Stuhr Museum

We are in Grand Island, Nebraska on a trip to see the Total Solar Eclipse tomorrow.  The location was chosen by the tour organiser because, historically, it has the best record of clear skies at this time of year.  However, at the moment, the forecast suggests that this area will have the worst weather tomorrow of any part of the US under the path of the eclipse,.  We are all praying and doing (anti-)rain dances in the hope of getting clear skies.

Today, the organiser had arranged a tour of the sights of Grand Island.  I could be cruel and say that didn't take long but, actually, it was interesting to see what goes on in this part of the mid-West.  After a quick coach tour into "downtown" Grand Island, it was clear that agriculture is the major activity.  Even the manufacturing industry here is producing large farm machinery.  We were taken to see the relatively new "Raising Nebraska" exhibition, which demonstrated the farming activities in the area - crop growing (wheat, corn, beans, sugar beet) and, further west, beef cattle.  The exhibition showed how the crops could be used to manufacture everyday domestic items in addition to their food benefits.

We then moved on to a lovingly restored art deco cinema and, after an excellent lunch in a restaurant which had opened up especially for our group, we went to the Stuhr Museum.  This ia an excellent, large museum of Nebraskan history.  The part which I particularly enjoyed was a recreation of an 1890's railroad town;  historical buildings had been moved here from their various original sites to create a typical town of the period, including a veterinary surgery, a livery stable, a flour mill, a blacksmith shop, general store etc and several residential houses.

My blip was taken inside one of the houses where a lady dressed in period clothing was passing the time making a kite out of paper, using techniques which might have been typical of that period.

I has proved to be an enjoyable day.

Now we have to be ready for a potentially early start in the morning.  If the weather is doubtful here, there are coaches laid on to take us to other places:  the organisers will be up for much of the night looking at weather models to try and decide the best course of action.

[Back blipped after my return home:  a busy few days didn't allow time to post my blips!]