Nebraska through the back door

(Note: It was a sad day recently at the Rotary Club meeting when we got the news that Duane and Diana Tappe would soon be leaving McCook for the eastern part of the state---to be closer to kids and grandkids. While we understand why they are leaving, we are truly sorry to see them go. For these years that they have been in McCook, they have made our town a better place to live. Not only have they been extremely busy helping in a wide variety of charitable causes, they have brought a fresh outlook to us in a variety of ways. For instance, when the BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) rides were being touted for physically active folks, Duane came up with the idea of CRAN (Car Ride Across Nebraska) for those of us who were "exercise challenged", and for a number of years led a caravan of people from across the state on varied trips to out of the way attractions in Nebraska. These rides proved to be very popular, and regular participants got to see a good bit of Nebraska, mostly unseen by tourists, over the years. This is the story of one such CRAN journey.)

Our family moved from Plainview, Neb., to McCook in 1957, In the years since we have made the trip across Nebraska, from McCook to Plainview, or Wisner, my wife, Jean's family home, in the Northeast, many times. We have watched over the years as paved roads replaced the gravel, and Interstate 80 changed both the driving habits of travelers and the makeup of communities along that Interstate route. When possible, we have attempted to take the less traveled routes across the Sandhills, through the interesting small towns, but often time constraints have forced us to take the shortest and fastest routes, which means using the Interstate.

For the most part, the trip across the state is better than it was 59 years ago. The roads are wider and better marked. There are no longer those sloping sides at the edge of the road, which made it feel as if you were driving in a ditch. And the white lines at the side of the road make it much easier to drive at night. I-80 is surely among the best of the Interstates, with its series of lakes, the Platte River, and the abundance of cranes and other birds in season. Fine rest stops at frequent intervals are welcome additions. But the heavy traffic of cars and large trucks on I-80 has made Interstate driving increasingly hectic.

Thus, when Duane Tappe approached me over coffee one day, and suggested that we join the third annual Car Ride Across Nebraska (CRAN) he found a sympathetic listener. For those not familiar with CRAN, let me explain. For many years strong and active bicycle riders, young and old, have participated in a Bike Ride Across Nebraska (BRAN). This is a test of strength and endurance and the riders are certainly to be commended on their ability to perform such a feat.

But three years ago Duane Tappe and Don Hall, of Trenton, decided that there should be an event in which Exercise Challenged individuals, over 50, could see the state without physical exertion. They invited people from across the state to join them for a four or five day motor excursion, in which individuals would drive their own vehicles, along the back roads of Nebraska, enjoy a bit of camaraderie with other Nebraskans and see points of interest along the way.

The CRAN event began modestly, but proved popular. In planning the first CRAN the organizers found that there was much to see and tried to cover too much in one trip. For the 400 mile trip from Scottsbluff to South Sioux City the drivers actually traveled over 1400 miles, criss crossing the route many times in order to see as much as possible. The result was that the caravan was constantly behind schedule. Time spent at an attraction was cut short and the drivers were forced to travel at high speeds, as much as 80 or 90 miles per hour in order to try to keep the semblance of a schedule. One of the original participants referred to the first trip as "Car Race Across Nebraska". Nevertheless, everyone appreciated seeing the state through the "back door" and most of the original drivers were in attendance for the second and third years. The event has been refined each year, and this year the consensus was that the event was the best ever, with interesting stops and a practical, even leisurely schedule, which went off without a hitch.

This year's CRAN began at North Platte and ended in Fremont. Though the tour did include major tourist stops, including Buffalo Bill's Scout Rest Ranch and The Arch, for the most part it tried to feature some of the lesser-known attractions. These included::

1. A fine Frontier Musical Review (written by a doctor from Sidney) at The Fox Theater in North Platte. This theater is of the same vintage and is very much like the Fox Theater in McCook. The North Platte Theater group has adopted this theater as its own and has refurbished it to its original, beautiful 1940s glory.

2. When we visited the Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, we nearly caused the curator to have a heart attack. He watched our procession of some 30 cars wind through the gate; then he and his secretary frantically searched their records to find the "burial that they had overlooked."

The Cemetery has recently undergone a facelift, under the supervision of Architect Randy Stramel, formerly of McCook. Some of the original fort buildings have been preserved, new rest rooms have been added, and a new open-air chapel added for burial services -- all with shiny copper roofs. The Cemetery is beautifully maintained, the white headstones impressively aligned like a military dress parade on a manicured sea of green. A convenient directory of the names of the dead, with the location, makes it easy to find a loved one's grave. Many in our group looked up the grave of a friend or family member and shared a quiet moment in reflection.

3. The Military Museum, just off the Lexington I-80 turnoff has expanded rapidly since we first noticed a tank or two on the grounds a few years ago. We were shocked to find the large number of vehicles inside. The museum is staffed entirely by friendly volunteers. One of the volunteers is Dale Nielsen, a retired Air Force man, formerly of McCook. There are hundreds of vehicles, mostly World War II models, inside -- 90 percent of which are in running order. Volunteers have restored these vehicles. When asked about the restorations, one of the volunteers explained, "This is what we do. We don't play golf, or take vacations. Most of the work has been done in our own shops, using our own money. Sometimes our wives feel we spend a little too much time with these vehicles."

4. At the Pony Express Station in Gothenberg we learned of a fascinating time in our history. A small army of young men carried mail, in relays, by horseback from St. Jo to Sacramento. Though the experiment lasted only 18 months, it provided yet another trail through Nebraska---along with the Oregon and Mormon Trails. That mail, at $5 per ½ ounce, made that mail more precious than gold. The news of Lincoln's Inaugural Address, in 1860, was carried in the record of time of 7 days, 17 hours. The project never was profitable. The founders lost $100,000 on the operation, which ceased abruptly when the Creighton Bros., out of Omaha, completed their Overland Telegraph.

5. The Phelps County Museum, just north of Holdrege, is a marvelous facility, which is growing by leaps and bounds, thanks to a dedicated cadre of volunteers and a bevy of generous donors. The museum's library is a treasure trove of historical facts and pictures, about the area's citizens, gleaned from area newspapers and personal accounts. The interpretation of the Prisoner of War Camp at Atlanta is impressive, with a full sized replica of one of the guard towers, standing vigil along the road.

6. At Minden we were privileged to attend a sumptuous meal and a melodrama in the recently refurbished Minden Opera House. More than 400 contributors and scores of volunteers have brought this magnificent old hall, built in 1891, back to life.

The building houses an art gallery, gift shop, meeting rooms and the beautiful Ruth Armstrong Theater, with its outstanding ceiling mural, depicting scenes and sky of Kearney County. The night we were there was especially memorable, because some 25 members of the Alliance Car Club were also there, in 1920s costume, their beautifully restored Model T's, Whippets, and Brush automobiles parked out front.

7. A restoration project of a different type is taking place at Worms, the home of the Bosselman Bros. There are two public buildings in town, an impressive, beautiful, large (500 member), active Lutheran Church, and the aptly named Nightcrawler (Worms) Bar. We toured the church to view extensive remodeling of the apse. Then we ate at the bar, an institution dedicated to fun and food. The owners are determined to preserve this 100 year old building and its history -- complete with its severely sloping floor.

8. From 1984 through 1934 there was a School at Genoa for some 400 Indian boys and girls, from age 4 to 20, from reservations across the country. It was military school, modeled after West Point. The discipline was strict, and half the day was devoted to learning a trade. Only English was to be used and the use of a native language was a punishable offense. Nevertheless, it was possible for a child to receive a good education. One of the graduates became a space scientist who worked on the NASA projects.

There is some limited grant money available for the former Indian School, and the city of Genoa is involved in the restoration of one of the buildings (one out of some 40 original buildings), but most of the work has fallen on a crew of talented volunteers. The finished project will display the music room, the tailoring center, and an attractive display of pictures of the students and their life at the school.

9. Our trip ended with a 5-course meal aboard the dinner train, which makes a leisurely daily trip between Fremont and Hooper. The meal was excellent, our view of the countryside was outstanding, and the ride proved to be an opportunity to get better acquainted with our fellow travelers. For my wife, Jean, the train trip was a trip back in time. This is the very train, on which she traveled from Wisner to Lincoln, during her days at the University (sadly, she recalls that her train had no dining car).

Our state is remarkable. Our roads are good, the fields are green and beautiful. Each town, large or small, has something worth seeing, something which the citizens are eager to share with visitors. And we learned that Nebraska has a wealth of dedicated volunteers who take pride in their hometown. They work on their town's projects -- a Museum, a Community Playhouse, an Opera House, or vintage Dinner Train. Duane Tappe and Don Hall fall into this group of selfless volunteers. They cared enough to introduce us to a side of Nebraska we have not known before.

Thanks fellows!

Good luck Duane and Diana! Thanks for these years you have spent with us in McCook.

-- From the Gazette Archives