History lessons available for free
By Nick Hytrek Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, May 18, 2008
A Nebraska Historical Marker reminds travelers of the abandoned town of St. John's, one of the first towns established in Dakota County. The marker stands next to St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Jackson. (Staff photo by Nick Hytrek)
JACKSON, Neb. -- Traffic whizzes by the site where history was made more than 200 years ago.
Just off U.S. Highway 20 a mile west of Jackson is a large, blue, metal plaque pointing out that the Lewis and Clark expedition set up camp near here Aug. 21, 1804.
In Nebraska, the next history lesson might be just around the corner.
The Nebraska State Historical Society has erected 456 markers, and counting, across the state to commemorate historical sites, events, movements or traditions of significance.
Several of those sites, like the Lewis and Clark campsite near Jackson, are a short drive away, allowing history buffs to soak up a significant amount of history on less than a tank of gas.
People are already doing so, said John Lindahl, historical marker coordinator at the historical society in Lincoln.
"I think so. With gas prices up, people are going to take shorter trips if they haven't already," Lindahl said.
What's within quick driving distance?
As expected, there are Lewis and Clark-related sites in Dixon County: a campsite marker stands along Nebraska Highway 12 three miles west of Newcastle. Another marker at Newcastle's Pfister Park takes note of the Ionia Volcano, a bluff near here that Lewis and Clark took special note of.
The area's rich Native American history is also represented.
Among the markers are one in Macy honoring the Omaha Tribe. Another along U.S. Highway 77 just north of Winnebago pays tribute to the Winnebago Scouts, a group of Winnebago Tribe members who enlisted in the Army and helped quell Indian uprisings in 1865 and 1866.
Other markers, such as those found in Wayne and Lyons, feature information about each respective town's founding and history.
Lindahl said the historical marker program is popular. A Web site listing each marker's location and text gets a number of hits each month.
"A great number of people are interested. It's pretty popular," he said. "We have some people that travel and start tracking them down."
The list includes famous Nebraska landmarks such as Chimney Rock, which was the first site to receive a plaque when the program was started in the early 1960s, to lesser-known sites such as a marker for St. John's, an abandoned town that was one of the first to be established in Dakota County. Its marker stands next to St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Jackson.
Some travelers have made a point of visiting each site, Lindahl said. With five or six added each year, there are always more to look for, more to learn.
Nick Hytrek can be reached at 712-293-4226 or nickhytrek@siouxcityjournal.com.
To view a county-by-county listing of all Nebraska Historical Markers, visit the Nebraska State Historical Society Web site at: www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/markers/texts/index.htm.
Just off U.S. Highway 20 a mile west of Jackson is a large, blue, metal plaque pointing out that the Lewis and Clark expedition set up camp near here Aug. 21, 1804.
In Nebraska, the next history lesson might be just around the corner.
The Nebraska State Historical Society has erected 456 markers, and counting, across the state to commemorate historical sites, events, movements or traditions of significance.
Several of those sites, like the Lewis and Clark campsite near Jackson, are a short drive away, allowing history buffs to soak up a significant amount of history on less than a tank of gas.
People are already doing so, said John Lindahl, historical marker coordinator at the historical society in Lincoln.
"I think so. With gas prices up, people are going to take shorter trips if they haven't already," Lindahl said.
What's within quick driving distance?
As expected, there are Lewis and Clark-related sites in Dixon County: a campsite marker stands along Nebraska Highway 12 three miles west of Newcastle. Another marker at Newcastle's Pfister Park takes note of the Ionia Volcano, a bluff near here that Lewis and Clark took special note of.
The area's rich Native American history is also represented.
Among the markers are one in Macy honoring the Omaha Tribe. Another along U.S. Highway 77 just north of Winnebago pays tribute to the Winnebago Scouts, a group of Winnebago Tribe members who enlisted in the Army and helped quell Indian uprisings in 1865 and 1866.
Other markers, such as those found in Wayne and Lyons, feature information about each respective town's founding and history.
Lindahl said the historical marker program is popular. A Web site listing each marker's location and text gets a number of hits each month.
"A great number of people are interested. It's pretty popular," he said. "We have some people that travel and start tracking them down."
The list includes famous Nebraska landmarks such as Chimney Rock, which was the first site to receive a plaque when the program was started in the early 1960s, to lesser-known sites such as a marker for St. John's, an abandoned town that was one of the first to be established in Dakota County. Its marker stands next to St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Jackson.
Some travelers have made a point of visiting each site, Lindahl said. With five or six added each year, there are always more to look for, more to learn.
Nick Hytrek can be reached at 712-293-4226 or nickhytrek@siouxcityjournal.com.
To view a county-by-county listing of all Nebraska Historical Markers, visit the Nebraska State Historical Society Web site at: www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/markers/texts/index.htm.
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