#i-80 — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #i-80, aggregated by home.social.
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Nique Clifford wraps up his second Summer League with Kings https://www.rawchili.com/nba/792185/ #Basketball #BigRig #crash #I80 #kcra #Kings #NBA #NiqueClifford #PlacerCounty #Sacramento #SacramentoKings #SacramentoKings #SeveralHour #SummerLeague #vehicle
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A transmission tower stands beside trees planted as windbreak near an Iowa farmhouse. Shot from I-80 in January 2021, the scene appears calm—ice, fence, gray sky—but everything here works: the tower collecting data, the trees blocking wind, even my passing camera recording. What looks like stillness is actually a landscape of hidden labor.
#photography #WinterPhotography #IowaWinter #LandscapePhotography #I80 #InfrastructurePhotography #RuralAmerica
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A transmission tower stands beside trees planted as windbreak near an Iowa farmhouse. Shot from I-80 in January 2021, the scene appears calm—ice, fence, gray sky—but everything here works: the tower collecting data, the trees blocking wind, even my passing camera recording. What looks like stillness is actually a landscape of hidden labor.
#photography #WinterPhotography #IowaWinter #LandscapePhotography #I80 #InfrastructurePhotography #RuralAmerica
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A transmission tower stands beside trees planted as windbreak near an Iowa farmhouse. Shot from I-80 in January 2021, the scene appears calm—ice, fence, gray sky—but everything here works: the tower collecting data, the trees blocking wind, even my passing camera recording. What looks like stillness is actually a landscape of hidden labor.
#photography #WinterPhotography #IowaWinter #LandscapePhotography #I80 #InfrastructurePhotography #RuralAmerica
-
A transmission tower stands beside trees planted as windbreak near an Iowa farmhouse. Shot from I-80 in January 2021, the scene appears calm—ice, fence, gray sky—but everything here works: the tower collecting data, the trees blocking wind, even my passing camera recording. What looks like stillness is actually a landscape of hidden labor.
#photography #WinterPhotography #IowaWinter #LandscapePhotography #I80 #InfrastructurePhotography #RuralAmerica
-
A transmission tower stands beside trees planted as windbreak near an Iowa farmhouse. Shot from I-80 in January 2021, the scene appears calm—ice, fence, gray sky—but everything here works: the tower collecting data, the trees blocking wind, even my passing camera recording. What looks like stillness is actually a landscape of hidden labor.
#photography #WinterPhotography #IowaWinter #LandscapePhotography #I80 #InfrastructurePhotography #RuralAmerica
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do we care if the dems cave on the #shutdown?
yes, actually. I think they should have held out until the gop removed the #filibuster at trumpets insistence.
temporary inconvenience, permanent improvement.
i saw that on #I80 about 30 years ago. I80 has never been without construction over the last 30 years, but I still concur.
roads are different from senate rules. this particular improvement will have PERMANENT repercussions.
hoist trump on his own picard.
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do we care if the dems cave on the #shutdown?
yes, actually. I think they should have held out until the gop removed the #filibuster at trumpets insistence.
temporary inconvenience, permanent improvement.
i saw that on #I80 about 30 years ago. I80 has never been without construction over the last 30 years, but I still concur.
roads are different from senate rules. this particular improvement will have PERMANENT repercussions.
hoist trump on his own picard.
-
Front Street Cowboy Museum: Ogallala, Nebraska
The Front Street Cowboy Museum is all about the wild, wild west and driving Texas Longhorn cattle. Located in Ogallala, Nebraska, this visitor attraction brings the town’s rich Old West history to life.
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
Like most people, I enjoy a good story. And there are no better stories than the myths of supernatural creatures. In Nebraska, that creature is the Sandhills Warrior Rabbit. The museum even has one in its collection!
Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit – rabbit taxidermy photo taken in the museum and software generated background. Image by Linda Aksomitis.The warrior rabbit draws on the the American traditional tale of the Jackalope. These Jackalope tales originate from hybrid animal stories around the world.
Where did the Jackalope tale originate?One of the earliest stories of a horned rabbit is from 13th-century Persia. The jackalope legend stems from a rare virus called Shope papilloma virus that infects rabbits and causes horn-like keratin tumors to grow. It’s believed that these tumors inspired folklore about horned or “warrior” rabbits.
Scientific research shows that rabbits with these horn-like growths are real but rare. They’re not a distinct species.
But back to the midwest. In 1932 two brothers in Douglas, Wyoming, studied taxidermy by mail order. One day, one of them tossed a carcass they planned to work on into their taxidermy collection where it came to rest beside a pair of deer antlers. That gave young Douglas Herrick an idea.
Doug and his brother mounted the rabbit with horns and sold it to a local hotel owner. From there, the story grew and grew and grew with the brothers’ taxidermy sales. Other taxidermists manufactured the rabbits right into the 21st century.
The jackalope has appeared in books, poems, television shows video games and mokumentaries.
Today, tourists can even buy a Jackalope Hunting License in Douglas.
So, the Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit is one of a group of tall tale animals. This type of tall tale is known as “fearsome critters” and is common to North American culture since the early 1900s.
Indeed, the warrior rabbit has supernatural powers making it a fierce, resilient animal able to survive in the Sandhills.
If you enjoy fearsome critter tales, The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward, Wisconsin, is home to another fearsome critter — the hodag.
What’s in the Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska, is a replica town of the 1880s old west cowboy town. At the time, Ogallala was a major cattle-driving and cattle-shipping hub.
How did Ogallala become a cattle-shipping hub?Early in U.S. history, the Chisholm Trail was the trail of choice for driving cattle to the northern states looking for higher prices. The Chisholm Trail ran from the Rio Grande or San Antonio to the railhead of the Kansas Pacific Railway in Abilene. From there, the cattle were shipped to the more populated states in the East.
However, the Chisholm Trail was cut off when farmers began settling and fencing eastern Oklahoma and Kansas. The new Texas Trail (also called Western Trail) grew up from Dodge City to the Union Pacific railhead in Ogallala.
While Dodge City was the end of the trail for some outfits, others with younger stock pushed north to Ogallala. These were sold to ranchers in the area to fatten over the summer and ship out in the fall.
Ogallala became a seasonal gathering place. Saloons were hopping in the spring with Texas cattle bosses selling cattle to local cattlemen. In the fall, action stepped up again as thte ranchers brought their steers off the grass to ship east.
As many as 125,000 head of cattle were brought to Ogallala each year.
Ogallala’s heyday as a cow town ended in 1884, when an epidemic of Texas fever caused heavy losses of cattle in Nebraska. States began to enact quarantine laws to protect their livestock. While a few cattle still trickled into Ogallala, the town soon settled into a farming community.
These connected building fronts are filled with memorabilia and cowboy artifacts from the era. Building fronts include:
- Livery Barn Cafe (Restaurant)
- Crystal Palace Saloon (Cold Beer in Ogallala’s famed saloon that saw many gunfights in its hey-day)
- Front Street Cowboys Rest (Buffalo burgers, mountain oysters, steaks, and more)
- Undertaker (Death by gunfights happened on a regular basis to the undertaker’s shop and hearse were important)
- Tonsorial Palace (1870s style barber shop)
- Jail (includes the Sheriff’s office)
- General Store
Front Street is listed on Wikipedia as being on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Keith County, Nebraska.
Some Front Street Displays
Front Street is all about the stories of cowboys, cattle drives, and outlaws. There are lots of different artifacts and photos to bring the stories to life.
Fast Fact: A Black Cowboy Memorial located at Grand Island, Nebraska, honors Amos Harris who died in February, 1911. Thousands of black cowboys rode the rails, driving millions of cattle north. Many of them were the best riders, ropers and wranglers.
~ Front Street Cowboy MuseumHere are some I particularly enjoyed.
- Soiled Doves – Saloon Women in Ogallala during the Texas Cattle Drive Days. Photos and displays show their costumes, lifestyles, and challenges working for Madams like “Big Alice.”
- Cowboy gear from boots and spurs to holsters and revolvers.
- Sheriffs who served the town. One display honors Martin DePriest, a Texan who came up the trail in 1877. He served for 11 years and was injured a number of times. He was known for his deliberate coolness in the face of danger, rather than relying on punches or his guns.
- Information about Buffalo Bill Cody.
- Native Americans of Ogallala. Various displays provide the history of the local Sioux people.
- Trails West features paintings, artifacts, and books written about life on a cattle drive.
You can also relive the Old West watching the Front Street Crystal Palace Revue. With 60+ seasons, it’s the longest-running summer stock theatre in Nebraska.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Ogallala in the Sandhills of Nebraska is a great destination for those who love the old west. Geographically, it’s also fascinating. Sandhill dunes cover about 20,000 square miles and are believed to be the largest dune field in the Western hemisphere. They were formed about 8,000 years ago and designated a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
Boot Hill. Pin me!Be sure to visit Boot Hill while you’re in Ogallala. It was established during the Texas Trail era of the late 1800s.
Some buried there met their end in saloons and gambling halls.
Rattlesnake Ed, who was shot over a card game at the Cowboys Rest Saloon, was one of them.
In direct contrast, you can also visit Mansion on the Hill. This Victorian style home was completed in 1887 — Ogallala’s finest home at the time. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and worth the visit.
Also, be sure to stop at the Petrified Wood Gallery while you’re in Ogallala. It includes a collection of fossils and hand-crafted petrified wood figures made by Harvey and Howard Kenfieldin. I also found the 92 pewter figures of Native Americans, cowboys, and cavalry soldiers impressive.
Who Should Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is a great stop for anyone interested in the wild and rugged days of the old west and cattle drives.
Indeed, the town was integral to the Lonesome Dove tv miniseries.
It takes a couple of hours to go through the exhibits, although you can spend more time stopping for a meal or drink.
The museum is family-friendly. It also has ramps and flat walkways in the replica 1880s street to aid those using strollers or who have mobility issues.
Stagecoach. Pin me!How Do You Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is located at the intersection of Interstate 80 (I-80), US-26, and Nebraska Highway N-61.
Parking: Free parking is adjacent to the museum.
Location: 519 East 1st St Ogallala, Nebraska.
The museum has free / donations only admission and is open year-round. Check for hours on the Front Street Cowboy Museum website.
Take a virtual tour of the museum with Backroads Tourist on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
Acknowledgments
These stops were all part of a Fam tour hosted by the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau, Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau, and Nebraska Tourism Commission.
More Places to See in Nebraska
Check out all of guide2museum.com’s reviews of museums in Nebraska.
Read More Reviews of Heritage Museums
-
Discover the Mormon Handcart Historic Site & Devil’s Gate in Wyoming
-
See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
-
Standout Ranching History at the MonDak Heritage Center: Sidney, Montana
-
Myra Museum: Lustron House & More in Grand Forks, North Dakota
-
Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
-
Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
-
Museum of Northern British Columbia: Indigenous Art & History in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
-
Vermilionville: Living History Open Air Village in Lafayette, Louisiana
-
Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience: New Orleans, Louisiana
-
Bonanzaville: Open Air Pioneer Village Museum in Fargo, North Dakota
-
Front Street Cowboy Museum: Ogallala, Nebraska
The Front Street Cowboy Museum is all about the wild, wild west and driving Texas Longhorn cattle. Located in Ogallala, Nebraska, this visitor attraction brings the town’s rich Old West history to life.
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
Like most people, I enjoy a good story. And there are no better stories than the myths of supernatural creatures. In Nebraska, that creature is the Sandhills Warrior Rabbit. The museum even has one in its collection!
Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit – rabbit taxidermy photo taken in the museum and software generated background. Image by Linda Aksomitis.The warrior rabbit draws on the the American traditional tale of the Jackalope. These Jackalope tales originate from hybrid animal stories around the world.
Where did the Jackalope tale originate?One of the earliest stories of a horned rabbit is from 13th-century Persia. The jackalope legend stems from a rare virus called Shope papilloma virus that infects rabbits and causes horn-like keratin tumors to grow. It’s believed that these tumors inspired folklore about horned or “warrior” rabbits.
Scientific research shows that rabbits with these horn-like growths are real but rare. They’re not a distinct species.
But back to the midwest. In 1932 two brothers in Douglas, Wyoming, studied taxidermy by mail order. One day, one of them tossed a carcass they planned to work on into their taxidermy collection where it came to rest beside a pair of deer antlers. That gave young Douglas Herrick an idea.
Doug and his brother mounted the rabbit with horns and sold it to a local hotel owner. From there, the story grew and grew and grew with the brothers’ taxidermy sales. Other taxidermists manufactured the rabbits right into the 21st century.
The jackalope has appeared in books, poems, television shows video games and mokumentaries.
Today, tourists can even buy a Jackalope Hunting License in Douglas.
So, the Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit is one of a group of tall tale animals. This type of tall tale is known as “fearsome critters” and is common to North American culture since the early 1900s.
Indeed, the warrior rabbit has supernatural powers making it a fierce, resilient animal able to survive in the Sandhills.
If you enjoy fearsome critter tales, The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward, Wisconsin, is home to another fearsome critter — the hodag.
What’s in the Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska, is a replica town of the 1880s old west cowboy town. At the time, Ogallala was a major cattle-driving and cattle-shipping hub.
How did Ogallala become a cattle-shipping hub?Early in U.S. history, the Chisholm Trail was the trail of choice for driving cattle to the northern states looking for higher prices. The Chisholm Trail ran from the Rio Grande or San Antonio to the railhead of the Kansas Pacific Railway in Abilene. From there, the cattle were shipped to the more populated states in the East.
However, the Chisholm Trail was cut off when farmers began settling and fencing eastern Oklahoma and Kansas. The new Texas Trail (also called Western Trail) grew up from Dodge City to the Union Pacific railhead in Ogallala.
While Dodge City was the end of the trail for some outfits, others with younger stock pushed north to Ogallala. These were sold to ranchers in the area to fatten over the summer and ship out in the fall.
Ogallala became a seasonal gathering place. Saloons were hopping in the spring with Texas cattle bosses selling cattle to local cattlemen. In the fall, action stepped up again as thte ranchers brought their steers off the grass to ship east.
As many as 125,000 head of cattle were brought to Ogallala each year.
Ogallala’s heyday as a cow town ended in 1884, when an epidemic of Texas fever caused heavy losses of cattle in Nebraska. States began to enact quarantine laws to protect their livestock. While a few cattle still trickled into Ogallala, the town soon settled into a farming community.
These connected building fronts are filled with memorabilia and cowboy artifacts from the era. Building fronts include:
- Livery Barn Cafe (Restaurant)
- Crystal Palace Saloon (Cold Beer in Ogallala’s famed saloon that saw many gunfights in its hey-day)
- Front Street Cowboys Rest (Buffalo burgers, mountain oysters, steaks, and more)
- Undertaker (Death by gunfights happened on a regular basis to the undertaker’s shop and hearse were important)
- Tonsorial Palace (1870s style barber shop)
- Jail (includes the Sheriff’s office)
- General Store
Front Street is listed on Wikipedia as being on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Keith County, Nebraska.
Some Front Street Displays
Front Street is all about the stories of cowboys, cattle drives, and outlaws. There are lots of different artifacts and photos to bring the stories to life.
Fast Fact: A Black Cowboy Memorial located at Grand Island, Nebraska, honors Amos Harris who died in February, 1911. Thousands of black cowboys rode the rails, driving millions of cattle north. Many of them were the best riders, ropers and wranglers.
~ Front Street Cowboy MuseumHere are some I particularly enjoyed.
- Soiled Doves – Saloon Women in Ogallala during the Texas Cattle Drive Days. Photos and displays show their costumes, lifestyles, and challenges working for Madams like “Big Alice.”
- Cowboy gear from boots and spurs to holsters and revolvers.
- Sheriffs who served the town. One display honors Martin DePriest, a Texan who came up the trail in 1877. He served for 11 years and was injured a number of times. He was known for his deliberate coolness in the face of danger, rather than relying on punches or his guns.
- Information about Buffalo Bill Cody.
- Native Americans of Ogallala. Various displays provide the history of the local Sioux people.
- Trails West features paintings, artifacts, and books written about life on a cattle drive.
You can also relive the Old West watching the Front Street Crystal Palace Revue. With 60+ seasons, it’s the longest-running summer stock theatre in Nebraska.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Ogallala in the Sandhills of Nebraska is a great destination for those who love the old west. Geographically, it’s also fascinating. Sandhill dunes cover about 20,000 square miles and are believed to be the largest dune field in the Western hemisphere. They were formed about 8,000 years ago and designated a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
Boot Hill. Pin me!Be sure to visit Boot Hill while you’re in Ogallala. It was established during the Texas Trail era of the late 1800s.
Some buried there met their end in saloons and gambling halls.
Rattlesnake Ed, who was shot over a card game at the Cowboys Rest Saloon, was one of them.
In direct contrast, you can also visit Mansion on the Hill. This Victorian style home was completed in 1887 — Ogallala’s finest home at the time. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and worth the visit.
Also, be sure to stop at the Petrified Wood Gallery while you’re in Ogallala. It includes a collection of fossils and hand-crafted petrified wood figures made by Harvey and Howard Kenfieldin. I also found the 92 pewter figures of Native Americans, cowboys, and cavalry soldiers impressive.
Who Should Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is a great stop for anyone interested in the wild and rugged days of the old west and cattle drives.
Indeed, the town was integral to the Lonesome Dove tv miniseries.
It takes a couple of hours to go through the exhibits, although you can spend more time stopping for a meal or drink.
The museum is family-friendly. It also has ramps and flat walkways in the replica 1880s street to aid those using strollers or who have mobility issues.
Stagecoach. Pin me!How Do You Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is located at the intersection of Interstate 80 (I-80), US-26, and Nebraska Highway N-61.
Parking: Free parking is adjacent to the museum.
Location: 519 East 1st St Ogallala, Nebraska.
The museum has free / donations only admission and is open year-round. Check for hours on the Front Street Cowboy Museum website.
Take a virtual tour of the museum with Backroads Tourist on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
Acknowledgments
These stops were all part of a Fam tour hosted by the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau, Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau, and Nebraska Tourism Commission.
More Places to See in Nebraska
Check out all of guide2museum.com’s reviews of museums in Nebraska.
Read More Reviews of Heritage Museums
-
Discover the Mormon Handcart Historic Site & Devil’s Gate in Wyoming
-
See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
-
Standout Ranching History at the MonDak Heritage Center: Sidney, Montana
-
Myra Museum: Lustron House & More in Grand Forks, North Dakota
-
Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
-
Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
-
Museum of Northern British Columbia: Indigenous Art & History in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
-
Vermilionville: Living History Open Air Village in Lafayette, Louisiana
-
Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience: New Orleans, Louisiana
-
Bonanzaville: Open Air Pioneer Village Museum in Fargo, North Dakota
-
Front Street Cowboy Museum: Ogallala, Nebraska
The Front Street Cowboy Museum is all about the wild, wild west and driving Texas Longhorn cattle. Located in Ogallala, Nebraska, this visitor attraction brings the town’s rich Old West history to life.
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
Like most people, I enjoy a good story. And there are no better stories than the myths of supernatural creatures. In Nebraska, that creature is the Sandhills Warrior Rabbit. The museum even has one in its collection!
Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit – rabbit taxidermy photo taken in the museum and software generated background. Image by Linda Aksomitis.The warrior rabbit draws on the the American traditional tale of the Jackalope. These Jackalope tales originate from hybrid animal stories around the world.
Where did the Jackalope tale originate?One of the earliest stories of a horned rabbit is from 13th-century Persia. The jackalope legend stems from a rare virus called Shope papilloma virus that infects rabbits and causes horn-like keratin tumors to grow. It’s believed that these tumors inspired folklore about horned or “warrior” rabbits.
Scientific research shows that rabbits with these horn-like growths are real but rare. They’re not a distinct species.
But back to the midwest. In 1932 two brothers in Douglas, Wyoming, studied taxidermy by mail order. One day, one of them tossed a carcass they planned to work on into their taxidermy collection where it came to rest beside a pair of deer antlers. That gave young Douglas Herrick an idea.
Doug and his brother mounted the rabbit with horns and sold it to a local hotel owner. From there, the story grew and grew and grew with the brothers’ taxidermy sales. Other taxidermists manufactured the rabbits right into the 21st century.
The jackalope has appeared in books, poems, television shows video games and mokumentaries.
Today, tourists can even buy a Jackalope Hunting License in Douglas.
So, the Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit is one of a group of tall tale animals. This type of tall tale is known as “fearsome critters” and is common to North American culture since the early 1900s.
Indeed, the warrior rabbit has supernatural powers making it a fierce, resilient animal able to survive in the Sandhills.
If you enjoy fearsome critter tales, The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward, Wisconsin, is home to another fearsome critter — the hodag.
What’s in the Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska, is a replica town of the 1880s old west cowboy town. At the time, Ogallala was a major cattle-driving and cattle-shipping hub.
How did Ogallala become a cattle-shipping hub?Early in U.S. history, the Chisholm Trail was the trail of choice for driving cattle to the northern states looking for higher prices. The Chisholm Trail ran from the Rio Grande or San Antonio to the railhead of the Kansas Pacific Railway in Abilene. From there, the cattle were shipped to the more populated states in the East.
However, the Chisholm Trail was cut off when farmers began settling and fencing eastern Oklahoma and Kansas. The new Texas Trail (also called Western Trail) grew up from Dodge City to the Union Pacific railhead in Ogallala.
While Dodge City was the end of the trail for some outfits, others with younger stock pushed north to Ogallala. These were sold to ranchers in the area to fatten over the summer and ship out in the fall.
Ogallala became a seasonal gathering place. Saloons were hopping in the spring with Texas cattle bosses selling cattle to local cattlemen. In the fall, action stepped up again as thte ranchers brought their steers off the grass to ship east.
As many as 125,000 head of cattle were brought to Ogallala each year.
Ogallala’s heyday as a cow town ended in 1884, when an epidemic of Texas fever caused heavy losses of cattle in Nebraska. States began to enact quarantine laws to protect their livestock. While a few cattle still trickled into Ogallala, the town soon settled into a farming community.
These connected building fronts are filled with memorabilia and cowboy artifacts from the era. Building fronts include:
- Livery Barn Cafe (Restaurant)
- Crystal Palace Saloon (Cold Beer in Ogallala’s famed saloon that saw many gunfights in its hey-day)
- Front Street Cowboys Rest (Buffalo burgers, mountain oysters, steaks, and more)
- Undertaker (Death by gunfights happened on a regular basis to the undertaker’s shop and hearse were important)
- Tonsorial Palace (1870s style barber shop)
- Jail (includes the Sheriff’s office)
- General Store
Front Street is listed on Wikipedia as being on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Keith County, Nebraska.
Some Front Street Displays
Front Street is all about the stories of cowboys, cattle drives, and outlaws. There are lots of different artifacts and photos to bring the stories to life.
Fast Fact: A Black Cowboy Memorial located at Grand Island, Nebraska, honors Amos Harris who died in February, 1911. Thousands of black cowboys rode the rails, driving millions of cattle north. Many of them were the best riders, ropers and wranglers.
~ Front Street Cowboy MuseumHere are some I particularly enjoyed.
- Soiled Doves – Saloon Women in Ogallala during the Texas Cattle Drive Days. Photos and displays show their costumes, lifestyles, and challenges working for Madams like “Big Alice.”
- Cowboy gear from boots and spurs to holsters and revolvers.
- Sheriffs who served the town. One display honors Martin DePriest, a Texan who came up the trail in 1877. He served for 11 years and was injured a number of times. He was known for his deliberate coolness in the face of danger, rather than relying on punches or his guns.
- Information about Buffalo Bill Cody.
- Native Americans of Ogallala. Various displays provide the history of the local Sioux people.
- Trails West features paintings, artifacts, and books written about life on a cattle drive.
You can also relive the Old West watching the Front Street Crystal Palace Revue. With 60+ seasons, it’s the longest-running summer stock theatre in Nebraska.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Ogallala in the Sandhills of Nebraska is a great destination for those who love the old west. Geographically, it’s also fascinating. Sandhill dunes cover about 20,000 square miles and are believed to be the largest dune field in the Western hemisphere. They were formed about 8,000 years ago and designated a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
Boot Hill. Pin me!Be sure to visit Boot Hill while you’re in Ogallala. It was established during the Texas Trail era of the late 1800s.
Some buried there met their end in saloons and gambling halls.
Rattlesnake Ed, who was shot over a card game at the Cowboys Rest Saloon, was one of them.
In direct contrast, you can also visit Mansion on the Hill. This Victorian style home was completed in 1887 — Ogallala’s finest home at the time. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and worth the visit.
Also, be sure to stop at the Petrified Wood Gallery while you’re in Ogallala. It includes a collection of fossils and hand-crafted petrified wood figures made by Harvey and Howard Kenfieldin. I also found the 92 pewter figures of Native Americans, cowboys, and cavalry soldiers impressive.
Who Should Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is a great stop for anyone interested in the wild and rugged days of the old west and cattle drives.
Indeed, the town was integral to the Lonesome Dove tv miniseries.
It takes a couple of hours to go through the exhibits, although you can spend more time stopping for a meal or drink.
The museum is family-friendly. It also has ramps and flat walkways in the replica 1880s street to aid those using strollers or who have mobility issues.
Stagecoach. Pin me!How Do You Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is located at the intersection of Interstate 80 (I-80), US-26, and Nebraska Highway N-61.
Parking: Free parking is adjacent to the museum.
Location: 519 East 1st St Ogallala, Nebraska.
The museum has free / donations only admission and is open year-round. Check for hours on the Front Street Cowboy Museum website.
Take a virtual tour of the museum with Backroads Tourist on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
Acknowledgments
These stops were all part of a Fam tour hosted by the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau, Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau, and Nebraska Tourism Commission.
More Places to See in Nebraska
Check out all of guide2museum.com’s reviews of museums in Nebraska.
Read More Reviews of Heritage Museums
-
Discover the Mormon Handcart Historic Site & Devil’s Gate in Wyoming
-
See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
-
Standout Ranching History at the MonDak Heritage Center: Sidney, Montana
-
Myra Museum: Lustron House & More in Grand Forks, North Dakota
-
Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
-
Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
-
Museum of Northern British Columbia: Indigenous Art & History in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
-
Vermilionville: Living History Open Air Village in Lafayette, Louisiana
-
Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience: New Orleans, Louisiana
-
Bonanzaville: Open Air Pioneer Village Museum in Fargo, North Dakota
-
Front Street Cowboy Museum: Ogallala, Nebraska
The Front Street Cowboy Museum is all about the wild, wild west and driving Texas Longhorn cattle. Located in Ogallala, Nebraska, this visitor attraction brings the town’s rich Old West history to life.
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
Like most people, I enjoy a good story. And there are no better stories than the myths of supernatural creatures. In Nebraska, that creature is the Sandhills Warrior Rabbit. The museum even has one in its collection!
Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit – the image is from a rabbit taxidermy photo taken in the museum and a software generated background. Image by Linda Aksomitis.The warrior rabbit draws on the the American traditional tale of the Jackalope. These Jackalope tales originate from hybrid animal stories around the world.
Where did the Jackalope tale originate?One of the earliest stories of a horned rabbit is from 13th-century Persia. The jackalope legend stems from a rare virus called Shope papilloma virus that infects rabbits and causes horn-like keratin tumors to grow. It’s believed that these tumors inspired folklore about horned or “warrior” rabbits.
Scientific research shows that rabbits with these horn-like growths are real but rare. They’re not a distinct species.
But back to the midwest. In 1932 two brothers in Douglas, Wyoming, studied taxidermy by mail order. One day, one of them tossed a rabbit carcass they planned to work on into their taxidermy collection where it came to rest beside a pair of deer antlers. That gave young Douglas Herrick an idea.
Doug and his brother mounted the rabbit with horns and sold it to a local hotel owner. From there, the story grew and grew and grew with the brothers’ taxidermy sales. Other taxidermists manufactured the rabbits right into the 21st century.
The jackalope has appeared in books, poems, television shows video games and mokumentaries.
Today, tourists can even buy a Jackalope Hunting License in Douglas.
So, the Nebraska Sandhills Warrior Rabbit is one of a group of tall tale animals. This type of tall tale is known as “fearsome critters” and is common to North American culture since the early 1900s.
Indeed, the warrior rabbit has supernatural powers making it a fierce, resilient animal able to survive in the Sandhills.
If you enjoy fearsome critter tales, The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum in Hayward, Wisconsin, is home to another fearsome critter — the hodag.
Buy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or at Bookstores.What’s in the Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street in Ogallala, Nebraska, is a replica town of the 1880s old west cowboy town. At the time, Ogallala was a major cattle-driving and cattle-shipping hub.
How did Ogallala become a cattle-shipping hub?Early in U.S. history, the Chisholm Trail was the trail of choice for driving cattle to the northern states looking for higher prices. The Chisholm Trail ran from the Rio Grande or San Antonio to the railhead of the Kansas Pacific Railway in Abilene. From there, the cattle were shipped to the more populated states in the East.
However, the Chisholm Trail was cut off when farmers began settling and fencing eastern Oklahoma and Kansas. The new Texas Trail (also called Western Trail) grew up from Dodge City to the Union Pacific railhead in Ogallala.
While Dodge City was the end of the trail for some outfits, others with younger stock pushed north to Ogallala. These were sold to ranchers in the area to fatten over the summer and ship out in the fall.
Ogallala became a seasonal gathering place. Saloons were hopping in the spring with Texas cattle bosses selling cattle to local cattlemen. In the fall, action stepped up again as the ranchers brought their steers off the grass to ship east.
As many as 125,000 head of cattle were brought to Ogallala each year.
Ogallala’s heyday as a cow town ended in 1884, when an epidemic of Texas fever caused heavy losses of cattle in Nebraska. States began to enact quarantine laws to protect their livestock. While a few cattle still trickled into Ogallala, the town soon settled into a farming community.
These connected building fronts are filled with memorabilia and cowboy artifacts from the era. Building fronts include:
- Livery Barn Cafe (Restaurant)
- Crystal Palace Saloon (Cold Beer in Ogallala’s famed saloon that saw many gunfights in its hey-day)
- Front Street Cowboys Rest (Buffalo burgers, mountain oysters (bull testicles), steaks, and more)
- Undertaker (Death by gunfights happened on a regular basis to the undertaker’s shop and hearse were important)
- Tonsorial Palace (1870s style barber shop)
- Jail (includes the Sheriff’s office)
- General Store
Front Street is listed on Wikipedia as being on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Keith County, Nebraska.
Some Front Street Displays
Front Street is all about the stories of cowboys, cattle drives, and outlaws. There are lots of different artifacts and photos to bring the stories to life.
Fast Fact: A Black Cowboy Memorial located at Grand Island, Nebraska, honors Amos Harris who died in February, 1911. Thousands of black cowboys rode the rails, driving millions of cattle north. Many of them were the best riders, ropers and wranglers.
~ Front Street Cowboy MuseumHere are some displays I particularly enjoyed.
- Soiled Doves – Saloon Women in Ogallala during the Texas Cattle Drive Days. Photos and displays show their costumes, lifestyles, and challenges working for Madams like “Big Alice.”
- Cowboy gear from boots and spurs to holsters and revolvers.
- Sheriffs who served the town. One display honors Martin DePriest, a Texan who came up the trail in 1877. He served for 11 years and was injured a number of times. He was known for his deliberate coolness in the face of danger, rather than relying on punches or his guns.
- Information about Buffalo Bill Cody.
- Native Americans of Ogallala. Various displays provide the history of the local Sioux people.
- Trails West features paintings, artifacts, and books written about life on a cattle drive.
You can also relive the Old West watching the Front Street Crystal Palace Revue. With 60+ seasons, it’s the longest-running summer stock theatre in Nebraska.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Ogallala is a great destination for those who love the old west. Geographically, it’s also in a fascinating area. Indeed, Nebraska’s sandhill dunes cover about 20,000 square miles and are believed to be the largest dune field in the Western hemisphere. They were formed about 8,000 years ago and designated a National Natural Landmark in 1984.
Boot Hill. Pin me!Be sure to visit Boot Hill while you’re in Ogallala. It was established during the Texas Trail era of the late 1800s.
Some buried there met their end in saloons and gambling halls.
Rattlesnake Ed, who was shot over a card game at the Cowboys Rest Saloon, was one of them.
In direct contrast, you can also visit Mansion on the Hill. This Victorian style home was completed in 1887 — Ogallala’s finest home at the time. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and worth the visit.
Also, I recommend a stop at the Petrified Wood Gallery while you’re in Ogallala. The gallery includes a collection of fossils and hand-crafted petrified wood figures made by Harvey and Howard Kenfieldin. I also found the 92 pewter figures of Native Americans, cowboys, and cavalry soldiers impressive.
Who Should Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is a great stop for anyone interested in the wild and rugged days of the old west and cattle drives.
Indeed, the town was integral to the Lonesome Dove tv miniseries.
It takes a couple of hours to go through the exhibits, although you can spend more time stopping for a meal or drink.
The museum is family-friendly. It also has ramps and flat walkways in the replica 1880s street to aid those using strollers or who have mobility issues.
Stagecoach. Pin me!How Do You Visit Front Street Cowboy Museum?
Front Street Cowboy Museum is located at the intersection of Interstate 80 (I-80), US-26, and Nebraska Highway N-61.
Parking: Free parking is adjacent to the museum.
Location: 519 East 1st St Ogallala, Nebraska.
The museum has free / donations only admission and is open year-round. Check for hours on the Front Street Cowboy Museum website.
Take a virtual tour of the museum with Backroads Tourist on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
Acknowledgments
These stops were all part of a Fam tour hosted by the Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau, Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau, and Nebraska Tourism Commission.
More Places to See in Nebraska
Check out all of guide2museum.com’s reviews of museums in Nebraska.
Read More Reviews of Heritage Museums
- Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre: Shaunavon, SK
- Boot Hill Museum: Kansas Wild West Myth Meets Lived History
- Maple Creek’s Intriguing Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre
- Front Street Cowboy Museum: Ogallala, Nebraska
- Discover the Mormon Handcart Historic Site & Devil’s Gate in Wyoming
- See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Standout Ranching History at the MonDak Heritage Center: Sidney, Montana
- New Iceland Heritage Museum: Gimli, Manitoba, Canada
- Crazy Horse Memorial & Museums: South Dakota’s Black Hills
- Myra Museum: Lustron House & More in Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
- Miracle of America Museum: 40+ Buildings in Polson, Montana
- Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- Museum of Northern British Columbia: Indigenous Art & History in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
- Heritage Village: Museum in Weyburn, Saskatchewan
- Vermilionville: Living History Open Air Village in Lafayette, Louisiana
- Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience: New Orleans, Louisiana
- National Doukhobor Heritage Village: Veregin, Saskatchewan
- Bonanzaville: Open Air Pioneer Village Museum in Fargo, North Dakota
- Range Riders Museum: Old West Lives Again in Miles City, Montana
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"🎤 Abandoned Mines: The Underground Stars of Traffic Jams! 🚧 Welcome to a gripping saga of #sinkholes on #I80, where nature's comedic timing leaves commuters in a never-ending quest for alternate routes. Watch as the DOT performs its greatest vanishing act yet, with no magic wand in sight! 🕳️✨"
https://practical.engineering/blog/2025/5/6/when-abandoned-mines-collapse #AbandonedMines #TrafficJams #ComedicTiming #DOTVanishingAct #HackerNews #ngated -
"🎤 Abandoned Mines: The Underground Stars of Traffic Jams! 🚧 Welcome to a gripping saga of #sinkholes on #I80, where nature's comedic timing leaves commuters in a never-ending quest for alternate routes. Watch as the DOT performs its greatest vanishing act yet, with no magic wand in sight! 🕳️✨"
https://practical.engineering/blog/2025/5/6/when-abandoned-mines-collapse #AbandonedMines #TrafficJams #ComedicTiming #DOTVanishingAct #HackerNews #ngated -
"🎤 Abandoned Mines: The Underground Stars of Traffic Jams! 🚧 Welcome to a gripping saga of #sinkholes on #I80, where nature's comedic timing leaves commuters in a never-ending quest for alternate routes. Watch as the DOT performs its greatest vanishing act yet, with no magic wand in sight! 🕳️✨"
https://practical.engineering/blog/2025/5/6/when-abandoned-mines-collapse #AbandonedMines #TrafficJams #ComedicTiming #DOTVanishingAct #HackerNews #ngated -
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HJC i80, RPHA60 und F100 – Drei neue Helme auf der EICMA 2024
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Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
North Platte, Nebraska, was the primary home of Buffalo Bill otherwise known as William Cody. Indeed, you can even visit the Buffalo Bill State Historical Park to see his ranch. However, if you have limited time, the Fort Cody Trading Post is your best option to learn more about Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show!
Entrance to the Fort Cody Trading Post. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
While the Fort Cody Trading Post has lots of neat stuff to see, the miniature Wild West Show stands out above everything else.
What’s the miniature Wild West Show?
The miniature Wild West Show is a collection of 20,000 hand-carved figures powered by 20 motors. There are cowboys. There are Native Americans. There are cannons. There are tents. There’s all kinds of action in this animated, to-scale re-creation.
Miniature Wild West Show. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Imagine, if you can, going back to the late 1800s to watch one of the greatest travelling shows to ever be produced. The performance was — of course — Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. However, you don’t need an imagination to see the Fort Cody show.
Fast Fact: It took 12 years for Ernie & Virginia Palmquist to create all of the carvings in the narrated diorama of the Wild West Show.
For me, one of the neatest things is that Ernie actually saw the Wild West Show as a child. He even met Buffalo Bill!
What about the Palmquists’ famous Miniature Circus?As well as the carvings for the Buffalo Bill Show, Ernie also created a traveling replica of the Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey Show circus. The 50,000-piece collection of carvings was a big attraction at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958 (from the Journal, August 29, 1962). Plus, it was featured across the U.S. in various locations.
This miniature show had a sideshow, circus parade, 30 tents, more than 20,000 circus performers including an Emmett Kelly figure wearing a wig of the famous clown’s own hair! There were tumblers. There were clowns. There were aerialists.
All of this combined into a 40-foot circus parade!
Ernie’s chief assistant was his wife, Virginia. She was a former Ziegfeld Follies dancer who sewed all the clothes for the circus people, as well as creating the tents.
Watch a video of the Miniature Circus Exhibition of 1979 here.
Today, Ernie’s miniature circus is owned by the Smithsonian.
The carvings are amazing pieces of art! Indeed, wood carving is a traditional art form that’s been around since ancient times.
While the craftsmanship of the wild west show is amazing, watching it come to life is even better (show starts every half hour). A cowboy twirls a lariat. Horses and riders go on parade. Annie Oakley shoots a target. A Native American performs a traditional war dance. Players show their cards and more.
Tents and entertainers in the miniature Wild West Show. Photo by Linda Aksomitis. What books did Linda write about the old west?Station No. 1 on the Outlaw Trail: Old West Outlaws
Kidnapped by Outlaws (Sequel to Badlands and Outlaws)
What’s at the Fort Cody Trading Post Museum?
The Fort Cody Trading Post is what the name implies – a trading post. Situated on one of the U.S.’s first cross-country roads, the Lincoln Highway, it carries on the tradition of roadside souvenir stands.
Pin me!Created in the traditional style of an old west trading post, it’s a stop that’s impossible to miss!
Outside, you’ll find a 30-foot-tall information sign with a drawing of Buffalo Bill Cody.
It includes information about Cody and the Wild West Show, which started in North Platte in 1883.
You enter the trading post through a door in the log stockade walls.
Fast Fact: Buffalo Bill started the World's first organized rodeo in North Platte, Nebraska, July 4, 1882.
In addition to the feature art carving attraction of the miniature Wild West Show, there are six murals by artist Gene McConnell. The murals depict important moments in the life of Buffalo Bill.
What artifacts are in the Fort Cody Trading Post museum collection?
Throughout the trading post, you’ll find various relics along with souvenirs you can buy. The museum artifacts date back as far as 150 years and are from the manager’s personal collection.
Some of the things you’ll see include:
- McClellan saddle from the U.S. Cavalry
- Shotgun chaps from the 1880s
- Angora wool chaps from 1915
- Colt single action army pistol from 1874
- Winchester 73 rifle from 1879
- Photo of Buffalo Bill (age 22) from 1868 holding his favorite rifle, “Lucretia Borgia”
- Cheyenne Parfleche (painted buffalo rawhide case used to store dried buffalo mea) from 1870
- Coffeyville boots from the late 1870s – similar to cavalry-style boots with higher heels, more pointed toes, fitted tops, and made for right and left feet!
- Hand-forged cowboy spurs with silver inlaid wire from 1877
- John B. Stetson first cowboy hat from 1870
Outside in the stockade, the key attraction is a Native American Muffler Man.
Native American Muffler Man in the stockade at Fort Cody Trading Post. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.You’ll also see a buffalo statue, various historic wagons, the Fort Cody Jail building, and picnic tables to relax and enjoy the afternoon.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
We were traveling the US-83 Road to Nowhere through Nebraska when we stopped in North Platte. Unfortunately, it was late in the day, so we didn’t have time to check out some of the other attractions. However, I really missed not making it to the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park!
After our stop, we continued on US-83 for another hour into McCook for the night. Our favorite thing in McCook? The Taste of Texas BBQ restaurant where we had supper. The brisket was delicious!
Brisket at the Taste of Texas BBQ in McCook. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.We spent the night at the Cedar Inn, which was good value for the price.
Who Should Visit the Fort Cody Trading Post?
The Fort Cody Trading Post is a great, quick stop whether you’re traveling on I-80 or US-83. While combining a museum with a souvenir store may seem like a tourist trap — it’s not.
If you’re interested in the old west and the Wild West Show, this is the perfect stop.
Fort Cody Trading Post. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Indoor artifacts likely won’t appeal to small children, but the stockade will give them plenty of space to charge around outside. The picnic area under Nebraska’s bright blue skies begs to be used.
Plan on an hour or less for your visit (unless you’re shopping and then it may take you much longer!), as the miniature wild west show runs every half-hour. The trading post is wheelchair accessible.
Admission, of course, is free.
How Do You Visit the Fort Cody Trading Post?
The Fort Cody Trading Post combines opportunities for buying some Nebraska souvenirs with a quick museum visit focused on Buffalo Bill Cody and his wild west show.
Parking: There's lots of free parking right in front of the trading post.
Location: The Fort Cody Trading Post is located at 221 Halligan Drive, North Platte, Nebraska.
It’s right off of I-80 and US-83.
Visit online at the Fort Cody website.
Keep up to date with what’s happening at the Fort Cody Trading Post Facebook page.
Take a virtual tour with the YouTube video, Welcome to Fort Cody Trading Post.
Plan your visit with Google maps.
Pin me!More Places to See in Nebraska
Check out all of guide2museum.com’s reviews of museums in Nebraska.
Read More Reviews of Art Museums
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts: Mirror of the City
- Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre: Shaunavon, SK
- Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec: Art & People
- TD Gallery of Indigenous Art: Free Toronto Museum
- Maple Creek’s Intriguing Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre
- See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Art Gallery of Ontario: Art Museum in Toronto, Ontario
- Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
- Museum of Northern British Columbia: Indigenous Art & History in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
- The Enchanted Highway: Giant Metal Sculptures in North Dakota
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Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum: Ashland, Nebraska
The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland, Nebraska, started with just one military airplane back in 1959.
Cold War military airplanes. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Today, the state-of-the art strategic air museum is a popular year-round tourist attraction. It’s considered one of the leading facilities of its kind in the nation.
What’s in the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum?
The collection at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum focuses on the aircraft and nuclear missiles used during the Cold War. SAC (Strategic Air Command), as this part of the military was known, worked to deter a nuclear strike on the United States by Russia.
David Aksomitis standing beside the wheel of one of the largest of the SAC military airplanes. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Covering a floor space of 300,000 square feet (28,000 square meters), the strategic air museum is an impressive building. There are two levels, plus an outdoor gallery.
Some of the lower level attractions include:
- 2D and 3D virtual reality flight simulators
- Drone soccer arena
- Doolittle’s raiders
- HIgh pressure Korea
- Missle control
- Space: the longest journey
- Space gallery including Clayton “Astro Clay” Anderson, Nebraska’s only NASA astronaut
- Berlin airlift
- Dynetics lunar lander
- Future Fun Lab interactive experience that lets players watch what they’ve drawn come to life
- Children’s learning center with interactive displays
The entrance to the strategic air command museum is into the upper level.
There, the first thing that catches your eye is the glass atrium. It’s made of 525 glass panels that encase a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird on a pedestal.
Here, you’ll also find the women in aerospace gallery, volunteer curated gallery, nano miniature exhibit along with the theater entrance, gift store, and SAC lunch cafe.
Pin me!Fast Fact: The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest and highest flying jet aircraft in history. The plane was developed in the 1960s for high flying reconnaissance. It flies three times the speed of sound (or around 2000 mph), which would make it fast enough to escape any weapon fired at it. The Blackbird world record for sustained altitude flight is 85,000 feet.
Tools of War
The exterior displays at the SAC museum include Minuteman, Atlast, and Titan missiles.
Indeed, they’re the first things you see when you enter the museum parking lot.
The SM-65 Atlas is one of the most impressive. It was the first operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by the United States and the first member of the Atlas rocket family.
Likewise, the airplanes of the Cold War were nothing short of amazing.
Their purpose was to provide a threat of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). In other words, with a fleet of super airplanes flying the skies, the U.S. made it clear that if bombed, they’d retaliate and both sides would be destroyed.
Missiles alongside a plane. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Some of the most notable planes include the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-36 Peacemaker, and B-52 Stratofortress.
Fast Fact: The B-36J Peacemaker (first flight 1946) is the largest production bomber every built. Pilots called it a "Magnesium Monster." It also held the greatest combt unrefueled radius. However, it never dropped a bomb in combat.
Indeed, one of the missions of the museum is to educate visitors about the history and technological evolution of military aviation.
More at the Strategic Air Command Museum
In addition to the planes, there’s also a lot to see and do. There are a number of interactive exhibits, including flight operations simulators and learning more about the mechanics of aviation.
The history of the Cold War, which lasted from 1947, immediately after World War I, until 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, is covered in various ways. Some of the displays include:
- Korean War
- Vietnam War
- Space Race
- Mrk-36 hydrogen bomb
- Control panels, rescue vehicles, ejection seats and more
The aerospace part of the museum includes various artifacts and information panels. There’s a great display on Black Holes that explains what they are. You’ll also see space suits, an Apollo boilerplate, even outerspace movie memorabilia.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
I’m always in for a spy story and the SAC museum had a highly detailed one with lots of photos and newspaper clippings. The spy? Francis Gary Powers. The mission? The U-2 Spy Mission.
Francis flew a special U-2, single engine, high altitude aircraft used by the CIA. To fly the U-2, pilots had to be fitted for a specially designed pressure suit. Its purpose? To prevent the expansion of body fluids at low air pressure.
The CIA believed that neither a U-2 or its pilot could be captured by the Soviets. So President Eisenhower authorized an overflight to photograph Soviet military installations.
Unfortunately, the CIA was wrong.
Pin me! How was Francis Powers captured and how long was he a prisoner?Powers was the most experienced U-2 pilot, so he took off from Peshawar, Pakistan, May 1, 1960, to do a mission over Soviet territory. Four hours into the flight, a Soviet SA-2 anitaircraft missle detonated near Powers, causing tail section damage. Powers was sucked from the aircraft before he could hit its self-destruct mechanism. So Powers, along with the plane and its equipment were captured by the Soviets.
On May 7, 1960, Premier Khrushchev revealed that they’d captured a CIA agent in their airspace. President Eisenhower publicly assumed full responsibility for the flight. The Russians held the downed pilot as a spy.
Powers was taken to Moscow and put in Lubyanka Prison, at KGB Headquarters. After three months of questioning, he was eventually put on trail August 17, 1960, on his 31st birthday. He was found guilty of espionage and sentenced to ten years imprisonment.
After serving 21 months in the Russian prison, Powers was echanged for a Soviet spy–Colonel Rudolf Abel. He’d been arrested by the FBI in New York three years earlier, in 1957.
The museum display goes through a lot of detail about Powers time in prison, from the food he ate and the carpets he made with wool and needles to pass the time.
Who Should Visit the Strategic Air Museum?
The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum is a fascinating visit for any interested in Cold War history — particularly from an military perspective. Likewise, anyone who loves airplanes will be blown away by the planes in this museum.
Pin me!With a number of interactive exhibits, families will find the Strategic Air Museum fun to visit. There’s lots of space for kids to walk around and stare up at the undersides of the monstrous airplanes!
We spent a couple of hours and could easily have spent more, except we had time constraints.
Allow at least an hour to see the high points.
The museum entrance is baby stroller and wheelchair accessible with ramps and wide doors. As well, there’s an elevator between floors. For anyone needing a wheelchair, some are available for rent at the visitor services desk. Service animals are allowed in the museum.
For anyone visiting Omaha without a vehicle, transportation to the museum can be arranged. See the museum website for more details. The museum has ample free parking right in front.
How Do You Visit the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum?
The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum is located t 28210 W. Park-Hwy., outside Ashland, Nebraska. For those on I-80, take Exit 426, then it’s just half a mile north to the museum.
Nuclear weapons arm safe controls. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.You can visit the museum year-round. Get details on hours and admission costs on the SAC museum website. Note that the museum also offers summer camp experiences for young people.
Keep up-to-date with what’s happening with the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum Facebook page.
Take a virtual tour with the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum YouTube page videos.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
Find More Museum Reviews for Nebraska
Check out more reviews of museum attractions in Nebraska on guide2museums.com.
Read More Military & War Museum Reviews
- Legendary Stories of Fort Totten Historic Site: North Dakota
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum: Iconic Civil & Military Airplanes
- Plains of Abraham Museum & Battlefield Park: Quebec City
- Canada’s Little-Known Cold War Museum: the Diefenbunker
- U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii Artillery Battery in Honolulu
- USS Lexington Museum: WWII Aircraft Carrier in Corpus Christi, Texas
- Regional Military Museum: Artifacts from all US Wars in Houma, Lousiana
- Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum: Ashland, Nebraska
- Vancouver Island Military Museum: Nanaimo, British Columbia
- National Museum of the Pacific War: Fredericksburg, Texas
- Hill Aerospace Museum: Military Aircraft at Hill AFB, Utah
- Battleship Memorial Park: 1942 Battleship & 1941 Submarine in Mobile, Alabama
- Fagen Fighters WWII Museum: Granite Falls, Minnesota
- Manhattan Project National Historical Park: WWII History in Hanford, Washington
- National World War II Museum: New Orleans, Louisiana
Reference(s)
Francis Gary Powers. (n.d.). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Gary_Powers
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2024). Cold War. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cold-War
#aerospace #airplanes #ColdWar #history #I80 #museums #NASA #Nebraska -
LIVE: Storm chaser captures jaw-dropping footage of wedge tornado crossing I-80 in Nebraska
Tornadoes and damaging thunderstorms blasting across the central United States, and will continue to threaten lives and property in more than a dozen states through the weekend.
Updated Apr. 26, 2024 5:55 PM EDT
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LIVE: Storm chaser captures jaw-dropping footage of wedge tornado crossing I-80 in Nebraska
Tornadoes and damaging thunderstorms blasting across the central United States, and will continue to threaten lives and property in more than a dozen states through the weekend.
Updated Apr. 26, 2024 5:55 PM EDT
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LIVE: Storm chaser captures jaw-dropping footage of wedge tornado crossing I-80 in Nebraska
Tornadoes and damaging thunderstorms blasting across the central United States, and will continue to threaten lives and property in more than a dozen states through the weekend.
Updated Apr. 26, 2024 5:55 PM EDT
-
LIVE: Storm chaser captures jaw-dropping footage of wedge tornado crossing I-80 in Nebraska
Tornadoes and damaging thunderstorms blasting across the central United States, and will continue to threaten lives and property in more than a dozen states through the weekend.
Updated Apr. 26, 2024 5:55 PM EDT
-
LIVE: Storm chaser captures jaw-dropping footage of wedge tornado crossing I-80 in Nebraska
Tornadoes and damaging thunderstorms blasting across the central United States, and will continue to threaten lives and property in more than a dozen states through the weekend.
Updated Apr. 26, 2024 5:55 PM EDT
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Frontier Prison Museum: Rawlins, Wyoming
The Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum in Rawlins is the perfect place to experience outlaw history. Indeed, this historic state penitentiary housed some of the west’s most infamous outlaws.
Frontier Prison. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Listed on The National Registry of Historic Places, the original prison buildings opened as a museum in 1988.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite exhibit at the Frontier Prison — not to sound ghoulish or anything — was death row.
Fast Fact: Of course, not all of the prisoners of the Frontier Prison lived to walk away. In fact, 14 were executed — some believe their ghosts still walk in the dark places around the prison. Find out for yourself on a fall haunted Halloween ghost tour!
In the beginning, our guide, Dawn, explained, there was a self-executing system in place. I, of course, had to ask how it worked.
View of the upper cell blocks from a lower level. Photo by David Aksomitis.The execution chamber — or room — was on the second floor. And as was customary in the old west for those sentenced to meet their maker, the sentence was death by hanging.
Ideally, the men in the gallows died quickly of a broken neck. However, it seems that only four of the nine on death row here during that period were so lucky. The others all had to hang until the life squeezed out of them. Now, that makes it easy to see why they could still haunt the gallows.
Pin me!In 1931, the prison added the gas chamber. Five men died there.
To me, the cylinder looked more like something a science fiction writer from the 1800s might have described to descend into the depths of the sea rather than a chamber meant to gas someone to death. However, I guess it had the advantage of being small, so didn’t require a lot of gas to end a life.
Of course, there are also other parts of the prison that are particularly gruesome, like the sensory deprivation room. Here, prisoners were kept in absolute darkness — and not even allowed to lie down.
Indeed, it was a time when being condemned to a Federal penitentiary was definitely something to be avoided. However, there were those who still took risks, wagered their freedom and lost.
What books did Linda write about outlaws in the old west?Linda has published three books about outlaws in the old west: 1 nonfiction and 2 fiction for teens and adults.
NONFICTION: Station No. 1 on the Outlaw Trail: Old West Outlaws
FICTION: Badlands and Outlaws
Kidnapped by Outlaws (Sequel to Badlands and Outlaws)
What’s in the Wyoming Frontier Prison?
In the eighty years from 1901 to 1981, during which the original Wyoming State Penitentiary (renamed the Wyoming Frontier Prison when it opened as a museum) in Rawlins was in use, some 13,500 inmates called it “home.”
However, as David and I learned on our visit, the Frontier Prison didn’t feel anything homelike.
A guided tour takes you through life in the prison:
- Intake room: Men from up to 40 rooms at a time showered here in cold water (no hot water until 1978). In the early days, those who didn’t want to wash were sprayed down by the guards.
- Dining room: Kitchen duty was the best job for prisoners. After a 1955 riot, a guard armed with a submachine gun stood watch over every meal.
- Library: Big windows allowed for lots of light to read a collection that featured more law books than a university of the time.
- Cell blocks: 1901 (104 cells in Cell Block A), 1904 added 32 cells to Block A, 1916 death house/death row with 6 cells, Cell Block B in 1950, and Cell Block C maximum security with 36 cells in 1966.
- Museum displays of such things as original striped uniforms and confiscated inmate-made weapons.
- Exercise yard: the Old Pen‘s fence and guard towers are still intact.
Fast Fact: Early inmates had a baseball team and occasionally used the yard to play local teams.
Early Days at Frontier Prison
When Wyoming neared statehood in 1890, the state made plans to build and manage its own penal system. Earlier, during its years as a Territory, the Federal government had built and managed the Wyoming Territorial Penitentiary at what’s now the city of Laramie.
One of the oldest cells at Wyoming Frontier Prison. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.However, money was tight for the new state, and it took awhile to actually get the new prison built. And there certainly weren’t any frills or luxuries included in the costs.
What was life like for prisoners at the Frontier Prison in the early 1900s?Originally, none of the cells were heated. If prisoners were lucky, the temperature stayed at 20 degrees or so warmer than outside even on freezing winter days until radiators were installed in some parts of the prison. Then, these areas could be heated all the way up to 50 degrees! Parts of the prison never did get heat, as we learned on our early June tour. Whether the shivers I felt were from the passing ghosts of those who had lived in the frosty cells, or the lightweight sweater I wore — I couldn’t tell.
Prison life in the early 1900s was anything but fun. While prisoners may have spent their days shivering, they were at least fed. In fact, prisoners loved kitchen duty, the best job in the prison. Early on in the prison’s history, an elderly woman, Esther Higgins, even brought home baking for the entire population. Needless to say, she was well-loved.
As we learned from our tour guide, Dawn, the prison was built at the end of the wild west in early 1900s Wyoming. There weren’t a lot of standards in security, so the prison staff had to learn on the fly. One of the first things they discovered was that prisoners didn’t have much trouble picking the skeleton key locks on the first cell doors and attempting escapes. After all, those locks were pretty simple.
In fact, the prison had to replace all those first locks with something more secure. And if you’re thinking a different kind of lock, you’re almost right. In 1917, the prison installed the Boston Bar system that could lock down an entire tier with a single switch.
While the prison was for men, eleven women were incarcerated in its earliest years. The most infamous was Annie Bruce, a 14-year-old who murdered her father with Strychnine poison.
Fast Fact: The prison has even been used as a movie set. In 1987, before it opened as a museum, the movie, Prison, starring Viggo Mortensen was filmed here.
One of the prisoners, Arthur, was commissioned to add artwork to the dining room walls. You can still see them today — a gentle contrast to the machine-gun-toting prison guard who actually watched the men eating back in ‘the day.’ Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Linda’s Road Trip Tips
We visited the Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum during a road trip through Montana and Wyoming. It was for the greater part a wild west themed adventure that included the amazing Range Riders Museum in Miles City, Montana, and the Rosebud County Museum in Forsythe, Montana.
While not a western attraction, we also discovered the luxurious classic cars and petroleum collectibels at the Frontier Auto Museum in Gillette, Wyoming on that trip.
We arrived in Rawlins in time for lunch, which we enjoyed at Cappy’s Restaurant and Bar. They served a great hot beef sandwich!
Cappy’s Restaurant & Bar. Photo by David Aksomitis.Who Should Visit the Wyoming Frontier Prison?
If you’re traveling on I-90 through Wyoming, I highly recommend the prison as a stop.
The Wyoming Frontier Prison is a fascinating step back into the past. It’s a museum that’s sure to shock teens, as they see another perspective of what being sent to prison was like a century ago.
If you have an interest in the outlaws of the old west, you’ll find lots of interesting historical tidbits in the displays and on the guided tour.
Display of a shank vest designed to withstand being stabbed, along with variuos restraint equipment used in the prison. Photo by Linda Aksomitis.Most parts of the museum aren’t heated, so if you visit during the winter months or even spring (we visited in early June), take sweatshirts or a jacket. During our visit, David was recovering from a broken leg and was unable to climb the stairs to see the gas chambers. So, anyone with mobility issues will be restricted to the lower levels.
How Do You Visit the Wyoming Frontier Prison?
The Frontier Prison Museum is located at 500 West Walnut in historic Rawlins, Wyoming.
Website: http://www.wyomingfrontierprison.org/Visitors to the museum have free limited access to a few exhibits but must join a tour to see the interior of the prison, so you’ll need to check the website for hours. There’s a small admission fee, which had to be paid in cash when we visited. Check the website to confirm the current fee.
If you’re interested in ghost hunting, the museum has various events each October (it’s usually closed for regular touring through the last two weeks of October).
Take a virtual tour with this YouTube Video: Inside the Old Death House – A Wyoming Prison Tour
Keep up-to-date with what’s happening with the Frontier Prison Facebook page.
Start planning your visit with Google Maps.
More Things to See and Do in Wyoming
Read more museum reviews on guide2museums.ca for museum attractions in Wyoming.
Check Out More Specialty Museums
- Gone With the Wind Museum: Memorabilia in Jefferson, Texas Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone With the Wind Museum appeals to the romance in all of us. Whether you just want to know more about the book and movie or their Hollywood production, the museum takes you back into Southern U.S. history.
- Toronto’s First Post Office Museum & National Historic Site: Ontario Toronto’s First Post Office Museum is in downtown Toronto, Canada. Discover many crazy facts about early postal history in Canada.
- Frontier Prison Museum: Rawlins, Wyoming Prison life in the early 1900s was a matter of survival as you’ll learn when you visit the Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum in Rawlins.
- Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum: Montpelier, Idaho Montpelier, Idaho, is home to the Butch Cassidy Bank Robbery Museum. See this last verified location robbed by the Wild Bunch.
- Missouri State Penitentiary Museum: Jefferson City, Missouri Whether you’re looking for quirky or historic, a visit to Jefferson City’s Missouri State Penitentiary Museum fills the bill. After operating for 168 years, the prison was opened as a museum in 2013.
- Toronto Police Museum & Discovery Centre: Two Centuries of Law Enforcement History The Toronto Police Museum is a popular Ontario attraction. Learn about the evolution of policing from the 1888 call boxes to modern forensics.
- Astonishing Evolution of Shoes: Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto Shoes have been making fashion statements for centuries! The Bata Shoe Museum covers 4,500 years of shoes from every culture in the world.
- MOPOP in Seattle: Unparalled Look at Pop Culture Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture has one of the world’s largest pop culture collections. Check out everything from Guitar Gallery to the Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction.
- Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum: Waco, Texas Discover 200+ years of law enforcement history in the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco. A variety of galleries take visitors through the centuries, including a pop culture gallery.
Reference(s)
HMdb.org. (n.d.). Wyoming State Penitentiary. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=89706
Van Pelt, L. (2014, November 8). Wyoming’s first state prison. WYOhistory.org.
#history #I80 #lawEnforcement #museums #oldWest #outlaws #prisons #travel #US #Wyoming
https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/wyomings-first-state-prison -
Jonathan Petramala (at 7:46pm)
"UPDATE: Hundreds of cars stranded on I-80 near the Donner Summit…blizzard winds and heaviest snow of the storm starting. It’s a race to see if they can clear the interstate before cars get too buried."
-
Jonathan Petramala (at 7:46pm)
"UPDATE: Hundreds of cars stranded on I-80 near the Donner Summit…blizzard winds and heaviest snow of the storm starting. It’s a race to see if they can clear the interstate before cars get too buried."
-
Jonathan Petramala (at 7:46pm)
"UPDATE: Hundreds of cars stranded on I-80 near the Donner Summit…blizzard winds and heaviest snow of the storm starting. It’s a race to see if they can clear the interstate before cars get too buried."
-
Jonathan Petramala (at 7:46pm)
"UPDATE: Hundreds of cars stranded on I-80 near the Donner Summit…blizzard winds and heaviest snow of the storm starting. It’s a race to see if they can clear the interstate before cars get too buried."
-
Jonathan Petramala (at 7:46pm)
"UPDATE: Hundreds of cars stranded on I-80 near the Donner Summit…blizzard winds and heaviest snow of the storm starting. It’s a race to see if they can clear the interstate before cars get too buried."
-
Blockbuster #CaliforniaStorm to deliver crushing blow of 10 feet of #snow and #blizzard conditions
By Mary Gilbert and Elliana Hebert, CNN
February 29, 2024"An extremely-dangerous winter storm has arrived in California and will unload feet of snow, powerful winds and rare blizzard conditions in the mountains through the weekend.
"The storm will bury California under its biggest snowfall of the year, posing a significant danger to travelers – but provide a huge boost for the state’s water supply and tourism.
"'There are only so many ways that we can say it will be treacherous to be traveling on the roads or even exiting your home during this [storm],' the National Weather Service [#NWS] office in #RenoNevada, warned Wednesday. '#Whiteout conditions are very disorienting, so this is not the time to gamble with you or your family’s lives.'
"Snow began to fall in the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday and spread into California’s Northern Coast Range, the #KlamathMountains and the Sierra Nevada early Thursday. As snow continues to spread across California, so will strong winds and blizzard conditions.
"Snowfall rates are expected to reach extreme levels of 3 to 5 inches an hour from Friday through Saturday – especially along the Sierra Nevada.
"The prolonged extreme snowfall means 6 to 10 feet of snow could bury parts of the Sierra in just a matter of two to three days.
"The most extreme conditions will unfold at the highest elevations, with #WindGusts in excess of 100 mph expected on the highest peaks of the Sierra in addition to feet of snow. Winds are expected to blow so hard that it may be difficult to measure snow accurately with the potential for huge snow drifts.
"Heavy snow and roaring winds are expected to combine to produce rare and long-lasting blizzard conditions for much of the Sierra and parts of the northern ranges. Visibility could plummet to near-zero, meaning it’s impossible to see farther than a few feet – or at all – in the most intense blizzards.
"Given these conditions, there is a 'high chance of substantial, long-lasting disruptions to daily life in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Friday through Saturday,' the Weather Prediction Center warned.
"Unlike other storms this winter, snow will fall well below pass levels for all impacted ranges. Close to a foot of snow is expected through the weekend for areas as low as 5,000 feet. Several inches are also possible for even lower elevations, including #RenoNevada. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be blowing through the lower elevations alongside snow.
"The intense conditions at lower elevations increase the risk of danger on the road.
"Travel will be 'extremely dangerous to impossible' across the Sierra through the weekend, the weather service warned. Parts of major roadways like #I80 could be shut down for long stretches. "
-
Blockbuster #CaliforniaStorm to deliver crushing blow of 10 feet of #snow and #blizzard conditions
By Mary Gilbert and Elliana Hebert, CNN
February 29, 2024"An extremely-dangerous winter storm has arrived in California and will unload feet of snow, powerful winds and rare blizzard conditions in the mountains through the weekend.
"The storm will bury California under its biggest snowfall of the year, posing a significant danger to travelers – but provide a huge boost for the state’s water supply and tourism.
"'There are only so many ways that we can say it will be treacherous to be traveling on the roads or even exiting your home during this [storm],' the National Weather Service [#NWS] office in #RenoNevada, warned Wednesday. '#Whiteout conditions are very disorienting, so this is not the time to gamble with you or your family’s lives.'
"Snow began to fall in the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday and spread into California’s Northern Coast Range, the #KlamathMountains and the Sierra Nevada early Thursday. As snow continues to spread across California, so will strong winds and blizzard conditions.
"Snowfall rates are expected to reach extreme levels of 3 to 5 inches an hour from Friday through Saturday – especially along the Sierra Nevada.
"The prolonged extreme snowfall means 6 to 10 feet of snow could bury parts of the Sierra in just a matter of two to three days.
"The most extreme conditions will unfold at the highest elevations, with #WindGusts in excess of 100 mph expected on the highest peaks of the Sierra in addition to feet of snow. Winds are expected to blow so hard that it may be difficult to measure snow accurately with the potential for huge snow drifts.
"Heavy snow and roaring winds are expected to combine to produce rare and long-lasting blizzard conditions for much of the Sierra and parts of the northern ranges. Visibility could plummet to near-zero, meaning it’s impossible to see farther than a few feet – or at all – in the most intense blizzards.
"Given these conditions, there is a 'high chance of substantial, long-lasting disruptions to daily life in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Friday through Saturday,' the Weather Prediction Center warned.
"Unlike other storms this winter, snow will fall well below pass levels for all impacted ranges. Close to a foot of snow is expected through the weekend for areas as low as 5,000 feet. Several inches are also possible for even lower elevations, including #RenoNevada. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be blowing through the lower elevations alongside snow.
"The intense conditions at lower elevations increase the risk of danger on the road.
"Travel will be 'extremely dangerous to impossible' across the Sierra through the weekend, the weather service warned. Parts of major roadways like #I80 could be shut down for long stretches. "
-
Blockbuster #CaliforniaStorm to deliver crushing blow of 10 feet of #snow and #blizzard conditions
By Mary Gilbert and Elliana Hebert, CNN
February 29, 2024"An extremely-dangerous winter storm has arrived in California and will unload feet of snow, powerful winds and rare blizzard conditions in the mountains through the weekend.
"The storm will bury California under its biggest snowfall of the year, posing a significant danger to travelers – but provide a huge boost for the state’s water supply and tourism.
"'There are only so many ways that we can say it will be treacherous to be traveling on the roads or even exiting your home during this [storm],' the National Weather Service [#NWS] office in #RenoNevada, warned Wednesday. '#Whiteout conditions are very disorienting, so this is not the time to gamble with you or your family’s lives.'
"Snow began to fall in the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday and spread into California’s Northern Coast Range, the #KlamathMountains and the Sierra Nevada early Thursday. As snow continues to spread across California, so will strong winds and blizzard conditions.
"Snowfall rates are expected to reach extreme levels of 3 to 5 inches an hour from Friday through Saturday – especially along the Sierra Nevada.
"The prolonged extreme snowfall means 6 to 10 feet of snow could bury parts of the Sierra in just a matter of two to three days.
"The most extreme conditions will unfold at the highest elevations, with #WindGusts in excess of 100 mph expected on the highest peaks of the Sierra in addition to feet of snow. Winds are expected to blow so hard that it may be difficult to measure snow accurately with the potential for huge snow drifts.
"Heavy snow and roaring winds are expected to combine to produce rare and long-lasting blizzard conditions for much of the Sierra and parts of the northern ranges. Visibility could plummet to near-zero, meaning it’s impossible to see farther than a few feet – or at all – in the most intense blizzards.
"Given these conditions, there is a 'high chance of substantial, long-lasting disruptions to daily life in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Friday through Saturday,' the Weather Prediction Center warned.
"Unlike other storms this winter, snow will fall well below pass levels for all impacted ranges. Close to a foot of snow is expected through the weekend for areas as low as 5,000 feet. Several inches are also possible for even lower elevations, including #RenoNevada. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be blowing through the lower elevations alongside snow.
"The intense conditions at lower elevations increase the risk of danger on the road.
"Travel will be 'extremely dangerous to impossible' across the Sierra through the weekend, the weather service warned. Parts of major roadways like #I80 could be shut down for long stretches. "
-
Blockbuster #CaliforniaStorm to deliver crushing blow of 10 feet of #snow and #blizzard conditions
By Mary Gilbert and Elliana Hebert, CNN
February 29, 2024"An extremely-dangerous winter storm has arrived in California and will unload feet of snow, powerful winds and rare blizzard conditions in the mountains through the weekend.
"The storm will bury California under its biggest snowfall of the year, posing a significant danger to travelers – but provide a huge boost for the state’s water supply and tourism.
"'There are only so many ways that we can say it will be treacherous to be traveling on the roads or even exiting your home during this [storm],' the National Weather Service [#NWS] office in #RenoNevada, warned Wednesday. '#Whiteout conditions are very disorienting, so this is not the time to gamble with you or your family’s lives.'
"Snow began to fall in the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday and spread into California’s Northern Coast Range, the #KlamathMountains and the Sierra Nevada early Thursday. As snow continues to spread across California, so will strong winds and blizzard conditions.
"Snowfall rates are expected to reach extreme levels of 3 to 5 inches an hour from Friday through Saturday – especially along the Sierra Nevada.
"The prolonged extreme snowfall means 6 to 10 feet of snow could bury parts of the Sierra in just a matter of two to three days.
"The most extreme conditions will unfold at the highest elevations, with #WindGusts in excess of 100 mph expected on the highest peaks of the Sierra in addition to feet of snow. Winds are expected to blow so hard that it may be difficult to measure snow accurately with the potential for huge snow drifts.
"Heavy snow and roaring winds are expected to combine to produce rare and long-lasting blizzard conditions for much of the Sierra and parts of the northern ranges. Visibility could plummet to near-zero, meaning it’s impossible to see farther than a few feet – or at all – in the most intense blizzards.
"Given these conditions, there is a 'high chance of substantial, long-lasting disruptions to daily life in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Friday through Saturday,' the Weather Prediction Center warned.
"Unlike other storms this winter, snow will fall well below pass levels for all impacted ranges. Close to a foot of snow is expected through the weekend for areas as low as 5,000 feet. Several inches are also possible for even lower elevations, including #RenoNevada. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be blowing through the lower elevations alongside snow.
"The intense conditions at lower elevations increase the risk of danger on the road.
"Travel will be 'extremely dangerous to impossible' across the Sierra through the weekend, the weather service warned. Parts of major roadways like #I80 could be shut down for long stretches. "
-
Blockbuster #CaliforniaStorm to deliver crushing blow of 10 feet of #snow and #blizzard conditions
By Mary Gilbert and Elliana Hebert, CNN
February 29, 2024"An extremely-dangerous winter storm has arrived in California and will unload feet of snow, powerful winds and rare blizzard conditions in the mountains through the weekend.
"The storm will bury California under its biggest snowfall of the year, posing a significant danger to travelers – but provide a huge boost for the state’s water supply and tourism.
"'There are only so many ways that we can say it will be treacherous to be traveling on the roads or even exiting your home during this [storm],' the National Weather Service [#NWS] office in #RenoNevada, warned Wednesday. '#Whiteout conditions are very disorienting, so this is not the time to gamble with you or your family’s lives.'
"Snow began to fall in the Pacific Northwest late Wednesday and spread into California’s Northern Coast Range, the #KlamathMountains and the Sierra Nevada early Thursday. As snow continues to spread across California, so will strong winds and blizzard conditions.
"Snowfall rates are expected to reach extreme levels of 3 to 5 inches an hour from Friday through Saturday – especially along the Sierra Nevada.
"The prolonged extreme snowfall means 6 to 10 feet of snow could bury parts of the Sierra in just a matter of two to three days.
"The most extreme conditions will unfold at the highest elevations, with #WindGusts in excess of 100 mph expected on the highest peaks of the Sierra in addition to feet of snow. Winds are expected to blow so hard that it may be difficult to measure snow accurately with the potential for huge snow drifts.
"Heavy snow and roaring winds are expected to combine to produce rare and long-lasting blizzard conditions for much of the Sierra and parts of the northern ranges. Visibility could plummet to near-zero, meaning it’s impossible to see farther than a few feet – or at all – in the most intense blizzards.
"Given these conditions, there is a 'high chance of substantial, long-lasting disruptions to daily life in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Friday through Saturday,' the Weather Prediction Center warned.
"Unlike other storms this winter, snow will fall well below pass levels for all impacted ranges. Close to a foot of snow is expected through the weekend for areas as low as 5,000 feet. Several inches are also possible for even lower elevations, including #RenoNevada. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph will be blowing through the lower elevations alongside snow.
"The intense conditions at lower elevations increase the risk of danger on the road.
"Travel will be 'extremely dangerous to impossible' across the Sierra through the weekend, the weather service warned. Parts of major roadways like #I80 could be shut down for long stretches. "
-
Welp, we turned around. On the way back to Truckee we saw that traffic was still closed on I-80 westbound right before Donner Lake…
Waisted 5hrs of our lives in a car. I hope everyone in the incidents in front of us is ok.
#I80 #CalTrans #placercounty #stuckintahoe #tahoe -
Still stuck. We went past where they were turning us around previously.
Now there’s just a lot of trucks waiting to get moving again…
#I80 #CalTrans #placercounty #stuckintahoe -
Ok, can anyone help me with the jargon and accronyms here?
I do not understand what’s going on in this highway… -
We’re redirected off the highway
QuickMap says multiple Semis across the pavement…
#I80 #placercounty #tahoe -
Driving West from DC to Denver last September, with Pretzel (depicted) and Pam on I-80 in Nebraska. #Dogs #i80 #Nebraska #GoldenRetriever
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Driving West from DC to Denver last September, with Pretzel (depicted) and Pam on I-80 in Nebraska. #Dogs #i80 #Nebraska #GoldenRetriever
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Driving West from DC to Denver last September, with Pretzel (depicted) and Pam on I-80 in Nebraska. #Dogs #i80 #Nebraska #GoldenRetriever
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Driving West from DC to Denver last September, with Pretzel (depicted) and Pam on I-80 in Nebraska. #Dogs #i80 #Nebraska #GoldenRetriever
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Driving West from DC to Denver last September, with Pretzel (depicted) and Pam on I-80 in Nebraska. #Dogs #i80 #Nebraska #GoldenRetriever
