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| It was a cool, cloudy morning in Atchison, KS |
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| At Amelia Earhart's Birthplace |
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| Statue of Amelia - a tiny lady! |
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| 25 Room Evah Cray House |
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| Golden Spike Tower - North Platte, NE |
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| Jack on the 7th floor observation deck |
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| Diesel Repair facility |
Saturday, June 24, 2017
More pictures
The Golden Spike Tower - North Platte, NE
Our primary reason for being in North Platte was to revisit the Golden Spike Tower at the Bailey Yard of Union Pacific Railroad. This is one of the biggest rail yards for Union Pacific and sports an 8 floor tower - an open observation deck on #7, and an enclosed observation deck with air conditioning and retired railroaders available to answer questions.
The total length of the yard is 8 miles and has 985 switches. The eastbound hump is 34 ft. tall; the west bound hump is 20 feet tall. Three thousand cars are humped every day. Cars advance to the hump and a computer directs the car to the correct track to it's train. The Diesel Shop repairs over 750 locomotives every month. Every 24 hours the Bailey Yard handles 10,000 railroad cars.
We watched from the 7th level and then moved up to the 8th floor and enjoyed talking to the trainmen who were available for questions. We enjoyed it so much that we went home for lunch and returned after lunch for another hour or so. Jack was in his glory!
On to Cheyenne tomorrow.
The total length of the yard is 8 miles and has 985 switches. The eastbound hump is 34 ft. tall; the west bound hump is 20 feet tall. Three thousand cars are humped every day. Cars advance to the hump and a computer directs the car to the correct track to it's train. The Diesel Shop repairs over 750 locomotives every month. Every 24 hours the Bailey Yard handles 10,000 railroad cars.
We watched from the 7th level and then moved up to the 8th floor and enjoyed talking to the trainmen who were available for questions. We enjoyed it so much that we went home for lunch and returned after lunch for another hour or so. Jack was in his glory!
On to Cheyenne tomorrow.
North Platte, NE
It was a relatively short drive to North Platte and we were fortunate enough to get a campsite with shade. Of course we also got the birds and their white splotches. We were glad for the grass and shade. Across the way was an Airstream Bambi and we met the couple who are calling it home as they travel to International Falls, MN for the summer. They have an apartment there and a boat. We visited back and forth and toured each others Airstreams. We were sorry to see them leave the next day.
On Monday we spent 3 hours at the Lincoln County Historical Museum. They also have a Western Heritage Village which was part of the museum. The most enjoyable portion of the museum was the PBS movie on the North Platte WWII canteen. It showed pictures of the canteen and troop trains and also a reunion that took place 60 years later.
"Welcome to North Platte, Nebraska!" Many a soldier hear those words during WWII. Women in the 125 communities worked hard to mae the soldiers feel welcome. Offering home baked goodies and hot coffee, it was the goal of the women to take the soldiers minds off the war - if only just for a little while.
Little did the town know that their hospitality would be talked about for years. The North Platte Canteen story has been written about in magazines, books, movies and plays. One particular story by New York TImes author Bob Greene tells the story at its best: Once Upon a Town - the Miracle of the North Platte Canteen
On Monday we spent 3 hours at the Lincoln County Historical Museum. They also have a Western Heritage Village which was part of the museum. The most enjoyable portion of the museum was the PBS movie on the North Platte WWII canteen. It showed pictures of the canteen and troop trains and also a reunion that took place 60 years later.
"Welcome to North Platte, Nebraska!" Many a soldier hear those words during WWII. Women in the 125 communities worked hard to mae the soldiers feel welcome. Offering home baked goodies and hot coffee, it was the goal of the women to take the soldiers minds off the war - if only just for a little while.
Little did the town know that their hospitality would be talked about for years. The North Platte Canteen story has been written about in magazines, books, movies and plays. One particular story by New York TImes author Bob Greene tells the story at its best: Once Upon a Town - the Miracle of the North Platte Canteen
Kearney, NE
It was a 5 hour drive to Kearney, so I was very glad to see the campground! Our neighbors in the next site were heading to MN to see relatives in Wadena (we also have relatives there!). Met a nice couple from Denver who have a new Airstream and visited with them after supper. They had a lot of questions and wanted to see our trailer, so gave them the tour.
The next morning we had breakfast and then headed to to the Rails and Trails museum in town. WE had a nice tour of the historic village and an informative tour of the engine and caboose on site. Our guide had just graduated from college and has been working at this museum for 3 years. After lunch we went to the Archway a 1500-ton structure that spans I-80 at Kearney. It is the only structure to span an interstate highway. It is an interactive museum paying tribute to the pioneers and entrepeneurs who trekked across this land. It starts with the wagon trains and the trails, talks about the Indians, and the coming of the railroad. From there it talked about the automobile and the camps that arose along the highways. We entered the 50's and drive-in movies, big finned cars, and shiny diners along the highways.
Saturday was chore day: washing clothes, cleaned floors, etc. Found a church in Kearney called Prince of Peace - very modern.
The next morning we had breakfast and then headed to to the Rails and Trails museum in town. WE had a nice tour of the historic village and an informative tour of the engine and caboose on site. Our guide had just graduated from college and has been working at this museum for 3 years. After lunch we went to the Archway a 1500-ton structure that spans I-80 at Kearney. It is the only structure to span an interstate highway. It is an interactive museum paying tribute to the pioneers and entrepeneurs who trekked across this land. It starts with the wagon trains and the trails, talks about the Indians, and the coming of the railroad. From there it talked about the automobile and the camps that arose along the highways. We entered the 50's and drive-in movies, big finned cars, and shiny diners along the highways.
Saturday was chore day: washing clothes, cleaned floors, etc. Found a church in Kearney called Prince of Peace - very modern.
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Atchison, KS
From Kansas City we drove to Atchison, KS to see the only remaining Santa Fe Depot, a part of the famous Achison, Topeka, and SantaFe railroad. The town made good use of the depot! It houses the Chamber of Commerce, Visitor's Center and Museum. It was a treasure trove of information. For instance: Senator Atchison was president of the USA for 24 hours, because Zachary Taylor would not be sworn in on a Sunday! The composer of over 400 songs (i.e. Shake Rattle and Roll) was a hometown boy, and the famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart was born here! Of course there were 22 various examples of rolling stock (train engine/cars) to look at.
We had lunch and then visited the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. Amelia was born in her grandparents house on July 24, 1897. The house has been refurbished by The 100, a group of female fliers. When we finished visiting her birthplace, we were told about a 25-room mansion, the Cray House.
The Evah C.Cray Historical Home Museum and carriage house was built by W.W> Hetherington for his family in 1882. He was the son of the founder of the Exchange National Bank of Atchison. The home has two three-story towers that were inspird by Mrs. Hetherington's love of Scottish Castles.
The Hetheringtons and their descendants lived in the home for 80 years.
In 1978 Cloud Cray, Sr. bought the house for his wife Evah Cray, a preservationist and history enthusiast. From 1978 until her death in 1992, Mrs Cray spent most of her love, passion and time finding and decorating the home with Victorian period furnishings and accessories. Beautiful!
We had lunch and then visited the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. Amelia was born in her grandparents house on July 24, 1897. The house has been refurbished by The 100, a group of female fliers. When we finished visiting her birthplace, we were told about a 25-room mansion, the Cray House.
The Evah C.Cray Historical Home Museum and carriage house was built by W.W> Hetherington for his family in 1882. He was the son of the founder of the Exchange National Bank of Atchison. The home has two three-story towers that were inspird by Mrs. Hetherington's love of Scottish Castles.
The Hetheringtons and their descendants lived in the home for 80 years.
In 1978 Cloud Cray, Sr. bought the house for his wife Evah Cray, a preservationist and history enthusiast. From 1978 until her death in 1992, Mrs Cray spent most of her love, passion and time finding and decorating the home with Victorian period furnishings and accessories. Beautiful!
Pictures - Carthage, MO; Kansas City, MO
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| At Precious Moments Chapel |
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| Make a Joyful Noise |
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| The final mural in the Chapel |
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| At Shoal Creek Living History Center |
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| Shoal Creek Village |
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| Hallmark Christmas Trees |
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| I held an Emmy! |
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| WWI Memorial |
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| Assyrian Sphinx |
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| A portion of the 9000 poppies each representing 1000 deaths |
Kansas City - Part 2
From the Shoal village we went into downtown Kansas City and visited the Hallmark Corporate offices where they have a Welcome Center. We didn't think it would be much, but we were pleasantly surprised. We had a 17 minute video on the founders of Hallmark, followed by displays of the various products, the awards, snipits of Hallmark movies, interview videos with the designers, and of course Maxine! We used a 1935 ribbon machine to make a ribbon in 15 seconds.
The day we were to leave, we extended our stay for 3 hours and went back into Kansas City to see the National WWI Museum at the Liberty Memorial.The memorial has a tower with observation area with outstanding views of Kansas City. There are two Assyrian Sphinxes also on the Memorial. Memory faces east toward the battlefields of France, shielding its eyes from the horrors of war; Future faces west, shielding its eyes from an unknown future.
Inside the Museum there are endless displays of equipment, uniforms, examples of trenches, various videos of the war; of the US as it lead up to joining the war, etc. One really should spend two days going through the museum! I found the most moving exhibit was the glass floor with 9000 poppies, each one representing 1000 combatant deaths, or a total of nine million dead!
The day we were to leave, we extended our stay for 3 hours and went back into Kansas City to see the National WWI Museum at the Liberty Memorial.The memorial has a tower with observation area with outstanding views of Kansas City. There are two Assyrian Sphinxes also on the Memorial. Memory faces east toward the battlefields of France, shielding its eyes from the horrors of war; Future faces west, shielding its eyes from an unknown future.
Inside the Museum there are endless displays of equipment, uniforms, examples of trenches, various videos of the war; of the US as it lead up to joining the war, etc. One really should spend two days going through the museum! I found the most moving exhibit was the glass floor with 9000 poppies, each one representing 1000 combatant deaths, or a total of nine million dead!
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