Hastings designated as World War II Heritage City by U.S. National Park Service
Hastings has been nationally recognized for it's community efforts during World War II.
By News Channel NebraskaHASTINGS, Neb. – Hastings has been nationally recognized for it's community efforts during World War II.
The National Park Service created the Designated American World War II Heritage Cities Program in 2019.
Only one city in each state can be recognized, and the Nebraska nomination was given to Hastings.
Hastings was home to the second largest naval ammunition depot in the country on the land where Central Community College is now.
Hastings museum officials were the ones responsible for filling out the application, and Mayor Corey Stutte submitted the city's nomination.
“Having this designation actually is a way to recognize all the efforts that this community put forth to the World War II effort.” said Hastings Museum Director Teresa-Kreutzer Hodson. “Many communities like Hastings had that significant effort, but Hastings had a little bit more since we had the NAD (naval ammunition depot.)”
The depot provided every type of ammunition to the U.S. Navy from 1943 until 1956, and the Hastings Museum still has a section full of ammunition that came from the depot over 60 years ago.