National Willa Cather Center

Willa Cather

Willa Cather is one of the most important American novelists of the first half of the twentieth century. Seen as a regional writer for decades after her passing in 1947, critics have increasingly identified Cather as a canonical American writer, the peer of authors like Hemingway, Faulkner and Wharton.

Life & Literature

The Big Read of My Ántonia

Programs Offered to Communities & Organizations

Willa Cather’s My Ántonia was among the fifty titles selected by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for their 2024 Big Read initiative. In partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read supports community reading programs designed around a single NEA Big Read book, with an aim to broaden our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Exhibits, programs, and educational resources are available from September 1-June 30, 2025. Ready to request books, a program, or an exhibit? Click below to access our booking form!

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October 4 Kick-Off Event

Book a My Ántonia Tour

Cather Books & Gifts

Something for Everyone

Our online store offers a vast selection of products for both seasoned Cather readers and those who have yet to discover the complexity and beauty of her writing. Begin by reading Cather's novels, short stories, and poetry; then delve into Cather criticism and scholarship. Already read it all? Check out our Cather swag that includes apparel, posters, prints, journals, notecards, and more.

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The Willa Cather Childhood Home Reopens for Tours

First restoration in more than a half century

On Willa Cather’s 150th birthday (Dec. 7, 2023), the Willa Cather Childhood Home reopened for guided tours after a 16-month restoration. This National Historic Landmark was Cather’s residence between the ages of ten to sixteen. Visitors to the home will encounter family possessions and glean a deeper understanding the daily lives of members of the Cather family. We look forward to welcoming you!

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Support Our Work

The Willa Cather Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the work, life, and legacy of this great American writer. Through our scholarly endeavors, educational outreach, arts and humanities programs, and preservation of historical settings and archives, we serve as a vibrant memorial to the Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

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Willa Cather Review

Tri-Annual Release

Three times a year, the Willa Cather Review offers a unique combination of original writing focused on Cather, her influences and times, and most especially the pleasures of her artistry; on new Cather-connected discoveries appearing with increasing frequency, and on news of activities of the Willa Cather Foundation in Red Cloud and elsewhere. The journal is intended for scholars and general readers alike, and writing is academic but accessible, timely, and new. It is complemented with well-chosen color illustrations that always extend readers’ knowledge and illumination.

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Statue Unveiled in U.S. Capitol

Cather Joins the National Statuary Hall Collection

Willa Cather’s bronze sculpture by artist Littleton Alston was dedicated and unveiled for the first time in National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, June 7, at 11:00 a.m. ET. Cather is the first Pulitzer Prize winner and the twelfth woman represented in the National Statuary Hall Collection. She joins Ponca Chief Standing Bear, installed in 2019, as one of two new sculptures that represent Nebraska. The installation ceremony took place exactly six months before her 150th birthday on December 7, an event being celebrated throughout the year and across the country.

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