← All Days • Day 10 Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Stuhr Museum & Railroad Town

📍 Grand Island, NE

Getting special permission to leave early — well, early to some — at 0900, we headed for the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Nebraska. Once there, it was more than three hours of absorbing times gone by.

Wings Over the Platte

We started in the Stuhr Building, which has a special gallery on Whooping Cranes. Wings Over the Platte featured photography by Michael Forsberg. He and pilot Chris Boyer followed the migration of these birds, staying in tents along the way, and produced some beautiful images. Below is a crane created from recyclable materials.

Crane sculpture made from recyclable materials
Wings Over the Platte exhibit

Old Creations

Check out these artifacts — and look for the beautiful DIY lightning rod at the bottom.

Historic artifact display at Stuhr Museum
Pioneer tools and implements
Handmade lightning rod
More pioneer artifacts
Museum display cases
Early American household items

I loved this picture — an early mail carrier, loaded down with packages.

Early mail carrier loaded with packages

Native American School Roster

I found this list of Native American children’s names on a school roster.

Native American names on a school enrollment roster

Native flags, schoolroom desks, and portraits:

Native American tribal flags on display
Old schoolroom desks at Stuhr Museum

Portrait of Native Americans

The Historic House

Moving out of the building, we crossed through an arbor and headed for the outdoor structures. This house had a lot of items similar to the Edwards-Franklin House back in Surry County!

Historic house exterior at Stuhr Museum
Interior of the historic house
Period furnishings inside the house
Kitchen area of the historic home
More household items on display

Farm Equipment Building

We walked to the old farm equipment building — anyone with a tractor would be giddy.

Farm equipment building at Stuhr Museum

Found one!

Vintage tractor on display

Looking at the different machines, I found one that I think had female influence — it had a cover to keep the sun out and a generously sized seat with a spring device so you’re not the one absorbing all the bumps.

Sun-shaded tractor seat with spring suspension

Railroad Town

Moving on, we toured Railroad Town — created to mimic the towns that sprang up along railroad stops. Merchants and townspeople lived near the station; the schoolhouse, church, and farms were set further out.

Railroad Town main street at Stuhr Museum
Looking down Railroad Town

The town included tinsmiths, a blacksmith, a planing shop, a flour mill, veterinary hospital, a café, milliner, bank, cobbler, newspaper, and a telephone switchboard:

Tinsmith shop in Railroad Town
Blacksmith's forge
Planing shop
Flour mill in Railroad Town
Milliner's shop
Bank building
Cobbler's shop
Newspaper office
Telephone switchboard

Railroad Town building exterior

Inside a Railroad Town shop
Period goods on display

Another Railroad Town storefront

A community room where, as Keith says, the Native tribes would gather — coming in from individual teepees.

Community gathering room exterior
Inside the community room

Wagon Ruts (Swales)

After the museum, we headed to where wagon ruts could be seen.

Looking across the swales — broad shallow channels left by wagon wheels
Swales in the Nebraska landscape

You may not see individual ruts, but the swales are easy to spot — shallow, broad, gently sloping channels worn smooth by thousands of wagon wheels.

Along the Way

After these stops: a huge plant, and a very long pedestrian bridge spanning Highway 30 and the railroad tracks.

Large industrial plant along the road
Long pedestrian bridge over Highway 30 and the rail lines

And a cute little pumpkin to end the trip.

Tiny pumpkin spotted along the way

“It takes bravery to leave what is known and venture into the unknown, to forge a path where none exists.”

— Unknown