Road trip stop in Gering

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The Legacy of the Plains is one of the places you’ll want to include on your next visit to the panhandle of Nebraska.

David Wolf is the Executive Director of the museum, and we caught up with him recently to talk about it. “The museum was a merger of two previous museums,” Wolf said. “We had the North Platte Valley Museum, which focused on heritage, culture, business, and industry. Then, we had the the Farm and Ranch Museum which focused on the farm and ranch. Now, we cover the whole history, and that means all aspects of the high plains.”

There are many reasons why people enjoy coming to visit. Wolf says one reason could be that the museum is very modern. “This is not a linear museum, this is not something you would have seen 20 years ago,” Wolf said. “Plus, this museum is accessible. Our exhibits are out in the open. We have something for everybody. if you like agriculture, clothing, or old-time houses, there’s a lot here.”

The museum works to combine all of the aspects of the farm and ranch. “We have a herd of longhorns out here,” Wolf said. During the “harvest festival” the third week of September, you’ll see old-time equipment in action. The museum works to highlight local crops grown in the area, like sugar beets. “We have some planters out front where we plant some of the traditional grown crops,” Wolf said. “Sugar beets is one of the most talked about.”

Legacy of the Plains museum also features clothing from different historical eras, along with a very nice collection of quilts. So, take a road trip to the Legacy of the Plains museum. But try coming up through Ogallala, so that you can pass through Ash Hollow State Historical Park, and see Chimney Rock and even Scottsbluff National Monument.

Copyright 2022 KOLN. All rights reserved.