Phil & Ellie...On the Road Again: Kearney and Holdrege, NE. 7-4-13

On the road again 4th of July!!!

Great Platte River Road Monument Archway. We traveled up the escalator to go on a visual and audio tour of the settlement of the West.

First to live in the Plains were the buffalo and Indians. The buffalo herd could be so huge that it would take 2 hours to wait for the buffalo to pass.

Listened to the story of the journey on the Oregon Trail.

Nonessential things had to be left behind as the animals became weary.

49'ers were another group heading on the Trail.

It was important to leave at the right time of the year so they could cross the mountains before snow came.

Many died on the Trail.

Travelers went to Oregon, California and Salt Lake City.

Pony Express connected Sacramento to St Joseph, MO. Interesting to watch the video of the horse and rider come up to this Exchange and rider gets d
a fresh horse.

Stagecoach could carry up to 20 passengers in a 3 week trip traveling 2,000 miles costing $500.

Pawnee Indians scouts helped the Army protect the building of the railroad.

Many interesting stories about the Building and then connecting the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific on May 10, 1869.

Early 1900's people started traveling by car. In 1913 the Lincoln Hwy connected the country east to west.

Camping.

1956 building of Interstate Roads began.

This Archway Monument is over I-80.

Indian house at the Great Plains Cultural Learning Trail.

Since there were no trees to build homes, Homesteaders built sod houses. Needed an acre of dirt to build a house. Usually a house had a window facing the south for of warmth but this owner's window faces East so they could see the people on the Trail.