Pioneer Village in Minden Nebraska

salmonslayer · #1 09/14/11, 06:19 PM

I bought an old book at a second hand store from 1953 that detailed the then newly opened "Harold Warp Pioneer Village" in Minden Nebraska and it looks so interesting. I Googled it not expecting it to still be in existence since I had never heard of it before and its still going strong.

Has anyone ever been? We want to make a pilgrimage to the Pioneer Village and maybe take in the Minden Opera House. Neither the Mrs or I have evr heard of Minden or these facilities but it just looks fantastic on the web.

ErinP · #2 09/14/11, 06:45 PM

Pioneer Village is indeed worth the trip.
However, I actually prefer the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island for the living history aspect.

salmonslayer · #3 09/14/11, 06:58 PM

Thanks Erin, I just looked that up and it looks like it would have to be added to the itinerary. To be honest I never thought of Nebraska as all that interesting (drove across it many times on the freeway) but its looking like we are going on a road trip!

ErinP · #4 09/14/11, 07:17 PM

The interstate is probably the dullest part of the state, actually. It's flat and empty. (There's a reason they put an interstate there afterall. lol)

NeHomesteader · #5 09/14/11, 08:23 PM

I agree, the interstate is the dullest part of the state. I love Fort Robinson by Crawford. It is a beautiful part of the state. If you are through our area,north central,please let me know and we'd love to have you stop. Dawn

rancher1913 · #6 09/14/11, 09:05 PM

the pioneer village is cool and they have a lot of "stuff" not just pioneer stuff. its worth a look but about a day is all it takes and minden does not have a lot to offer otherwise. I was just there this summer and was sorely disappointed in the up keep of the place, lots of leaks in roofs and even holes you could see daylight through. lots of stairs with no elevators and lots of plain walking so make sure your in shape.

FarmboyBill · #7 09/14/11, 09:57 PM

I was there in the EARLY 70s, and it took a darn GOOD LONG day to see it all. Surely its got bigger since then. The barn, when the Warps grandad and dad built it, the loft has the logs for the floor turned with the round side up as dad said when they were finished, he wanted to hold a dance in the loft. Grandad didnt hold with dances. Harold Warp made plastics. His big boat was appropriated during WW 2.

springvalley · #8 09/14/11, 10:00 PM

Yes we have been there, by accident really, just saw it advertised on Rt80. Holy Cow is all I can say, alot of stuff, you name it, it is there. Buggies, old cars, airplanes, tractors and implements. In one of the buildings they have a room set up in about five time periods in history on how the house would have looked(cool). They also have a village of buildings that have been moved there from around the area. And all the buildings are furnished to that time period, this man bought alot of stuff to make sure it didn`t leave the area. When we were there, the place was in good shape, I can`t even figure out how they could keep the place up with as much work there is to do there. I have never seen so much stuff in my whole life, it was wonderful. They do also have people doing things there at certain times. WORTH the trip for sure and easy to get to. > Thanks Marc

salmonslayer · #9 09/14/11, 10:34 PM

I just cant figure out why I had never heard of it before. I have a fascination with old things and love these kind of places. I used to go to Dearborn village every year when I was a kid and never tired of it.

This book I got is paperback but chock full of pictures of the various pieces with the history of the inventors and also a lot of information about the Warps who seemed to be involved in everything.

We are going to Steam o Rama here in Missouri (Republic) on Friday and I am like a kid awaiting Christmas. Thanks for all the replies, I think we will do some research on things Nebraska and plan our trip for spring, it would be cool to meet some folks in the area too.

ne prairiemama · #10 09/14/11, 10:55 PM

We are very near MO./Ks went to pioneer village last spring. Always used to go there as a kid! It's AWESOME if you love old stuff!! I have pictures from when we were there if I can get them to upload or if you give me your email through pm I can send some to you to give you an idea what it's like. We'd love it if you stopped by to see us too! We could wrangle up some food I'm sure!

MO_cows · #11 09/14/11, 11:14 PM

Passed thru there but didn't have time to stop and look. Sounds like it would have been good. We did stop and look around at Carhenge, though.

bruce2288 · #12 09/14/11, 11:24 PM

If you are planning a trip to Ne. I also recommend fort Robinson State park. The calvary post for the US Army. Trained mules for world war II. Crazy Horse was killed their in a Hincky; situation. A lot the building are there. Lodge, cabins restu;rant.Chimney Rock is cool.The sandhills of Nebraska is quite a unique ecosystem, one of the largest areas of stabilized dunes in the world.

ne prairiemama · #13 09/14/11, 11:29 PM

Sent you a pm full of info lol.

Bruce are you in Nebraska?

DW · #14 09/14/11, 11:32 PM

Yes, it was fun. My son loved the museum across I80 at Kearney which is really close to Pioneer Village. I 2nd Ft Robinson but my fav is Ft Laramie, WY. I think Scotts Bluff is very nice, too.

Ceilismom · #15 09/15/11, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rancher1913

the pioneer village is cool and they have a lot of "stuff" not just pioneer stuff. its worth a look but about a day is all it takes and minden does not have a lot to offer otherwise. I was just there this summer and was sorely disappointed in the up keep of the place, lots of leaks in roofs and even holes you could see daylight through. lots of stairs with no elevators and lots of plain walking so make sure your in shape.

I remember taking a field trip to Pioneer Village when I was a kid. DH and I took our girls there last summer. The 25+ years between visits have not been kind. I too was disappointed in the upkeep. I remember the smell of old oil in the automotive buildings (you can see where it has leaked out of the cars and onto the floor), the mustiness in the other buildings, the carousel that I remember riding on as a kid looked like it was about to fall apart, and there was just a general air of neglect about the place. The place is fascinating, and definitely worth visiting, but it's kind of sad. I don't think anything has been added or updated since the early 1980's.

MOgal · #16 09/15/11, 07:37 AM

Agree with Erin about both sites. Also liked Ft. Laramie in WY.

I'd like to add the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron NE to the list. http://www.furtrade.org/ It's well up into the northwest corner of the state and to reach it from I-80, you pass through some barren, empty areas. Very thought provoking to consider how the modern folk make it out there much less the early settlers. We stopped to stretch our legs at a wide spot in the road--literally, no buildings in sight. I started taking pictures of one single bovine in a ravine then bracketed the picture out to show distance from the beast. At the point where you could see the horizon, I stopped shooting. I called it a bovine because from that distance, I couldn't tell gender even with the telephoto lens. Lovely big open spaces. When I looked at the map and compared populations, some of the counties had fewer than 100 people.

FarmboyBill · #17 09/15/11, 08:00 AM

parariemama, where u at in Neb. I was born raised in Doniphan Co Kans 15 miles SW of St Joe

salmonslayer · #18 09/15/11, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ne prairiemama

Sent you a pm full of info lol.

Bruce are you in Nebraska?

Thanks for the pics and info, they were great.

We are now planning our trip for spring and our itinerary is expanding. Ft Robinson sounds like a must as well and though I remember visiting the Sandhills years ago when I was a kid living in Michigan, I am enjoying going back to some of the places now that I can appreciate them.

I lived with my Grandfather in Battle Creek Michigan and he was a life long student and enthusiast in all things Americana (he was an immigrant who came through Ellis Island) and he would take me to places like the Sandhills, we visited Little Big Horn one year, we went to Dearborn Village, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago etc and I have never ceased my love of those kind of places. The Mrs and I have enjoyed following RT 66 since we moved here and we have found all kinds of obscure out of the way Americana.

Freya · #19 09/15/11, 04:12 PM

Wow that looks soooo cool!!!! It's on my "to see" list next time I am out that way!!!

http://www.pioneervillage.org/ For anyone who needs it.

ErinP · #20 09/15/11, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOgal

Agree with Erin about both sites. Also liked Ft. Laramie in WY.

I'd like to add the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron NE to the list. http://www.furtrade.org/

Wow! The Ft Rob recommendations don't surprise me. Its fairly well known, but I'm surprised to see a recommendation for the Museum of the Fur Trade! (Though it is definitely worth a visit, too!)

I was a Fur Trade Queen runner up in 1995, btw. It paid my junior year of college.