Lincoln County Historical Museum, North Platte, Nebraska

During our stay in North Platte, we wanted to visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum, but when they wanted to charge us and extra fee beyond the entrance fee, just to park in their parking lot, we did not stay and instead went to the Lincoln County Historical Museum. This museum highlights the 6 million service men who passed through the Union Pacific Depot aka "Canteen" where they were given food and drink. The book written by Bob Greene Once Upon a Town highlights the North Platte Canteen. Unfortunately, the Union Pacific Railroad tore down the original site of the Canteen, so the information of it is now here at this museum.

The North Platte Canteen was one of the largest volunteer efforts of World War II. It began on December 17, 1941 when the families and friends of the local Nebraska National Guard unit (Company D) came to the North Platte Depot to give them their Christmas presents. As the train pulled into the depot, the families began to crowd up to the train cars in anticipation. The excitement abruptly came to an end as they looked up and down the train for their boys and none were to be found. Company D had really come, but it was from the Kansas National Guard.

Everyone stood in disbelief, but finally, one person stepped forward and gave their presents to the troops. Soon, everyone else followed. The amazement and happiness expressed by the soldiers at receiving these gifts sparked an idea in Rae Wilson’s mind.

Wilson, a local store clerk, wrote into the North Platte Daily Bulletin newspaper the next day to raise support for a canteen that would meet every troop train stopping in North Platte. She figured, if the North Platte Red Cross ladies could run a canteen during World War I, it could be done again. Little did she know how big the effort would become.

The North Platte Canteen met its first troop train on December 25, 1941. Baskets of goodies were prepared across the street from the depot at the Cody Hotel. When it arrived, the troops had to stay on the train for security reasons, so the women handed the cookies, fruit, cigarettes, and magazines up through the windows. Before long, though, security lessened and, simultaneously, the number of troops coming through the city became too great for the facilities at the hotel.

Wilson then contacted William “Bill” Jeffers, who was both a local resident and President of the Union Pacific Railroad. She asked him if the canteen could be run in the vacant lunchroom at the depot. He immediately agreed and preparations were made to move in as soon as possible. The facility would serve as the canteen’s location for the remainder of the war.

Before long, the tremendous effort began to take a toll on Rae Wilson’s health and she had to hand over the operation to Helen Christ. Christ would remain at the helm for the rest of the war.

There is more to the story, which you can finish reading here.

1932 Chevrolet Standard Coupe
sold for $475 in 1932; 25,000 original miles

Rail Tongs

Rail Tongs were used to carry railroad track by hand. As a worker on each handle lifted, the tongs would grab the rail tighter allowing it to be moved into place. Tools like this were used by the earliest Japanese immigrants working on the Union Pacific branch line.

The Alien Land Law ~~ The growing anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States ultimately led many states to enact Alien Land Laws. Nebraska was among those who passed such laws. In 1920, at the Nebraska Constitutional Convention, North Platte delegate Joseph Beeler introduced the first proposal, but local Japanese community leader Hiram Kano's appeal before to the Convention helped end the effort. However, in 1921, again led by another North Platte representative, Edward Davis, and again strongly opposed by the Nebraska Japanese communities, the state legislature passed its own Alien Land Law. This law is still in effect in Nebraska today.

1952 John Deere Tractor

John Deere Tractors were popular with some of the Japanese farmers in Lincoln County. The Kamino family used them to raise potatoes and sugar beets and Roy Yanagida became a John Deere dealer in Broken Bow, Nebraska.

Simplex Super Projector, c. 1928

This is one of the two projectors used in the Fox Theater in North Platte. Two projectors were used because of the lengths of films; one half of each film was loaded on a projector. The trick was to start the second and stop the first without interruption in the film. 

War Souvenir Nazi Flag

This flag was removed from a building in Germany by a local veteran. It was common for soldiers to bring home souvenirs from the war and this flag represented everything the Allies were fighting to defeat. Tearing down one of these symbols raised morale almost as much as defeating a Nazi army.

Why display this flag? This flag was the German National Socialist (Nazi) Flag. It become the main symbol used by those who supported the Nazi Party and all that it stood for. As a history museum, it is important to tell the whole story of World War II, both good and bad. The World War II generation is disappearing, they are the ones who know, first hand, what this flag means. We who are the generations after World War II only know the meaning of this flag second hand. We as Americans, must never forget the past.

World War II Window Banners ~~ Purely a homefront item, these banners were purchased in dime & variety stores by families of servicemen. The stars were blue with one for each person in the military. The stars were not gold unless the soldier was killed in action.

Wartime sacrifices ~~ As the demands of the war grew so did the sacrifices of the American people. Rationing and price controls of basic items were instituted and managed by the Office of Price Administration. Citizens were given ration books that included stamps that allowed you to buy limited amounts of things like sugar, coffee, gasoline, shoes, tires, and more. Even under these limitations, the North Platte Canteen continued to grow.

This table illustrates the Daily contributions of area communities serving the armed forces for four years ~~ Served 3,000 to 5,000 men and women each day:

36 Birthday cakes

70 Fried chickens

60 Dozen hard boiled eggs

1000 Bottles of milk

100 lbs of Ham

80 lbs of Ground beef

2000 Buns

90 Dozen cookies

23 lbs of Butter

6 Sheet cakes

16 lbs of Coffee

2 Crates of oranges

8 Bushels of Apples

Upright Piano

Robert & Marilyn Lynch, originally of North Platte, both worked for the Union Pacific. They retired and moved to Florida. Robert bought the piano for his daughter Robin when canteen items were auctioned at the railroad depot. After joining the Army, Robin moved the piano to Fort Rucker, Alabama, Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Major Robin Lynch and her husband, Paul, returned the piano to North Platte prior to their move to Fort Greeley, Alaska in 1996.

Desk made by WWII German POW Rauscher, 1944

"Stampede" Bronze by Frederick Remington

Leu Family Furniture

This room represents the lifestyle of the Leu family. They were prominent ranchers in Colorado, and later, Lincoln County. They contributed to the cultural life of the area and were always proponents of growth. The couch and chairs were used in their home around 1890. That home is seen in the photograph behind the furniture.

Horse Hair Coat, Mittens & Blanket

In the late 1800s these items were a staple of every family, especially if they lived on a ranch. During the cold winter months travel consisted of riding in a carriage, wagon, or on horse back. To combat the extreme cold, these warm items were made at home, purchased from a local department store, or ordered by catalog.

Longhorn cattle are a large part of lore, drama and romance of the "Wild West." Cattle like these were the first cattle that populated the vast open ranges of the American West and they are a rich and exciting part of our beginnings and Lincoln County.

Longhorns came from Texas, descendants of Spanish cattle brought to the "New World" and virtually running wild over the Texas plains. Rebuilding and expansion after the Civil War created boom markets for beef and Texas had the herds to supply the markets. The Union Pacific Railroad was built through Lincoln County in 1866-67 and hundreds of thousands of longhorn cattle were driven to the rail heads in Nebraska to be shipped to Chicago. The idea of driving Texas longhorns north was first implemented by Joseph G. McCoy in 1866. Eventually thousands of Longhorns followed various trails as far west as Montana and into North Dakota.

Wever Brothers Trick Riding

Francis and Floyd Wever were born in the early 1900s and entered the rodeo scene at early ages. Their mother encouraged the two from the beginning, making their outfits and accompanying them to rodeos in such states as Montana, Colorado, Illinois, and Nevada. They would simply set up camp at the rodeo, living and cooking in a tent. 

From 1934 on, practicing an hour each day, they continued improving their show, teaching themselves new tricks and learning from others. Finally, in 1941, they decided it was time to move on to other things.

Nellie Snyder Yost

We are done with all the exhibits inside the building, and now we hopped into the golf cart supplied by the museum and went outside to look at the rest of the exhibits.

Ericsson House

This two-story, cedar log structure was built in 1868 or 1869 by Mr. E.E. Ericsson. Each log is shaped and interlocked with the next with a minimal use of square nails. Mr. Ericsson was born in Sweden in 1835 and arrived in Nebraska in 1867. While looking for a good homestead location, he cut ties for the railroad. He and his family lived in a dug-out in the bank of the Platte River before building this log house. 

He took advantage of the Homestead Act and filed for the first homestead in Lincoln County in 1869. The first building sat on the grounds of Fort McPherson. Due to personal differences between Ericsson and the commanding officer, the structure was dismantled log-by-log, each log being numbered, and rebuilt on his homestead. 

Reconstruction at the new location was slow because the windows, which were to be shipped from Chicago, were delayed due to the Great Chicago Fire. Travelers along the Oregon Trail would stop to get water at Ericsson's homestead well. Only four families ever lived in this house which has four upstairs bedrooms and two larger rooms downstairs.

Windmill & Cistern

A windmill and cistern were vital to the survival of both humans and livestock, especially during the hot, dry Nebraska summers. The windmill allowed farmers and ranchers to access the Oglala Aquifer and the cistern made it possible to store that water when the wind was not blowing. By attaching a hand pump to the windmill, the cistern could still be filled if there was a long windless period. 

Fort McPherson Cabin

This log cabin was constructed by the United States Army in the 1860s or 1870s at Fort McPherson. Fort McPherson was established in 1863 by a detachment of Company G of the Seventh Iowa Volunteer Cavalry as a base of operations for their patrols along the Oregon Trail. It was placed at the head of Cottonwood Canyon as it was a migratory route for bison and thus provided an advantageous point from which to keep an eye on the local Native American tribes. 

The fort participated in operations during the Plains Indian Wars until hostilities were brought to an end in this area. Most famous among these the Republican River Expedition of 1869. After organizing at Fort McPherson, Bvt. Major General Eugene Carr and the Fifth United States Cavalry set out for the Republican River to locate the Southern Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. They found them camped along the South Platte River in Colorado and attacked them. When the Battle of Summit Springs was over, the power of the Dog Soldiers was broken.

By 1880 this part of the Plains was no longer threatened by Indian raids and the army decommissioned the fort and the garrison was reassigned to fronts further west. Most notable among those stationed at Fort McPherson was the scout William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody.

Dick Neve's Barber Shop

This barber shop was first used for taxes in 1900 (according to Court House records). Most of the items inside belonged to Dick Neve while others belonged to a good friend of his. The building was moved to the museum in 1992. 

Maxwell Jail

This flat iron cage was used by the City of Maxwell, Nebraska as their local jail. Purchased in 1917 for $144.50, it was placed in the fire station. The iron framework inside was for use as a bed with a mattress on it.

D.A.R. Cabin

This cabin was built in 1866 by R.E. Rowland out of native cedar found in the hills south of the Platte River. As a freighter to the town of Cottonwood Springs, near Maxwell, Nebraska, Rowland needed living quarters while staying in the area. Consequently, he erected the cabin in the newly platted town of North Platte. In 1868, he and his new wife became the second couple to be married in Lincoln County. 

By the 1870s, with the transcontinental railroad completed and running, Cottonwood Springs quickly went out of existence and North Platte took its place with the building of the Union Pacific shops in the new town. Freighting to Cottonwood Springs was no longer needed and Rowland faded into history. His cabin, however, did not. It was used as the local museum for the Daughters of the Revolution (D.A.R.) until 1995, when it was moved to this museum to ensure its continued preservation.

Fredricksen House

The Fredricksen House was built in downtown North Platte in 1899. The house cost $2,300 and was paid in six payments (Sears-Roebuck House). Notice the ground shingles on the eves of the house, the gothic gingerbread which adorns the porch and roof, and the second floor bays. Original woodwork, moldings, tongue-and-grooved flooring, and stained glass windows are still intact. Most of the furnishings inside the house are the original furnishings placed there by Fred and Anna when they were first married.

 

District #36 School

The first known teacher was M.G. McNeel during the 1904-05 school year. At that time, students only attended school in three month sessions, later six month sessions were introduced. Not until 1954-55 was school extended to a nine-month schedule. The round oak stove sat at the left front of the room for heat. Corn cobs, cow chips, and chopped wood from locally felled trees were used for heat. 

Trinity Church 1891 - 1917

1923 American LaFrance

This truck was the only chain driven fire truck the city of North Platte owned. This truck has the distinction of being the only red fire truck ever to be used by the North Platte Fire Department. After 28 years of active service, it was retired in 1951 and placed in reserve for volunteer use. Although used a couple of times on construction fires, it was a favorite for grass fires. The steering was so stiff that a driver could leave the seat at low speed and help fight the fire. The truck was last used at a working fire in 1960, but saw many parades in the years that followed.

Fire Truck

This is a 1946 LaFrance fire truck. It was the second one in North Platte.

McCormick-Deering 22-36

Manufactured in 1929, this is a standard tread tractor.

Original Sign that hung over the entrance to North Platte

Capstan

This capstan was used when marshy ground made direct pulling with oxen impossible. A cable was unwound from the spool in the center of the capstan and attached to the ditch plow. Teams of oxen or draft horses were hitched to the wooden arm of the capstan and, pulling on the arm, they walked in circles (stepping over the cable) and wound up the cable. Usually 2 to 3 capstans were used at the same time allowing the plow to be guided along the survey line. The capstan was found on the same farm as the plow. 

Crab

This Crab is a reproduction of the original used with the ditch plow. It was pulled into the ground as a wedge and a cable was run through a pulley at its center and back to the plow. Using block & tackle and the crab as an anchor, the oxen pulled the plow up to the crab, then everything was reset and the pulling began again.

Ditch Plow

This giant plow was used to dig drainage ditches along the Nemaha River in eastern Nebraska, the Platte River here in Lincoln County, the Medicine Creek south of here in Frontier County, near Big Springs, Nebraska, and in Colorado and Wyoming. 48 oxen were hitched to the plow by cable. These oxen were controlled by "bull whackers" who kept the teams moving. The plow was operated by a man standing on the main beam working the depth adjustment screws and guiding the teams to stay on the survey line. 

Caboose

These cabooses were built in Union Pacific shops in Omaha, Nebraska in 1959. This caboose was updated in 1975. It was the heaviest built by the Union Pacific with a light weight of 29 tons. All these cabooses were active until late 1979. 

Brady Island Depot

After the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, settlers began to establish farms and ranches all around the railroad line and they needed access to the railroad to ship their crops and cattle to market and travel to neighboring towns and cities. So in 1885 Union Pacific built this depot at Brady Island to serve the communities needs.

There are few records of the depot's operations and the only agent recorded at the Brady Island Depot was Harry Dart. However, unofficially, that we know of, that a Mr. Frederick "Carl" Farley was agent for Union Pacific at Brady Island from 1938 until he retired at age 65 in 1966. Because Union Pacific was unable to fill the telegrapher position during World War II, Carl worked both jobs as agent and telegrapher during the day, and his wife worked as a night telegrapher from midnight to 8am so Carl could rest.

UP Railroad Steam Locomotive Bell
and welded tool art

Pony Express Station

This log blacksmith shop and its sister station building, which was a two-story log house. In 1931, the log house was dismantled and taken to Gothenburg, Nebraska. When the Lincoln County Historical Museum opened in 1976, the shop was relocated here. The name of the station stop this building was part of remains a mystery. It is possible that it was part of a stop along the Pony Express route called the "Machette" Station. Or as some historians contend "Machette" is simply a corruption of the McDonald Station's name. 

To add to the confusion, it might have been the Dan Trout stage coach station mentioned in contemporary military reports. Unfortunately, Pony Express records do not clear up these questions. Despite the historical confusion, we can be confident of two things, this building was likely built in the 1860s, which coincides with the Pony Express,  and that it was located along the Oregon Trail and was used by the Pony Express or the stage company or both.