Dec 6 From a Fort to Art to Classic Cars

Hello Everyone,

After exploring the Archway at Kearney, Nebraska, classic car fans, art lovers, and those who enjoy history find attractions in this town worthy of attention. The city’s Classic Car Museum has more than 200 vehicles from 1903 through 2002. Each has its own story. To have work displayed at the Museum of Nebraska Art, artists must have connections to the state. Fort Kearney, a replica of a fort in use between 1848 and 1871, served multiple purposes.

FORT KEARNY.

Fort Kearny, a historic outpost between 1848 and 1871, became the Great Platte River Road’s eastern anchor. It was not the first by its name nor did it originally go by that name. The first Fort Kearny was constructed in Nebraska on the bank of the Missouri River, at the mouth of Table Creek, where Nebraska City is now, south of Omaha. It was constructed in 1846 under the orders of Colonel and later General Stephen W. Kearny of the United States Army who later achieved fame in the Mexican-American War. He was the founder of the U.S. Cavalry. Consisting of one two-story, wooden blockhouse, it became obvious that its location was not chosen well since few pioneers passed it. In 1848, the post was abandoned.

In September 1847, Lt. Col. Ludwell E. Powell sent topographical engineer Daniel P. Woodbury to find a more suitable site for a new outpost. Woodbury selected the present location. Woodbury went to Washington, D.C. in December where he requested $15,000 for its construction while advocating the employment of Mormon immigrants for construction. He received neither but obtained permission for soldiers to build the fort.

In the spring of 1848, Woodbury directed 175 soldiers to erect sod buildings around a four-acre parade ground with cottonwood trees planted on the perimeter. No fortified walls existed. He called it Fort Childs after Colonel Thomas Childs, a famous soldier in the Mexican-American War and Woodbury’s father-in-law.

Later in 1848, the army decided to rename it Fort Kearny in honor of Stephen Kearny. The town of Kearney got its name from the fort. The second “e” was added by postmen who frequently misspelled the town’s name. Kearny did not establish the fort nor was he ever stationed there.

The fort served several purposes. Its major one was serving as a supply post rather than a defensive position. Fort Kearny assisted travelers with humanitarian type aid by providing supplies and repairs to equipment and wagons. They allowed emigrants to repair their own wagons and shoe their horses and mules at the fort’s blacksmith’s shop.

Wagon trains moving west to Oregon, California, and Utah passed through frequently. It was usual to have 2,000 emigrants and 10,000 oxen come through in a day during May, the height of the travel season. The fort’s commander was authorized to sell goods from the government warehouses to the pioneers. He could give supplies in exchange for a promissory note - meaning free. Trail travelers came to the Fort to get the latest news and to send and receive letters from back home.

Samuel Woodson, in 1850, acquired the government mail contract between Independence, Missouri and Salt Lake City. In 1858, John M. Hockaday provided weekly mail service. These were the first regular mail services along the trail. The fort later added other roles. It was a Pony Express Station in 1860-1861 and a telegraph station. Buffalo Bill Cody ran the stagecoach from Fort Kearny to Fort Cottonwood and served there as an army scout. Wild Bill Hickok was also here. General Benjamin Bonneville, for whom Bonneville Dam is named, was one of the fort’s commanding officers.

During the summer of 1864, the Native Americans rebelled at the encroachment by white settlers resulting in violent attacks on wagon trains along the Platte and the Little Blue River. Wagons couldn’t proceed until there were 50 wagons or more and soldier guards. Earthwork fortifications, which are still visible, were constructed at the fort as was a small stockade.

The Army ordered the deployment of the First Nebraska Cavalry and the Seventh Iowa Cavalry to Fort Kearny. By 1865, these conflicts had shifted westward away from the fort’s area. The fort was never under attack but did serve as an outfitting depot for several Indian campaigns.

In 1857, wooden buildings replaced the adobe and sod structures. In the 1860's, new buildings were constructed. Many historical events such as the Civil War had an impact on Fort Kearny. One of the last important duties of the fort’s soldiers was protecting Union Pacific workers during the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. It was home of the Pawnee Scouts who assisted the soldiers against other tribes in protecting the railroad’s employees. The Pawnees had good relations with the soldiers and pioneers. By signing a 1848 treaty, they had surrendered the land the fort was on in exchange for $2,000 worth of merchandise and goods and a promise that the Pawnee could continue to hunt in the area as they had in the past.

After the railroad was completed in 1869, the number of wagons through the area markedly decreased. The United State Army issued an order for the fort’s abandonment on May 22, 1871.

Around 1859, a small settlement called Dobytown was established near the fort which attracted the soldiers. Gambling, liquor, and disreputable men and women were the attractions of this rough and tumble frontier town. Among its famous visitors was General William Tecumseh Sherman. The town was a transportation hub from 1860 to 1866 and Kearney County’s first county seat.

In 1875, the fort’s buildings were torn down and materials removed to barracks at North Platte and Sidney. Troops were restationed in Omaha, and the stores relocated to Fort McPherson. In December 1876, the grounds were given to civilians under the Homestead Act.

In 1928, Nebraska citizens formed the Fort Kearny Memorial Association whose purpose was fund raising to purchase 40 acres and restore part of the grounds. In 1959, the state of Nebraska acquired it and now operates it as Fort Kearny State Historical Park. The site is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ongoing archaeological investigations, starting in 1960-1961, uncovered and marked the foundations of all major buildings on the site. This includes headquarters, officers and troops quarters, parade grounds, and the stockade used to corral livestock.

Items were found in holes in the ground where broken glass, bricks, and metal objects were placed. Because of these holes, archaeologists figured out the outlines of the various buildings which are marked by posts today. There are also signs about these buildings. Unfortunately, many are so badly faded that they are unreadable. The park is hoping to correct this situation with new signs. The stockade has been rebuilt as has been the parade grounds.

WHAT YOU SEE TODAY

The place to start is the visitor center with a 20-minute video on the fort’s history. In a large room, you will see dioramas of Fort Kearny in 1849, 1858, and 1870. Fourteen cases relate in detail the fort’s story. These cover such topics as the fort’s role, at war with the Red Man, a soldier’s day and his leisure time. You’ll learn about the officers and first ladies of the fort, Pawnee scouts, and the years of the fort during the Indian Wars. One area consists of photographs of the men who commanded.

You’ll learn that relationships between officers and enlisted men were not encouraged and that they rarely mixed socially. An enlisted man couldn’t speak to an officer without his permission. Dress regulations were imposed to keep the distinctions between ranks via buttons and hat ornaments. These illustrated general service as well as particular branches and units. They are on display in one case.

Cases contain various artifacts discovered at the fort during the archaeological explorations or before that. Mr. and Mrs. George Rafferty Sr.’s farm in 1907 included a sizeable portion of the fort. They and their son George Jr. found many items within the park and donated them to Fort Kearny State Historical Park.

On the grounds is a reconstructed carpenter and blacksmith shop. The park has a working blacksmith. At the shop, visitors find an army wagon built by Studebaker. The reconstructed powder magazine contains crates of period munitions of various types. These range from rifles and muskets to cannon balls for howitzers. Both buildings were restored in 1964. During the summer, living history demonstrations are presented on Memorial Day weekend, July 4 weekend, and Labor Day weekend.

One large memorial on the grounds is in honor of the soldiers and pioneers of Fort Kearny. It was erected by David A. Rhone Post 759, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1932. Another large monument is dedicated “To the memory of our fathers by the Department of Nebraska Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861-1865.”

A signboard displays some of the coats of arms of some of the military units that served at Fort Kearny. It lists the dates and years the units served as well as their officers and men on the rosters. You’ll see two old wagons out in the field. One is a covered wagon.

Gene Hunt, the director, is raising four or five gardens. They will include Arikara watermelon, spotted beans, black beans, and Mandan squash. These are crops the Pawnees, who were primarily agriculturists, would have raised. They now live in Oklahoma. Hunt is reintroducing them to Nebraska.

In 1857 there were 10 cannons. Albert Sidney Johnston was going to send them to Utah to put down the Mormon War. The Mormons wanted to secede from the United States in 1856-1857. The revolt was put down before the cannons arrived in Utah. They were to be held at the nearest fort. Now a 24 pound howitzer marks the location of where the cannons were on the parade grounds.

Located near the Historical Park, visitors find a wealth of recreational opportunities at Fort Kearny State Recreation Area. The SRA has 120 camping sites, 94 with electric. Showers, modern restrooms, and a year-round dump station are available. On its seven lakes, you can find a variety of fish. Boating is limited to non powered craft or electric motors only. Swimming at their beach is seasonal from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There are no lifeguards. The park does have picnic facilities with grills, tables, and shelters. There are two hike and bike trails. It’s an ideal spot for Sandhill Crane viewing during their migration in the spring.

Fort Kearny State Historical Park is located at 1020 V Road in Kearney. Phone number is (308) 865-5305. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily for the grounds. The visitor center is open Memorial Day to Labor Day. A Nebraska state park permit is required. The daily rate is $6 for Nebraska licensed cars and $8 for non Nebraska licensed cars.

MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART (MONA)

What makes the MONA different is that it is the only museum exclusively dedicated to telling Nebraska’s story through art. Only artists who were born. trained, lived or worked in Nebraska, or have created artwork reflecting the state’s culture may have their work displayed. The 6,000 piece collection covers 175 years. Some of the better-known names whose art is exhibited are George Caitlin, Robert Henri, Karl Bodmer, J. Laurie Wallace, Thomas Hart Benton, Aaron Gunn Pyle, Wright Morris, and John James Audubon.

The museum started with fewer than 30 pieces of art in 1976 at Kearney State College and a dream by the Nebraska Art Collection Board of Directors. They wanted to create a collection and a showplace with which to celebrate Nebraska’s artistic heritage. In 1979, the Nebraska legislature passed a bill recognizing the artwork as the state’s official collection. Later that year, the National Endowment of the Arts provided funds to broaden it to more contemporary artists. A home for the collection came in 1986 with the purchase of a building that had served as the Kearney Post Office since 1911. MONA opened to the public in October 1986 and moved to the former post office in 1993. The museum is now administratively affiliated with the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The three-story building itself is historic. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as an example of the Neoclassical style. It is believed to be the oldest of its type in Kearney.

In the lower level, you’ll find a pictorial history of the post office and artwork from the permanent collection in the Hitchcock Education Gallery. Three galleries, at the front of the building, vary in their exhibits with selections from the collection or works on loan.

There are seven temporary galleries - six on the main floor and one on the second floor. Rotating exhibits must also be by living or historic artists who have a connection with Nebraska. These change every three months. Outside is the Cliff Hillegass Sculpture Garden. To learn what shows are on now, go to MONA Collection and Exhibitions page and click on Exhibitions.

The web site for MONA provides excellent information. If you want to know about a particular artist, go to Collections and Exhibitions, click on Collection Artists, and find the name of the artist you are interested in knowing about. Each has a biography.

MONA’s education department does offer hands-on workshops, artist talks, and summer art camps. Adult classes are held periodically, usually in the summer. Its outreach program called ARTreach makes touring exhibitions available to other venues throughout the state. Selections are taken from the permanent collection.

MONA’s address is 2401 Central Avenue. The telephone number is (308) 865-8559. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5:00 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays. There is no admission fee. Donations are gratefully accepted.

CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM

Classic Car Museum has 210+ vehicles on display. It started with the donation of 131 automobiles from Bernie and Janice Taulborg in 2011. They were looking to find a home for their collection representing more than four decades of acquiring and restoring vintage vehicles of wide-ranging styles. They donated six more cars in 2015. Filling out those on display are ones donated by other owners and approximately 60 that are on loan. Exhibits change every three months, which are seven or eight vehicles, in their front section. The other displays are adjusted periodically.

Each of the vehicles has its own story to tell. These are provided on signboards providing the history and features of each car. Among the very rare and historic vehicles is a 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith Limousine originally purchased by the 17th Earl of Derby and the only one to have been produced. This is one of four Rolls Royces displayed. The museum also exhibits three Pace Arrows, two rare Lincolns from the Full Classic era, one of 80 produced 1930 convertibles by LeBaron, and one of only 20 produced 1930 Dual Cowl Phaetons.

The cars are displayed in sections. The Grand Concourse features a mix from the collection. Chicago Row features 1930's cars against a Chicago skyline mural. International Corner has decades of International trucks and tractors. At Gasoline Alley, visitors find cars leading to a 1950's gas station with vintage tools and modern equipment. Visitors also discover several Corvettes, drag race cars, dirt track race cars, and many Muscle Cars.

Against the south wall is the Buick collection while Henry’s Hallway consists of 16 Model T’s, A’s, and other early Fords. There are sections for Cadillacs, Durants, Oaklands, Chryslers, and foreign cars. Up front is the gift shop and a concession stand consisting of vending machines. An authentic movie drive-in is in the center of their facility.

There is a replica of an 1877 Selden on display. Another is a 1903 Inman Runabout. It’s a one of a kind especially built for Bernie Taulbourg. It was named for Danny Inman, Mr. Taulborg’s mechanic. The newest one in the museum is a 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT.

The 1926 Pontiac 2-door sedan is on loan from the General Motors Museum. It could be the fifth Pontiac ever made. With a coach sedan and a coupe, GM brought out Pontiac to fill a price gap between Chevrolet and Oakland brands. The car was first introduced by the Oakland Car Motor Company. When its founder died in 1925, GM assumed complete control. Pontiac became so popular that the Oakland was dropped in 1932.

The 1982 DeLorean DMC, on display, was a British car produced for only one year. The car was popularized in the movie “Back to the Future.” The body was made of stainless steel over its shell and never needed painting, was corrosion proof, and scratch resistant. However, it was difficult to repair when damaged. It was technically advanced, limited in production, and high priced. The company went into receivership by the end of 1982 and was ordered by the British government to close in 1983.

The Hudson Company was formed by a group of businessmen who combined resources. One, Joseph I. Hudson, owned retail stores that now control Targets. On display is a 1934 Hudson Terraplane. It was the company’s smallest and most affordable car and sold in convertible, coach, and sedan models. They were successful with the Terraplane name fitting the public’s interest in aviation. A unique feature was the two sets of braking systems - one hydraulic and one mechanic. Terraplanes were made between 1934 to 1939.

The 1960 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud Two on display is one of four left of this model. It was introduced in 1959 and made until 1966. It offered a new shape with an old engine. Its 6.2 liter engine was used for the next 40 years.

The 1924 Star Model-F Sedan was originally released in black but came in colors with blue being popular. It was Durant’s push to the low market. Mass production started in June 1922 and ran until 1928. Originally the car cost $348. It was $100 more if removable rims and a self starter were added.

Paige Automotive Company started in 1909 and survived until 1928. The museum displays a 1915 Paige Touring sedan. The Paige-Dayton, built between 1922 to 1926, gained fame for the records it set at Daytona Sandbeach Track

The 1956 Ford Crown Victoria display “Before and After” has a fascinating history. Lin Hoskins bought an original of this model at age 16 in 1964, driving it to 1968, before it had mechanical issues and vandals broke out its windows. He wanted to repair it but couldn’t afford to do so. In 1993, after asking the new owner for many years if he wanted to sell, he was allowed to purchase it. He still couldn’t afford to restore it so his wife suggested he obtain a new one of this model in the same turquoise and white colors and present it in a side-by-side display at the museum.

International Corner has a 1907 International Buggy and 1909 International Wagon. The 1909 was the forerunner to International’s successful trucks. There are also International Trucks from each decade for all years ending in “9" between 1909 and 1969. The company was primarily a merger between McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company.

The 1911 Sears Model G Runabout is on loan. Sears offered an automobile for the first time via their catalog in 1908. It was a Sears Motor Buggy. The 1911 was sold on a 10-day trial basis and could be returned during that period. In 1912, purchasers could pick up their car in Chicago or have it delivered by rail to the nearest depot. When it arrived, after it was uncrated, some minor assembly was performed and fuel and oil added. Then it was driven away. Sears stopped this practice and turned much of their machinery over to the Lincoln Car Company.

Electric vehicles aren’t new. The 1920 Ward Electric Delivery Truck was built by the Ward Motor Vehicle Company. By the turn of the century, 40% of American vehicles were powered by steam, 38% by electricity, and 22% by gasoline. This vehicles could go 100 miles between charges. They were popular with women because they didn’t have to crank them. Ward built only commercial trucks and delivery vans from 1917 to 1937. The company remained in the truck body building business until 1965.

1942 Ford Super Deluxe Six Tudor Sedan was a part of a very limited model year. Production was cut short because of World War II when rationing occurred. Purchase of a new car required United States government approval. The picture frame next to this car shows the ration card used to acquire it, the original check used to pay for it, and its original invoice. Ford offered two options - a radio and a heater.

The 1909 Metz Plan Runabout was a two passenger with right hand drive. It was the first kit automobile to come on an installment plan. On the Metz Plan, the purchaser paid $27 each time for one of 14 packages of parts, tools, and supplies. The last package contained the steering wheel with which the car was unusable without. Those who preferred in 1910 could buy either the kit for $378 or the completely factory assembled car for $600. In 1911, only the assembled car was available.

Their 1969 AMX SS (Super Stock) is known as “Pete’s Patriot.” Lou Downing drag raced the car and Kearney High School students, with their nine member Hot Rod Club, kept it in competitive shape.The students raised money for travel expenses and equipment for the car by washing and polishing automobiles, mowing lawns, washing windows, etc. The car was not street legal. It took the Division 5 Crown in 1969 and 1970 for drag racing. It was also the first AMC car to win an NHRA points meet and set a national record of a 10.81 quarter mile at 127 miles per hour.

The 1954 Kaiser Darrin competed with Chevrolet’s Corvette in the sports car market. In its one year of production, 453 were built. It had a fiberglass body and was the first production sports car to use that material in the United States and the world. Its most unusual feature was its sliding doors that disappeared into the front fenders when opened. When GM captured the fiberglass market, Kaiser Motors failed. Only a few Darrins still exist.

In the Henry’s History section, discover a 1914 Model T Speedster Runabout 2-door. It’s little known that Henry Ford used various colors on his cars except black until 1914 when they all became black until 1925. That is because black paint dried the fastest. This model came as a runabout, a touring car, and a town car. By 1914, to make a chassis, the Model T was produced in one hour and 33 minutes down from 12-1/2 hours. Ford started the $5 a day wage that year. It was also the first year for a left side steering wheel.

On display is the 1930 Lincoln LeBaron Convertible Roadster Model L. The Lincoln Car Company was founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland to produce Liberty Aero engines during World War I. He was one of Cadillac’s founders, whom he left during that war to form Lincoln. He chose the name after the president for whom he had voted . He sold out to Henry Ford in 1922. Lincolns had stodgy styling. It was Edsel Ford who refined the cars design establishing it in 1930 as a luxury car. Edsel also selected the Greyhound hood ornament for Lincolns in 1929.

The 1930 Lincoln Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton Convertible had an interesting feature. It had two windshields. Besides the one in the front of the car, another could be raised in front of the back seat. In 1931, Lincoln offered fenders painted to match the body colors for the first time. Both of these 1930's Lincolns are very rare with 25 made of each.

Noted as the most popular used car in history, look for the 1957 Chevrolet 210 Custom Sedan. It came in seven body styles that year. Loaded with options, it could be ordered for under $3,000.

The 1970 Volkswagen Bradley GT automobiles were fiberglass kit cars based on the original VW Beetle chassis. Until 1984, they could be bought in various stages of completion from Bradley Corporation. The Liberace Museum in Las Vegas owns a 1972 GT that Liberace personalized. The GT was made until 1984. It borrowed many components from production automobiles so parts are still in plentiful supply.

The first of the Volkswagen Super Beetles were produced in 1970. Production ceased in 1976 with the hardtop and 1980 with the convertible. On display is a 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle. With its sharply curved windshield, it had to meet United States safety regulations for the distance between the front seat and front windshield.

In the import section, visitors find the 1930 MG-M type Boat tail Roadster which was produced from 1929 to 1932. The MG name came from Morris Garages, a dealer of Morris cars in Oxford, England. Their bodies were fabric covered on a wooden frame. The “M” type was the first MG to use the Midget name which continued to be used on a succession of small sports cars until 1980.

One difficulty exists at this museum. Although signage is at every car, it is impossible to know which are the collection’s highlights unless you corral one of the docents to take you through. This is a problem which the museum’s board is working on now.
Classic Car Collection is on the east side of the Cabela’s building. It is located at 3600 East Highway 30 - Suite B. The telephone number is (308) 234-1964. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $10, seniors (60+) $8, high school/college and military $7, grades K-8 $4, under five years of age free.