National Museum of Roller Skating, Lincoln

The National Museum of Roller Skating in Lincoln, Nebraska is home to the largest collection of roller skates in the world, going back as far back as 1819. The museum aims at educating skating enthusiasts from all around the world about the history and evolution of skating as something more than just a hobby.

At the museum, the staff works towards collecting and preserving the enriching past of skating. Along with the biggest collection of historical roller skates, the National Museum of Roller Skating also houses patents, trophies, artworks, photographs, costumes, videos, and any other memorabilia related to the world of Skating.

There are approximately 1,500 books and journals related to roller skating. Among the museum’s most prized collections are the James L. Plimpton (the Father of contemporary roller skating) family collection, Antonio Pirello’s jetpack skates, and pictures of Scott Baio on roller skates.

Panorama Point, Pine Bluffs

The highest natural point in Nebraska, Panorama Point in Pine Bluffs stands at 5,429 feet above the sea level and as opposed to what you may believe, it’s not a mountain or even a hill – it’s just a small rise on the High Plains!

Located on the ground of High Point Bison Ranch, the summit at the Panorama Point has a stone marker and a guest register. There used to be several bison roaming freely in the area as well, but now they remain behind fences. As you reach the Point, vast plains extend in front of you as far as your eyes can see and on a clear day, you can spot the Rocky Mountains in the distance.

As a visitor, pay the nominal entrance fee and if you come across a bison on your way, don’t scare it away.

Old Lincoln Highway in Omaha, Omaha

Originally constructed in 1913 to run between New York City to San Francisco, the Old Lincoln Highway was the first coast-to-coast highway built in the United States of America. Among the 13 states that it catered to, Nebraska’s section of the highway ran between Omaha and Elkhorn.

However, in 1929, after the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge was constructed, the highway was rerouted onto U.S. Route 30 through Blair (a city in Nebraska). After the rerouting was completed, officials from Blair, inhumanely, dug up the markers from the highway section in Omaha and placed them in their town.

Though this resulted in a long-standing resentment between the two towns, it is perhaps also the reason behind this century-old stretch of an old highway to remain so well-reserved.

This three-mile stretch may not remain as crucial as it once was, but it definitely is the longest surviving brick-paved section of America’s first coast-to-coast highway. The Old Lincoln Highway was registered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge, Paxton

Established by Rosser O. Herstedt (aka Ole), the Steakhouse and Lounge is not just a simple steakhouse, although it does serve some mean steaks. It, in fact, is a private collection of taxidermy gathered by Ole during his 30+ years as a Game Hunter.

Purchased in 1933, the Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge got its first taxidermy object in 1938, an elk’s head that Ole had killed during one of his many hunting sprees. He traveled the world in search of bigger, better, and rare games and brought home the heads of his catch as a medal to be showcased at the steakhouse. Among the rare collection are giraffes, elephants, moose, and even a full-size taxidermy polar bear, which is also the bar’s mascot.

Ole retired from hunting in 1988, however, new owners kept adding to the collection. Today, over 200 taxidermy mounts, as well as celebrity photos, are on display at the Steakhouse and Lounge and the watering hole continues to attract local hunters to date.

Hudson-Meng Bison Kill, Harrison

In 1954, Albert Meng, a Nebraskan cattleman, decided to expand a historic spring to provide water for his cattle when he stumbled upon bones – lots and lots of them!

Discovered within the grounds of Oglala National Grasslands, the seriously alarming number of carcasses were later confirmed by researchers and scientists to have belonged to over 600 bison from approximately 10,000 years ago.

Meng consulted with his friend, Bill Hudson, an amateur archaeologist, and after digging for almost three years, Meng and Hudson were accredited with unearthing the largest collection of Alberta Culture bison found anywhere on earth.

Though the area was reportedly a hunting ground from the time when Native American tribes inhabited the land, research showed that the bison found at the Hudson-Meng Bison Kill died of inexplicable natural causes.

From TheCrazyTourist website

Once known as the “Great American Desert,” Nebraska is a state situated on the Great Plains region of the United States of America. It is the only state in the nation to be triply landlocked, meaning that one must travel across three other states to get to the nearest body of water.

The state derives its name from the Omaha words Ní Btháska and Otoe words Ñí Brásge, both meaning “flat water.” The state houses 93 counties, split into two different time zones – the eastern part of Nebraska follows Central Time whereas the western part follows Mountain Time.

Did you know that Nebraska’s Lied Jungle rainforest is the largest indoor rainforest in the world? Did you also know that the ‘911’ emergency call system was first used in the capital of Nebraska – Lincoln?

Indigenous tribes such as Omaha, Otoe, Pawnee, and Missouria occupied the state for several thousand years before settlers from Spain and France sought control over the region. Nebraska, the 37th state of U.S., was admitted to the union in 1867. Nebraska is rich in history, geography, and culture yet it is one of the least visited states. Let us explore some of the hidden gems in Nebraska and see what they offer us.

Source: Sioux Army Depot / Facebook

Sioux Army Depot, Potter
Founded on March 23rd, 1942 as Sioux Ordnance Depot, the Sioux Army Depot was the only Ammunition Depot of the U.S. Army in Nebraska that was in use during World War II, the Korean War, as well as the Vietnam War. Initially managed by the Ordnance Department, the Army Depot was handed over to the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

The Depot was established with an aim to receive, store, and issue all types of weaponries ranging from small arms to 10,000-pound explosives. The Depot was also responsible for providing all types of automobile parts and other critical materials that may be required by the U.S. Army.

Spread across 19,771 acres of land, the Sioux Army Depot comprised 801 ammunition storage igloos, 392, supportive buildings, 225 residential quarters, 22 general warehouses, 203 miles of road, and 51 miles of rail tracks.

Deactivated in June 1967, the “igloos” are now used by farmers as a storage facility and garage to house their supplies and equipment.

Source: Edwin Verin / shutterstock

Carhenge, Alliance
An unusual way to commemorate a loved one, Carhenge in Alliance, Nebraska was created by Jim Reinders, an experimental artist, as a way to honor his beloved father who passed away in 1982.

Greatly inspired by Stonehenge, the iconic monument in Wiltshire, England, Carhenge was established in 1987 with a bunch of 38 automobiles arranged in the exact structure of the original England monument. The vehicles used in the composition include cars, trucks, a 1962 Cadillac (the heel stone), and an ambulance.

All the pieces in this unique formation have been spray painted in the shade of grey and the installation was completed just in time for the Summer Solstice. A visitor center was added in 2006. Carhenge has played a significant part in several movies and television programs. Most recently, it was the site where State Governor Pete Ricketts and 4,000 Nebraskans watched the solar eclipse that occurred on August 21st, 2017.

Source: Harold Warp Pioneer Village/Facebook

Harold Warp’s Pioneer Village, Minden

Spread over 20 acres of land, Pioneer Village is a replica town which was established by a small-time business turned millionaire, Harold Warp, who, through his creation, wanted to portray the typical rags-to-riches American dream.

Warp, a boot-strapping businessman from Minden, Nebraska worked his way through from living in a “soddy” to becoming a millionaire. And, once he acquired all that wealth, instead of investing it in a mansion or a yacht, he decided to dedicate his life’s earning in creating a replica town that celebrated the opportunities that America rewarded him with.

Founded in 1953, the Pioneer Village includes a collection of 28 buildings which include some of the historic buildings from Warp’s hometown, an exact replica of his sod house, a vast collection of automobiles, and unusual artifacts such as Lincoln’s sugar bowl. All the structures in the village are positioned in a chronological order, depicting a gradual process of America’s evolution and achievements.

Source: Peter Forman/Facebook

William Thompson’s Scalped Scalp, Omaha

In August 1867, William Thompson, an English repairman hired by the Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha, was sent to the small town of Lexington to fix an inoperative telegraph wire. Thompson, along with his fellow repairmen, were on their way to the town when a group of 25 Cheyenne tribe members attacked the train.

The rail coach derailed, and all men aboard were killed except for Thompson – he was shot in the shoulder and his scalp was scraped off of his skull. Thompson fainted due to the torture, which must have saved his life since the attackers mistook him as dead and left the scalp next to him.

Upon regaining senses, Thompson went back to Omaha and consulted Dr. Richard Moore on reattaching his scalp. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible, so Thompson put his scalp on display instead and capitalized it. In 1900, Thompson sent the scalp back to Dr. Moore, who in turn donated the weird specimen to the public library.

Today, William Thompson’s scalp rests in a darkroom and is displayed only on special occasions.