Monday, May 30, 2016

Legacy of the Plains Museum

On our last day in Nebraska we decided to visit this museum.


 Located on the Oregon Trail at the foot of Scott's Bluffs, the museum features an impressive collection of pioneer and early community artifacts, antique tractors and farm implements, an 80-acre working farm, historic farmstead structures (ca. 1950)  and striking views of ScottsBluff National Monument.  

Inside the main building 

The long ell on the right of the building is a huge open space.  The space is in process of being redone.  Meantime the main feature showcases the major crops grown in the area over the years:  corn, alfalfa hay, potatoes, sugar beets, and now soup beans.  This area of Nebraska is the world's largest producer of Great Northern Beans.

Their most unique exhibit is this chicken plucker.  Couldn't guess that.

Duane liked this plastic saddle, made during wartime when other materials were scarce.  Roy and Dale Evans each owned one.  The factory was doing well and had expanded production when a tornado whirled it away.

My pick is this exquisite crazy quilt.  The embroidery is wonderful.


 Can you find these details in the above quilt?



Blacksmith shop

Duane was very impressed with this belt-driven shop.

Nice collection of antique tractors and cars. 


Duane's favorite,

and mine.

We toured this house with a small group.  Every one of us was pointing and saying "We had one of those!"

The custom at the time was to build the basement first, then as time and money permitted, the upper floors.
Basement kitchen, dining room and living room,

bedroom,

bathroom/laundry.

Upstairs living room (sans plastic coverings--you know what I'm talkin' about),

dining room,

Bedroom

modern kitchen (yes we had a Philco, stainless teakettle and grease pot),

and stainless canisters, though our Formica table was red.

Around the corner and down the street (on the other side of the Bluff) we found this marker for the pony express station,

and one giving the location of Fort Mitchell, not far from this point.

A Memorial Day moment to remember our veterans


Tomorrow--South Dakota.  Travel with us.

Louise and Duane

1 comment:

Paul and Marsha Weaver OCT. 17, 2009 said...

Cool museum. Chicken plucker...lol

We visited a farm museum in Texas a few years back. They didn't label this one thing so we took a photo and sent it back to my dad, who grew on a farm. He had no idea what it was. We Googled it 20 times and never did identify it.