The Archway. First up was the Archway, or sometimes known as The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument. It is a museum of and monument to Nebraska's and the Platte River valley's role in westward expansion. Our early morning activities had been for bird migrations north and south. This was devoted to people migrations east and west (obviously mostly west). The name comes from the fact that the museum is physically an arch over I-80.
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| Archway Monument over I-80 (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Platte_River_Road_Archway_Monument) |
The museum is a self-guided tour, with audio, on two levels, i.e. the length of the archway on the first level and then back on the second level.
The displays start in the 1840s with the Mormon trail, Oregon trail and California trail, all of which passed through this part of Nebraska and converged at nearby Fort Kearny before heading west. It then covers gold prospectors heading west, the Pony Express, the first transcontinental telegraph, the transcontinental railroad, and the Lincoln Highway, again all of which passed through the Platte River Valley roughly along the path of current day I-80.
The museum was well done and interesting on many levels, especially since we had had introduction to several of these trails and the Lincoln Highway on our trip to Wyoming five years ago.
We did not understand the significance of this location for the museum outside of Kearney, until we came to more detail about the Lincoln Highway. This was the exact mid-point, mile 1733.
The Lincoln Highway was the first attempt at a road across the continent. It began in 1913, but was not finished until the 1920's. Finished is somewhat of a misnomer, since much of it was nearly impassable. Dwight Eisenhower, as a young officer, was part of a 1919 Army Convoy that took over two months to go from Washington, D. C. to San Francisco. It was that experience that reportedly led to Eisenhower's push to build the interstate system when he was president in the 1950's. The Lincoln Highway eventually grew into US 30 and then finally into I-80.
Most of the museum was totally enclosed with no windows. However, near the end of the museum was a window overlooking the interstate.
Outside the Archway. There were more exhibits outside. After a short walk across a bridge to the other side of the river there were multiple exhibits. Buffaloes were a predominant theme.
There was an authentic Pawnee/Arikara Earth Lodge.
There was also a sod house similar to those which would have been used by early European settlers.
Harlan County Lake. After a stop for lunch, we headed about an hour south to the Harlan County Reservoir. It is a nice Corps of Engineers lake with multiple camping sites and boat ramps. It had apparently been built in 1952 for flood control after a very serious flood in 1935. We went hoping to see either pelicans or eagles.
We stopped at the visitors center just south of Republican City and got some suggestions for places we might look. Unfortunately, the person there told us that most of the pelicans had not yet arrived...they seemed to be slow this year. She was right. We did not see any pelicans.
Although pelicans would have been nice, we were especially hopeful to see some eagles. The person in the visitors center indicated there had been about 100 eagles there earlier in the winter. Unfortunately, the prime eagle viewing time is January. The eagles had apparently already moved on because we did not see any of them either.
After we got home I saw a suggestion that the J-2 Power Plant south of Lexington (which would have been about 35 miles west of Kearney) is considered a prime indoor viewing spot for eagles, although they may not have been there either given the warm weather. I don't know if we are ever likely to be in Nebraska in the middle of winter, but it might be fun to check out the Eagle Loop for possible sightings. Hundreds of eagles winter in this area in the winter.
Although the pelicans and eagles did not cooperate, we did stumble upon a large area between Republican City and the dam that was a large prairie dog town.
Unfortunately, the prairie dogs were very skittish and only came out of burrows that were quite far from the parking lot. We still enjoyed watching them scurry around. It was incredibly warm for mid-March in Nebraska, in the mid to high 80's, so we enjoyed the opportunity to relax on the provided bench to see what they would do.
Back in Kearney. Although we did not see as much wildlife as we had hoped at Harlan Reservoir, it was still an enjoyable trip. By the time we made it back to Kearney, the temperature was in the low 90's but very dry (9% humidity according to the Weather Channel) and the wind was really howling. Dust was blowing in large clouds across the open lot next to the motel and multiple tumbleweeds were rolling in from somewhere. The wind was the precursor to the coming cold front. Despite the weather in the low 90's at dinner time, it was below freezing when we left the following morning.
We finished off the day at a great pizza place, Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom. We were unfamiliar with this chain. Their menu indicated they had 110 beers, with many of those on tap. I especially liked the fact that they had lots of explanation on their beer menu. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, which was the following day, I had a Guinness. We thought of Gwen because of the picture she long had on her Facebook page from the Guinness brewery in Dublin. This draft beer may not have been as good as what we could have gotten in Ireland, but it tasted mighty fine anyway.
The museum was well done and interesting on many levels, especially since we had had introduction to several of these trails and the Lincoln Highway on our trip to Wyoming five years ago.
 |
| I did not know these existed: an odometer for a covered wagon. Kind of an early fitBit for crossing the country? I wonder how accurate it was. |
We did not understand the significance of this location for the museum outside of Kearney, until we came to more detail about the Lincoln Highway. This was the exact mid-point, mile 1733.
 |
| Frog (with headphones) next to the sign for the mid-point of the Lincoln Highway. |
The Lincoln Highway was the first attempt at a road across the continent. It began in 1913, but was not finished until the 1920's. Finished is somewhat of a misnomer, since much of it was nearly impassable. Dwight Eisenhower, as a young officer, was part of a 1919 Army Convoy that took over two months to go from Washington, D. C. to San Francisco. It was that experience that reportedly led to Eisenhower's push to build the interstate system when he was president in the 1950's. The Lincoln Highway eventually grew into US 30 and then finally into I-80.
Most of the museum was totally enclosed with no windows. However, near the end of the museum was a window overlooking the interstate.
 |
| Looking east at I-80 below. Note the readout to the radar gun, 72 mph for the oncoming truck. |
Outside the Archway. There were more exhibits outside. After a short walk across a bridge to the other side of the river there were multiple exhibits. Buffaloes were a predominant theme.
There was an authentic Pawnee/Arikara Earth Lodge.
 |
| Turkey in the shadows at the entrance of the earth lodge. |
There was also a sod house similar to those which would have been used by early European settlers.
 |
| The Turkey checks out the sod house. |
We stopped at the visitors center just south of Republican City and got some suggestions for places we might look. Unfortunately, the person there told us that most of the pelicans had not yet arrived...they seemed to be slow this year. She was right. We did not see any pelicans.
Although pelicans would have been nice, we were especially hopeful to see some eagles. The person in the visitors center indicated there had been about 100 eagles there earlier in the winter. Unfortunately, the prime eagle viewing time is January. The eagles had apparently already moved on because we did not see any of them either.
After we got home I saw a suggestion that the J-2 Power Plant south of Lexington (which would have been about 35 miles west of Kearney) is considered a prime indoor viewing spot for eagles, although they may not have been there either given the warm weather. I don't know if we are ever likely to be in Nebraska in the middle of winter, but it might be fun to check out the Eagle Loop for possible sightings. Hundreds of eagles winter in this area in the winter.
Although the pelicans and eagles did not cooperate, we did stumble upon a large area between Republican City and the dam that was a large prairie dog town.
Unfortunately, the prairie dogs were very skittish and only came out of burrows that were quite far from the parking lot. We still enjoyed watching them scurry around. It was incredibly warm for mid-March in Nebraska, in the mid to high 80's, so we enjoyed the opportunity to relax on the provided bench to see what they would do.
 |
| This prairie dog was apparently the lookout. He kept making lots of noise. Note at least three others in the picture. |
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| One prairie dog being brave and another one only peaking out. |
Back in Kearney. Although we did not see as much wildlife as we had hoped at Harlan Reservoir, it was still an enjoyable trip. By the time we made it back to Kearney, the temperature was in the low 90's but very dry (9% humidity according to the Weather Channel) and the wind was really howling. Dust was blowing in large clouds across the open lot next to the motel and multiple tumbleweeds were rolling in from somewhere. The wind was the precursor to the coming cold front. Despite the weather in the low 90's at dinner time, it was below freezing when we left the following morning.
 |
| This is a tumbleweed which we watched roll across the parking lot and become trapped against the side of our motel. It is in one piece in this picture. When we saw it the next morning it had been beaten into many smaller pieces by the gusty wind. |
We finished off the day at a great pizza place, Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom. We were unfamiliar with this chain. Their menu indicated they had 110 beers, with many of those on tap. I especially liked the fact that they had lots of explanation on their beer menu. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, which was the following day, I had a Guinness. We thought of Gwen because of the picture she long had on her Facebook page from the Guinness brewery in Dublin. This draft beer may not have been as good as what we could have gotten in Ireland, but it tasted mighty fine anyway.
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