Driving east across the state as part of a summer road trip, we visited the unique Carhenge attraction (a replica of Stonehenge in England made from old cars). After exploring the cars from every angle, we also stopped to see the Burlington Steam Engine #719 and the BNSF rail yard. All these attractions are in the town of Alliance, which is where we spent a night.
The next day we drove east to the town of Valentine, which is the headquarters for the Niobrara National Scenic River. After a visit to the visitor center and completing the Junior Ranger program, we drove a few miles out of town to Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. In the refuge, we hiked the short trail to view the 45-foot Fort Falls waterfall and took in the view from several overlooks above the Niobrara River valley. Just a few miles east of the refuge, on the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway, we made a stop to visit Smith Falls State Park. At 70 feet, Smith Falls is the highest waterfall in Nebraska, and we all enjoyed hiking the trail to view these impressive falls.
After spending a night in O'Neill, we next visited Ashfall Fossil Beds, which is still an active fossil research and dig site with prehistoric rhinoceros fossils preserved in the volcanic ash of an ancient watering hole. From Ashfall, we headed north for an enjoyable picnic lunch overlooking Gavins Point Dam and the Missouri National Recreational River. This spot was also a location on the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail and today it overlooks a lake named in their honor.
Heading west a few days later, we stopped in Omaha to tour the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium with family on a day that reached 109°. After the zoo, we had the opportunity to see Union Pacific's brand-new Lincoln Locomotive that was visiting downtown Omaha for the College World Series. In the western suburbs of Omaha there is a 3-mile brick section of the original Lincoln Highway that we drove. Moving west to Columbus, we visited the Andrew Jackson Higgins National Memorial at Pawnee Park. Elizabeth stayed with family for a few weeks while the rest of us continued west, making a final stop at the Potter Sundry for their famous Tin Roof Sundaes.
On a visit to the Nebraska Panhandle, we drove through Oglala National Grassland to Toadstool Geological Park where we hiked the loop trail around the badland formations on a cold and windy day. We also toured the visitor center at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, but the weather was too cold for us to hike any of the trails. After spending a night in Scottsbluff, the next morning we hiked the short Cedar Ridge Trail at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area before driving south across the remainder of the panhandle.
Heading east across the state, we stopped near North Platte for a funeral, then attended a car show in Grand Island. Benjamin and Tiffany spent a night in downtown Omaha where they enjoyed sharing a meal with Tiffany's family at Spaghetti Works in the Old Market and taking an evening walk along the Gene Leahy Mall at the Riverfront.
A few days later we drove west across the state to Sidney where we stopped to see Union Pacific Steam Engine #407 on display in Legion Park. We also enjoyed hiking at Chimney Rock National Historic Site near Bayard and Scotts Bluff National Monument near the towns of Scottsbluff and Gering (where we hiked part of the Oregon Trail Pathway through Mitchell Pass).
We traveled to North Platte for a wedding at Harbor Lights near Lake Maloney. While in town, Benjamin and Elizabeth toured the Golden Spike Tower to see the Union Pacific Railroad operations at Bailey Yard (the world's largest railroad classification yard). They also visited the Railroad Museum at Cody Park to tour Union Pacific Challenger steam engine #3977 (the only Challenger locomotive on public display in the world) and a Centennial locomotive #6922 (the longest and most powerful diesel engine ever built) as well as several railroad cars, a restored depot, and more. They finished their railroad tour by stopping at Memorial Park to see Union Pacific steam engine #480.
After visiting friends in Sidney, we drove the original 1913 Lincoln Highway "stair-step" route between North Platte and Brady. The highway followed the property boundaries, and therefore made many 90-degree turns which appear from the air as a staircase (while also following the routes of the Oregon Trail and Pony Express Trail). We also visited Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell.
Elizabeth then spent a week with grandparents visiting an apple orchard, shopping, and playing on the beach while Benjamin and Tiffany took a vacation to the east coast.
We visited O'Fallon's Bluff along the Oregon National Historic Trail near Sutherland where you can see trail ruts marked by large metal rings that look like wagon wheels. After dropping Elizabeth off to stay with family, Benjamin and Tiffany drove south to Hebron, then drove east on the Heritage Highway Scenic Byway to Fairbury before heading south to the Kansas state line. They returned through Nebraska City and Lincoln before picking up Elizabeth for a road trip west along the original Lincoln Highway.
The Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental road for automobiles in the United States. It was opened in 1913 and traveled over 3,000 miles between New York City and San Francisco.
In Grand Island we stopped at the Seedling Mile Historical Marker to see the only remaining section of a seedling mile that is still intact and has never been paved over or widened. Seedling miles were short sections of highway created in communities across the country strung together to create the highway.
After seeing some original brick sections of the road in Shelton, we then stopped in Kearney to see the Soldier’s Monument. This monument is dedicated to those who served in the Civil War and the Spanish-American War and was originally located right in the middle of the Lincoln Highway around the midpoint of the cross-country road.
In Overton we saw one of the original highway bridges, still painted in the Lincoln Highway signature red, white, and blue. In the city park we saw a preserved mileage marker from the original Lincoln Highway (placed across the entire route of the highway by Boy Scouts), then took the pedestrian bridge across the Union Pacific Railroad mainline to do some train watching (which Elizabeth really enjoyed).
After seeing more of the original brick sections of the highway in Lexington, we then stopped in Cozad to see their restored railroad depot. Cozad is also the location of the 100th Meridian.
Heading west from North Platte we drove the final 6 miles of the Lincoln Highway to be paved, back in 1935. Finally, in Sutherland we stopped to see an old, restored service station, mural, and other Lincoln Highway attractions.
During the week of Independence Day, we drove to Grand Island to celebrate with family. On the way, we stopped at the Front Street Steakhouse in Ogallala. In addition to the restaurant, Front Street is a replica of an old west town. Ogallala calls itself the Cowboy Capital of Nebraska because it was the end of the cattle trail drives from Texas between 1875 and 1885. In Kearney we visited the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument which spans across Interstate 80.
Tiffany returned home for work after the 4th of July party, but Benjamin and Elizabeth remained in Nebraska for a week visiting Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, and several historic sites along the original Lincoln Highway.
During the week of Christmas, we all drove to Nebraska to visit family. On the way, we stopped at the Pony Express station in Gothenburg. This station was a stop along the Pony Express National Historic Trail. We spent most of our time in Grand Island and Omaha, but we also visited the Fort Cody Trading Post in North Platte.
We flew to Nebraska on a cold January weekend and visited family. We also stopped at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.
We drove south through western Nebraska and visited the town of Chadron, the Carhenge monument north of Alliance, and the National Pony Express Monument in Sidney.
We flew to Omaha for a weekend to attend a wedding in Elmwood Park. We also enjoyed a reception at Anthony's Steakhouse and visited family near Fremont.
Benjamin flew to Nebraska for a weekend to visit family. While he was there, the state had a bad ice storm which ended up extending his visit.
Tiffany drove to Nebraska and spent the week before Christmas visiting family.
We drove across Nebraska, stopping in North Platte, Grand Island, and Omaha to visit family for the holiday season. In Grand Island, we toured Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer. We also drove to Scottsbluff to see Chimney Rock National Historic Site and Scotts Bluff National Monument (which are also sites on the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, California National Historic Trail, Oregon National Historic Trail, and Pony Express National Historic Trail). Finally, we visited Agate Fossil Beds National Monument where we hiked the Daemonelix Trail.
We spent a weekend in Nebraska City where we stayed at the Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast, ate at Parker's Smokehouse, picked fruit at the Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard, toured Arbor Lodge, and did some short hiking at the Lewis & Clark Missouri River Visitor Center (which is on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail).
On our way home, we stopped at what was then called Homestead National Monument (now called Homestead National Historical Park) in Beatrice to see the living history demonstrations, attend an old-fashioned spelling bee, and do some short hikes. Finally, we toured the Nebraska Wildlife Safari Park.
Also in September, we attended a University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football game, a baseball game between Cuba and the United States, and Tiffany attended multiple concerts.
We traveled to Lincoln to attend a special performance at the University of Nebraska. We also attended a concert, and Benjamin attended a conference in Omaha.
We drove across Nebraska, stopping in Hastings to attend a wedding. We also attended a concert at Nebraskaland Days in North Platte. Benjamin, along with his mom and sister, took a riverboat cruise with the River City Star on the Missouri River in Omaha. We also had a nice meal at Ole's Big Game Steakhouse in Paxton.
We visited Grand Island and attended the Nebraska State Fair. We also visited Vala’s Pumpkin Patch in Gretna. We also attended multiple concerts and Omaha Nighthawks Football games.
At the beginning of the month, we visited Omaha and toured Lauritzen Gardens, Fontanelle Forest Nature Center, and Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. We also attended one of the final Omaha Royals baseball games and Benjamin attended the air show at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue.
Later in the month we drove to North Platte and toured the Golden Spike Tower at Bailey Yards. Finally, we drove to Sidney at the end of the month to attend a wedding.
We each drove separately through poor winter conditions to Ainsworth to attend a wedding.
Benjamin and his mother drove to Nebraska City and toured the Arbor Lodge and Arbor Day Farms. Benjamin also visited Chadron for a family reunion that included horseback riding and a chuckwagon diner at Fort Robinson State Park as well as hiking in Chadron State Park.
Benjamin and his parents drove through the sandhills in western Nebraska to visit Chimney Rock National Historic Site, Scottsbluff National Monument, Chadron State Park, and Fort Robinson State Park.
Benjamin took a school field trip to the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey, Fort Robinson State Park, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.
Benjamin took a school field trip to Lincoln and toured the Nebraska State Capitol Building, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Sheldon Art Museum, and Memorial Stadium at the University of Nebraska.