July 2021 • Nebraskaland 31
each one leading to new questions
and another visit to D.C. "Each time
I fi nd new information it adds to the
big puzzle," she said. "Sometimes,
because of all the research, I feel like
I really have been to the original Fort
Atkinson and I really do know all these
people."
The bulk of her research took three
years and was completed in 2000,
but she doesn't consider the project
fi nished. "Research never ends," Juza
said.
What she's found most rewarding
from the work is meeting descendants
of the people she's researched, some of
whom have discovered their ancestors
during a trip to the fort. When she
meets them, "I feel like I know them,"
Juza said. She hopes one day to bring
everyone together for a "family
reunion" at Fort Atkinson.
In the meantime, the men and
women in the book have gained new
life through Fort Atkinson's living
history program. New volunteers are
encouraged to adopt a persona from
the book, perhaps someone they have
things in common with. "It makes it
more personal to them, and they can
learn more about that person and
actually portray [their role] better,"
said park superintendent Jason Grof.
Juza also helped create a
commemorative monument at the
park, called the Monument to the
Deceased, listing the names of
everyone known to have died at the
fort and in the surrounding area.
Asked what draws her to this work,
Juza described her love of history,
saying, "When I look at a name, I
don't want it to just be a name. I want
to understand the person behind the
name and not forget them."
For those who have benefi ted from
her research, that's exactly what she's
accomplished.
N
Visiting Fort Atkinson
Fort Atkinson State Historical Park is located in Fort Calhoun,
which is about 17 miles north of Omaha in eastern Nebraska.
The visitor center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. between May
1 and Oct. 31. From Nov. 1 through April 30, the center is open by
appointment only.
The Park's grounds are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. between
May 1 and Oct. 31. From Nov. 1 through April 30, the park is open
from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A park entry permit is required
and may be purchased at the
park, statewide Game and Parks
offices, online, or via permit
vendors in advance of your
arrival.
Fort Atkinson
Soldiers march with reenactor Bob Baker in the lead during a living history
presentation at Fort Atkinson. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
LEFT: Fourth of July Living History
weekend at Fort Atkinson State
Historical Park in Fort Calhoun.
JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
