We found a story the other day, on the green bench outside our door, anonymously drawn by our “Open” sign. It was patiently waiting to be noticed and brought inside, where it sits on a golden oak deacon’s chair, quietly watching me. Our story’s name is written in gold letters on its sleek black surface: Remington Standard, #12. It is black with beautiful ivory keys. Every day since it came, I wonder about the stories written by Remington since her birth in 1922. Wikipedia says she “expired” in 1927, but she doesn’t look expired to me. Remington Standard #12 looks like she’s got memories of news stories and human interest stories and poems and graduation wishes inside her. Letters writte
In 2016, Congress passed legislation, the National Bison Legacy Act, which named the hoofed beast as a “historical symbol of the United States” and established it as the nation’s landmark mammal. The Bison. Not the Buffalo. Sorry Buffalo, you are a different animal that only lives in Asia and Africa. Early American settlers probably called bison “bufello" because French fur trappers called these huge animals boeufs due to their similarity to oxen. Julia Child made a delicious Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew with wine), but despite the fact that bison burgers are delicious, no bison were used in the making of this stew. If you'd like to see a life-size Bison head, the Plainsman Museum has one.
Painting by Aurora native Bill Moderow. As you begin your journey through yesterday, walk through the covered wagon and enter the Plainsman Museum. You'll see a large loom, a log cabin, and the sod house. Now, a sod house was constructed with little cost, and was cool throughout the summer and warm in the winter. Our sod house here in the Plainsman is typical of the sod houses built by the early pioneer in Hamilton County. The walls of the soddie were an average of 10" thick. Styles varied, depending on the climate, resources and skills of the builder. The best time to build was in the fall when the grasses were woody and the sod solid. It usually took at least one week to build one home.
The magnitude of responsibility that we have here at the Plainsman Museum, to preserve the stories of Hamilton County, became very real to us one afternoon several years ago. A woman came to the museum with her granddaughter and in her possession was a beautiful china doll given to her when she was 4 years old. The doll was in perfect condition and you could tell by the way she held it, even then, that it was a most precious belonging. She proceeded to tell the story of the doll and how she wished to donate it to the museum, as she could not possibly choose which granddaughter should inherit her. The granddaughter who had accompanied her explained that the family all agreed with this decis
Coronado Comes to the Plains - 1541 by Ernest Ochsner Francisco Vásquez de Coronado explored the American Southwest and the Great Plains from 1540 to 1542. Coronado's journey gave the European world their first knowledge of these unexplored lands. Coronado and the Spanish were probably the first Europeans in the region. Mallet Brothers Cross Nebraska - 1739 by Sidney King (1906-2004) The Mallet Brothers were French explorers who were some of the first Europeans to see the Great Plains as a fertile area. They were also the first to cross Nebraska from north to south. Lewis and Clark Expedition 1804-1806 by Ernest Ochsner Though the Mallet Brothers were the first to claim this region, Lewis
Museums are the best first date spots ever. Inexpensive, and halls lined with conversation starters. Museums give you a chance to meander without feeling overwhelmed or rushed. It's a perfectly dreamy way to get to know someone. Time travel is cool, right? Take a deep breath, casually suggest to the guy/gal of your dreams that a leisurely stroll through yesterday at The Plainsman on Saturday afternoon might be fun. Then follow this guide to a perfect first date. 10 Steps to a Perfect First Date: Start in the rotunda and talk about your friends as you take in their artwork at the April AHS Art Show in the rotunda. Trade stories about people and places you’ll recognize as you meander (hand
Local military veterans (Heroes) and 11th grade American History students at Aurora High School (Huskies) have been paired together to share and learn about service and sacrifice for our country. The brain child of Aurora teachers Brenda Klawonn and Tim Elge, the object of this project to establish relationships with community members and to record the veterans' stories about their military experiences. Visit the Gallery of Heroes, and read the Field Notes to discover how these stories are captured and shared through interviews and videos, follow the students trip to Washington, D.C., and then attend the free public event to meet the veterans (Heroes) and students (Huskies) right here at the
