This archway spans across I-80 in Kearney NE. The archway itself is a pretty good museum, chronicling the 49er, California, Utah and Mormon Trails movement of hundreds of thousands of Americans in the mid-19th century.While the 49er, California, Utah and Mormon Trails all traveled through Nebraska, little recognition has focused on those who stayed in Nebraska. These sculptures outside the Archway Museum personify those who stayed in Nebraska.Molly and JackAntonJosephEsterAnna (the mom) and ElizabethInside the museum, up these escalator steps you can walk through the history of the westward expansion through Nebraska.Wagons going westHarsh wintersFamily tragedyThe routes of the 4 trailsPony Express stationTranscontinental Railroad – the Union Pacific RailroadMark TwainCross country in the 20th centuryCamp sitesMid 20th century travel to national parks1950s dinerThis is pretty cool. A police radar set up over I-80 to show speeders. This one is going 80 mph.Nebraska Sand Hill Cranes
The timing for our trip to Nebraska was perfect to see the Sculpture Walk Across Nebraska, which showcases revolving art installations six cities across the state. We visited five of the six cities that participated. Each of the works list the artist, and the purchase price for those interested.
Ogallala NE
Sunrise Serenade, by Lee Luening & Sherri Treeby, $19,000Hey, Mary Lou, by Lee Luening & Sherri Treeby, $40,000Saturday’s Distraction, by Lee Luening & Sherri Treeby, $25,000The Feather, Kirk Seese, $10,000Windows to the Future, Gedion Nyanhongo, $14,400Regenerate, Tim Adams, $10,000Fenceline Turnaround, Lee Luening & Sherri Treeby, $17,500. This one had a significant amount of bird droppings on the farmer’s head, so I wiped it off before I took the picture!
North Platte NE
Maestro, Lee Luening, $35,000Running Girl, Harold Linke, $9,545Carmen Marimba, Lee Luening & Sherri Treeby, $22,500We Are One in Love, Gedion Nyanhongo, $34,000Aquaman, Shannon Sargent, $7,000Once Upon a Time, Sondra Jonson, $11,500
Grand Island NE
School’s Out, Lee Luening & Sherri Treeby, $28,000Circle of Trust, Hilde Debruyne, $14,500Shepherd, Lee Luening & Sherri Treeby, $30,000Escape, David Biehl, $4,500Outer Limits, Tim James & Aidan Demarais, $9,900Lyrical, Nathan Johansen, $5,900Meandering Connections, Ryan & James Pedersen, $18,500Iron Steed, Ryan & James Pedersen, $3,295Mantel, Steve Elliott, $3,500Inner Peace, Dale Compton, $6,000Magnify, Kirk Seese, $10,000
Madison NE
Vertical Draft, Jim & Ryan Pedersen, $2,695Farmer, Lawrence Stark, $20,000
Norfolk NE
Garden Fairy, Sondra Jonson, $8,900Saturday’s Distractions, Lee Leuning, $31,000Shapes in Harmony, Michelle Cubbison, $1,750The Sheaf, Paul Reimer, $20,000Spring Dancer, Sunday Mahaja, $9,000Ibis Family, Gedion Nyanhongo, $69,500 – this is the single most expensive piece we saw.The Proposal, Sunday Mahaja, $12,000Red, Reno Carollo, $8,000Aloft, Jim & Ryan Pedersen, $10,500Sisu, Mike Fluent, $8,750Be Kind, Joe & Terry Malesky, $19,500Channel, Brian Bickel, $12,500Short Stack, Andrew Libertone, $8,000Asteria, Tim Adams, $10,000
Columbus NE
Stand For the Flag, Lee Leuning & Sherri Treeby, $19,000Self Reflection, Albert Rhea, $9,500The Pollinator, Kirk Seese, $10,000Flushing Pheasant, Carl Weiss, not for saleTatanka, Carl Weiss, not for saleDystopia, Tim James & Aidan Demarais, $9,000Hunting Buddy, Joseph Krings, $1,250
Front Street is a cafe, saloon and museum depicting frontier life.Crystal Palace Saloon was THE place to be for cards and drinks.Sam Bass famously robbed a train in Big SpringsFrontier apothecary bottlesThe Cheyenne, Arapaho and Sioux were the principal Indian tribes in Western Nebraska.UndertakerBarbershopSheriff’s officeJailFrontier kitchen
Ash Hollow was famous on the Oregon Trail (early 1800s). The hollow was entered by Windlass Hill. Wagons had to be eased down its steep slope by ropes. Travelers usually stopped here for several days for its water, wood and grass.Many wagons travelled this deep ravine.These ruts from the 1800s are still visible today.Pioneer Homestead sod house at Windlass HillLocals still leave their boots on fence posts.Views from Ash Hollow Storm brewing on the horizon.Local residents built this stone schoolhouse in 1903. From 5 to 12 students attended this school until 1919.Ash Hollow Cave is a niche in a bluff wall, which became a rock shelter for various groups of prehistoric people, including most recently the Dismal River people, who are the ancestors of the Apache people. The cave is behind glass for protection.
