JUNE 2, 2004.  We went by O'Fallons Bluff, located off a Nebraska Rest Stop, to view a state park dedicated to the Oregon Trail. You can see ruts of the trail along a walking path behind the rest stop. Next we stopped in North Platte, Nebraska and visited the North Platte Canteen museum, which is located in the Lincoln Park Museum, also a great place to view historic items. After this, we stopped to view another Pony Express museum in Nebraska.  CONTACT ME.


O'Fallons Bluff Oregon Trail hitoric site located off a Nebraska Rest stop in western Nebraska about 20 minutes west of North Platte off Interstate 80. You can see Oregon Trail ruts after walking out to the site on a walking path. This photo shows the wagon rims they put on the trail's path.
   "O"Fallon's Bluff was a landmark to mountain men and pioneers alike. The bluff came so close to the Platte River that emigrant wagons were forced to travel single-file over the route. From here, the emigrants continued along the south side of the Platte to the Lower California Crossing near present-day Brule, Nebraska." (From Traveling the Oregon Trail, Second Edition, by Julie Fanselow)






Interstate 80 can be seen in the background. How times change!


These flowers were located at the Lincoln County Museum in North Platte, Nebraska.


Some intricate needlepoint work inside the Lincoln County Museum.


Sarah at an old sewing machine inside the museum.


Inside the Lincon County Museum in North Platte was a separate museum devoted to the famous North Platte Canteen. This World War II canteen was located inside the North Platte Union Pacific Railroad depot, which was demolished in 1973. The canteen served millions of soldiers free meals when trains stopped there during the early and mid 1940s.


Photo of the demolition of the North Platte depot in 1973. Neither the UP Railroad nor the city of North Platte could come to terms on preserving the station. What a waste and what a crime! That would have been a huge tourist draw today.


Photo of a serving line in 1944.


This is how the North Platte Depot looked while in service.


Left is a sample of food brought to the North Platte Canteen by people from surrounding towns every day to help feed the soldiers. They said they never ran out of food. To the right, not related to the Canteen, is a prehistoric hairball found near North Platte.


Next we visited Gothenberg, Nebraska, home of another Pony Express museum.


Original Pony Express marker in Gothenberg, Nebraska.


Explanation of the station's site and history.


Ad for Pony Express riders.


The relocated station itself.




History of Pony Express as viewed on markers at the Gothenberg site.

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