YCGL - Minnesota - Day 3 - Tuesday, April 19 - Completed - 230 miles

Yesterday, I drove from North Platte to Minden, NE, 122 miles.  The Pioneer Village Campground was interesting.  It looks like it could have come out of the 1960's.  Luckily, I only needed electricity, so hooking up was quick and easy, while water and sewer were not turned on yet.   

But the reason for the stay here is Harold Warp's Pioneer Village.  Years ago, Fred Hawley, of "You Can't Get Lost" fame, put an arm around my shoulder and said, "Thom, you gotta promise that one of these days, you're going to stop at Pioneer Village.  You'd love it."  Imagine.  Fred was right.  I wonder how he would know that.  (Two Peas in a Pod?)

Harold Warp was a Minden farm boy who made good.  He got into plastics in the 1920's when he covered some old chicken coops to keep them warm and dry.  (I'm not sure what he did about the smell.)  He moved to Chicago in 1924 and started a plastics industry and made millions.  In 1951,he learned that the Minden school house and Lutheran church were going to be torn down, and he bought them to preserve them.  In 1953, he started a museum to chart the development of the culture starting in 1830's to the present.  

A Sod House, A Soddie,  You can still see the grass that grew on the layers of the sod.

The museum contains 26 buildings, some original like the church and the land patent office, and others are large warehouses that contain....things!  Lots of things!  The main building has 

"more than 10,000 items in this building showing the development of transportation, lighting, guns money, many other facets of life-arranged in chronological order.  Including the oldest internal combustion engine (1876 Otto) and the oldest jet airplane (1942-P59)"

according to the brochure.  The original handmade Evenrud boat motors built by Evenrud.  

A Ft. Collins Trolley Car(!), 

The fifth gasoline engine made by the Wright brothers and the propeller to go with it.  

Quilts, Knitting, Crocheting, Tatting, Hardanger, Dresses, Suits and other clothing from the 1830s on.  

An early Ford Model N, which was upgraded to become the Model T standing side by side.  

There are over 350 vehicles and airplanes through out the museum, I certainly didn't see them all.  

And this is just the first building!!!

The church is like the centerpiece of the Village.  His relatives helped start the congregation.

The altar is classic midwestern.  I'm sure it is identical to the church moved to Crookston, MN where Jack Lien had one of his last services for our Hallinglag.  I think it is also like Little Norway in Fertile.  It is certainly familiar.  

Needless to say, this is impressive if you are interested in history and technology.  And maybe I should say archeology, because I don't think much has been added since the 1970s or 80s.  By which time, I was in college, so I remember these things and have "seen the future" which is now.  It may not mean as much to someone in their teens or twenties, because there is going to be a large time gap that I don't think many kids would appreciate.  (Of course, if its older that two years ago, it doesn't mean much to many people, not just youth.)  

And I finally had to leave at 1:00 so I could drive to Avoca, IA and camp at the Pottawattamie County Fairground Campground.

On the other hand, my great-nephew Tyler just sent me a text today with a piece that he had just printed on the 3D printer that he has assembled.  

I wonder what His Pioneer Village will look like!