent collection every day. She works with everything from fossils to antiques and says “there is something just as fascinating about the Jurassic period as there is about 19th century sea exploration.” She has a Bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Masters in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University. Prior to Hastings, Jessica has worked with many organizations including the Smithsonian National Museum of National History, Reedville Fisherman’s Museum, Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center, and Nebraska State Historical Society.
Email Jess or call 402-461-2399.