At the museum we have a small research library that contains books on museum topics, items in the museum, and books that relate to Sherman County history.  The history books range from Custer, to the railroad to life on the plains.  One book however that caught my eye was Courtship Letters of John Bruere and Lydia Miller 1888. 

This book chronicles the correspondence and courtship of John Bruere and Lydia Miller.  John Bruere was born January 16, 1862 and died February 5, 1950.  Lydia Miller was born January 8, 1862 and died September 4, 1936.  John was introduced to Lydia through Tom McCoy,  a neighbor of Johns in Sherman County and betrothed to Lydia’s sister Anna.  The letters in the book chronicle their courtship and it also includes their marriage license and a brief history of their life after the letters stop.  John and Lydia were married January 26, 1888 and came to Goodland to live in a sod house.  The picture to the left is the family on their homestead 1892. 

This book is not only interesting to read, but it also offers a glimpse into what life was like for the settlers of Sherman County and how some people courted one another in the 1880s as well as a history of the Bruere family.  It contains photographs of Lydia and John, their homestead document, marriage license, and a map to locate the homestead today.  It also includes a brief family tree of John Bruere.