Malone Update

The Wilder Homestead in Malone/ Burke had 1500 children come through on school tours in May, June, September, and October. All the school tour income is currently being saved towards building the replica of the one-room school. They are currently just under $20,000 in their fund towards their $50,000 goal, so you can still contribute and get your name on the plaque if you contribute at least $100.

Their biggest change this year was getting a fire retardant new cedar shingle roof on the farmhouse and a hands on exhibit where you could help milk feed a pumpkin, just like Almanzo. If you are on the east coast, they still have one big event, Christmas at the farm will be Dec. 5th this year.

Mayhew Cabin

John Brown Cave Sign

Our class crossed the border into Nebraska to visit Nebraska City, Nebraska. Here we toured John Brown’s Cave, otherwise known as the Mayhew Cabin. This cabin was the home of an abolitionist family. It was opened up as a tourist attraction, with the biggest draw being the cave underneath the opened up to the ravine behind the cabin. However, when the highway cabin through in the 1930s, the cabin was moved. This, of course, cut off access to the tunnel. Not to be detoured, the “preservationist” dug a new tunnel and showed it off to the tourists. A son of the

Recreated Tunnel Exit

family returned to the cabin in the 1890s and when shown the “slave hiding tunnel” told the then current owners that it was only the family’s wine cellar, but they remained unperturbed. Like the devoted promoters of the so-called Quilt Code today, they felt why let the truth get in the way of a good story.

http://www.mayhewcabin.org

Durham Western Heritage Museum

Durham Western Museum

Durham Western Heritage Museum is in the restored Union station in Omaha, Nebraska directly across from Council Bluffs, Iowa. It was unique as a train station because it was opened in 1931 and was done in an art deco style inside and out. The peak years of use were between 1942 and 1945 when 10,000 passengers went through the building a year. By the 1960s, passenger service was down to one train a day. The final passenger train went through on April 30, 1971 and at that point Union Pacific wanted to tear the station down, but a groundswell of local support saved the building and turned it into a museum.

Statue in Main Hall of Durham Western Museum

The main floor is restored as closely as possible to the original design and layout and still be functional as a museum. Of special interest are the cast figures who represent travelers scattered around the main floor AND the working soda fountain. I love cherry phosphates.

Cherry Phosphate at Soda Fountain

The bottom floor had displays on the history of Union Pacific, the history of the Omaha World’s Fair, and other parts of Omaha life. I really think this was about the best museum we went to during my class. I highly recommend it both as a great example of art deco architecture and as a museum.

http://www.durhammuseum.org