The Norris Institute is a 501 (c) (3) corporation, which was founded in 2006 in McCook, NE.  The Institute was started to promote and improve the social, cultural and economic strengths of rural communities located on the Great Plains.  Just as Senator George W. Norris brought the cutting edge technologies of his day, electricity and telephone, to farms across the nation, The Norris Institute will promote the use of the technologies of the 21^st Century -- broadband and the internet.  By 2011, the 75th anniversary of the REA, The Norris Institute plans to have an REA Memorial/Museum in place to celebrate Senator Norris and Rural Electrification.  The Norris Institute also plans to create a prairie arboretum to celebrate the prairies of the Great Plains and a Rural Heritage Center, which will celebrate the uniqueness of small community life through research, education and transfer of successful technology.  The Norris Institute’s Mission is to preserve, promote and improve the social, cultural and economic strengths of rural America.  Our focused areas are, Youth, Technology, Tourism, Education and the Environment.

We are so glad you have found interest in preserving natural prairie grass in McCook Nebraska and want your support and efforts to establish an area that locals and visitors can benefit from.