5.28.26--6.01.26 Sidney, Nebraska (Part One)-Cabela's, Stuhr Museum, Hastings Museum

 Hello Everyone! I tried really hard to cut back on the research, but I love doing it. So, look at the pictures, read what interests you, leave me a message if you feel like it. Some of you are showing up as anonymous so please put your name somewhere so I know who you are! 

5.26.26

Travel Day! This day started out a little hectic. The auto-level refused to clear the error! We left Gretna and headed toward Doniphan and Hastings Nebraska. Side note: Nebraska is flat and windy! We got to the campground a couple of hours early and the manager was so nice and allowed us to set up early. We got our good Juju back! The auto-level error cleared, success! We opened up and there were no mishaps! Yay!

We stopped at a wayside and this windmill wing was on display. It was taller than the building. I was surprised how long they are! They are 170-210 feet long!

Cabela's Campground was a very nice surprise! Full hookups, nice shower house and laundry room! Sites are pull though and plenty big including the grill and picnic table. With a Cabela's member discount it was only $32 per night! 

Of course we went in to register our site and do a little shopping! This one still has the Cabela's name on the building even though it was bought out by Bass Pro. This Cabela's Store is the very first one. The world headquarters buildings are here next to the campground and they even have their own water tower, of course in Cabela's green with the logo!

Did you ever see a stuffed elephant?

A view from the second story.

I thought the expression on the moose's face was funny!

The Pony Express National Monument

A tribute to one of the most dangerous and essential occupations in American history - mail delivery in the wild, wild West. The National Pony Express Memorial near Cabela’s includes a bronze statue of horse and rider, and the flags of every state the express rode through.

We decided to take advantage of the afternoon and I drove to Grand Island to the Stuhr Museum! It has more than 100 buildings that are over a century old and spread across 200 acres to show examples of communities along the Platte River Valley through history. We could drive part of it and walk part of it. We should have allowed more time for this one but we moved right along and saw most of it. 

It was a whole village of original buildings from the area that were moved to this huge property. Historical interpreters are dressed in 1890s clothes and perform daily activities like wood working, baking, making horseshoes, tin smiths making tin cups and Christmas decorations, and a milliner making hats. I enjoyed the tin smith because he showed us how to make a tin cup and tin icicle Christmas decorations. We had ice cream cones at the Silver Dollar and bought a root beer and a butterscotch beer for later. The butterscotch beer tasted a lot like vanilla cream soda.

The Museum is on the National Register of Historic Places

Click here for more information. The Stuhr Museum

Al went in this building and loved it!

The town hall

Cast your ballet in the 1896 election!

The school house

What do you think...should Al be the Marshal or the jailbird?

The Silver Dollar where we had ice cream and sodas. Al had chocolate and I had peaches and cream.

Notice the sign on the table of this telephone operator desk. It says Please to not touch. Al couldn't resist.

The kitchen in the doctors house.

A Pawnee Indian earth lodge.

The traditional Pawnee earth lodge served as a permanent home, classroom, and ceremonial space for extended families. Lodges were built facing east so the Morning Star could illuminate the fire. The four main central support posts symbolized the major star gods who held up the sky, while the smoke hole served as a connection to the sky god, Tirawahut. The domes were built by erecting a framework of wooden poles and willow branches, which was then covered with a thick layer of sod for insulation and weatherproofing.

5.27.26

We drove into Hastings to the Hastings Museum. It is three stories high and houses the Kool Aid Museum on the third Floor. The exhibit tells the origin story and many vintage packaging and promotional materials as well as two of the three Kool-Aid Man costumes. There was everything from Pre-historic artifacts to reconstructed buildings and dwellings all the way to the present. A firearms exhibit with rare pistols, military weapons, a Gatling Gun, etc. we were there for hours.

We stopped for a picnic lunch by the Highland Park Arboretum. 

Highland Park Arboretum

Stopped at Walmart for a few things and the prices here are higher than Baraboo for sure!!!

The Martin Brothers Monument

The general Indian uprising of 1864 centering in the Platte Valley caused great loss of life and property among the early settlers. The area of one of the most dramatic events associated with this outbreak is marked with a stone monument three miles south of here. There, on a day in August, 1864, George Martin, an ex-English jockey who had come to Hall County in 1862, and his two young sons, Nat and Robert, were loading hay in a field near their homestead. Suddenly they were attacked by a small band of Sioux Indians. While the father attempted to ward off the attackers from the wagon with his repeating rifle, the boys jumped on their mare and, riding double, started for home. Pursued by the Sioux, the fleeing pony and her riders became targets for numerous arrows, one of which passed through Nat’s body and lodged in Robert’s back. Thus pinned together by a single arrow, the boys tumbled from their horse. The Indians, evidently believing that the boys were nearly dead, rode away without scalping them. Robert never recovered fully from his back injury, and although Nat nearly died of his wounds he lived to tell this story to his grandchildren.

Say Kool Aid!

The Kool Aid Museum used to be housed in the Kool Aid Factory down town but it was moved to this Museum recently.

Kool-Aid In 1927, Edwin Perkins experimented in his mother's kitchen in Hastings, Nebraska, to dehydrate a liquid fruit concentrate called Fruit Smack. By removing the liquid, he eliminated heavy glass shipping costs and the problem of bottles breaking during transit. He created a powdered formula that he called "Kool-Ade". The original six flavors included: Raspberry, Cherry, Strawberry, Grape, Orange, and Lemon-lime. Surviving the Depression and Regulatory Changes. In the early days, the product was sold as "Kool-Ade". However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required the name change to "Kool-Aid". Because the product contained no real fruit juice, the agency ruled that the "-ade" suffix was deceptive. During the Great Depression, Perkins made the strategic decision to cut the price of a packet from 10 cents to 5 cents. This made the mix an affordable treat for struggling families. Because demand skyrocketed, Perkins moved his manufacturing operations to Chicago in 1931 to improve nationwide distribution.

The Rise of the Kool-Aid Man In 1953, Perkins sold the Perkins Products Company to General Foods. Under General Foods, the iconic mascot was born. The smiling, glass pitcher character was created by Marvin Potts in 1954 and was originally known as the "Pitcher Man”. By the 1970s, he evolved into the "Kool-Aid Man," famous for his dramatic entrances where he would burst through walls and fences shouting, "Oh, yeah!".

Kool-Aid Today Since 2012, Kool-Aid has been owned by Kraft Heinz. The brand has expanded significantly from the original paper packets, branching out to include pre-sweetened powders, liquid drops, and gelatin desserts. Hastings, Nebraska, still celebrates the drink’s legacy with its annual Kool-Aid Days Festival, held every summer.

Kool Aid in ice cream might be good! Someone want to try it?

The original Kool Aid Factory and Museum down town.

Click below....

"Oh Yeah!"

Nostalgic Kool Aid Commercials

Funny Kool Aid Commercials

The prehistoric section...

A giant predatory fish that grew up to 18 feet long. It's mouth was wide enough to swallow a 7 foot fish whole.

There were several pre-historic displays of remains that were unearthed in Nebraska.

I liked this little display of unique firearms

There were replicas of a sod house, a town house, and a doctor's home.

Nebraska Trivia!

1.     Omaha Nebraska was the birthplace of exactly one President of the United States. You can visit his commemorative garden and birth site. Name the President.

2.     Do you know which famous sandwich was invented at Omaha’s Blackstone Hotel in 1925?

3.     Which earth friendly holiday has its origin Nebraska City?

4.     Which famous refreshing drink was invented in Nebraska and has an exhibit on it’s history at the Hastings Museum? “Oh. Yeah!”

5.     What frozen treat was first created in Potter, Nebraska?

6.     What retailer specializing in outdoor recreation was founded in Sidney, Nebraska?

7.     Six Historical Trails run through Nebraska: The California Trail, Texas Cattle Trail, Mormon Pioneer Trail, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail. Can you name the other two trails?

8.     What legendary comedian and late-night host is from Norfolk, Nebraska?

9.     What famous actor from The Godfather was born in Omaha?

I split this stop into two posts because we saw so much! Part Two will be coming soon!

Extra Information if interested:

The Birthplace of Kool Aid-Hastings Nebraska

Kool Aid's Reputation Explained

Answers to the quiz:

1.     Gerald Ford

2.     Reuben Sandwich

3.     Arbor Day

4.     Kool Aid

5.     Tin Roof Sundae

6.     Cabela’s

7.     The Oregon Trail & Pony Express National Historic Trail

8.     Johnny Carson

9.     Marlon Brando