Nebraska: Pony Express, Lewis & Clark, Buffalo Bill Ranch

 Day 12: June 4, 2021

We travel to Gothenburg and North Platte

We finally did it. We’d been making do, and with no major discomfort either, but today, with the fan blowing on us, the ceiling vents open, and the windows and screen doors open, we were still HOT. 91F in the inside of the RoadHouse, so we turned on the AC. Relief!

Not too far from our camp on Johnson Lake (Elwood, Nebraska) was the Pony Express Station in Gothenburg. It’s the authentic log structure that was used by the Pony Express back in the day. It only ran for 18 months and then the telegraph took over. Sending a half ounce by PE cost then the equivalent of $150 in today’s dollars! YIKES. (Thank goodness for texting!) The lady inside was so nice and friendly. It was an enjoyable visit.

Then we went to North Platte. My lisinopril needed a refill and I got that taken care of at the Walgreens in North Platte, a relatively big city. I just called them and gave them the number and within a couple of hours, it was taken care of. I continue to be amazed at modern living. 

The Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historic Park Museum was really interesting. This was the beautiful Italianate home/mansion that Buffalo Bill Cody built for himself to retire to. On the first floor the home was faithful to it’s roots, right down to the parlor wallpaper, designed by Cody himself, printed in France. The upstairs had more rooms than I’ve ever seen on a second floor! Several were set up as period bedrooms and the rest were full of memorabilia, as shown below. A bison calf was born three weeks ago, so after we toured the barn, we had to go see it. Cute. Fuzzy. I thought it was really interesting.

Cody was an interesting fellow with quite the resume: Pony Express rider, showman, hunter, trapper, stage-coach driver, Union Army scout. The Historic Park includes his home and outbuildings including the remaining horse barn.

Gothenburg, NE Pony Express station

A reconstruction of what a Pony Express office may have had inside. Many of the riders would drop off their saddles/bags, sleep over the night, and pick up a new saddle/bags and either continue on or go back in the direction they came. Each saddle had three locking pouches on it and one that did not lock in order to have secure transport of documents. The keys for the the locks were only at certain PE stations and the rider did not carry a key with him.

Buffalo Bill Cody’s Italianate Mansion

The ladies’ sitting room where knitting, mending, needlepoint and gossip took place. I was interested to read the placard that said that women had no interest in politics. Same as today, eh? 😂😂😂
Two of the Cody daughters went to Brownell Hall in Omaha, a prestigious school for young ladies. Cultured young women were expected to speak a second language and be able to play an instrument.

This was the bookcase in the ladies’ parlor. Note the book: SHALL WOMEN VOTE?
Hmmm. That verges on politics for sure!

The main parlor. I was impressed with the colored chandelier dangles and the wallpaper on the ceiling. Not to mention the spittoon...🤢

One of the upstairs bedrooms: note the beaded deerskin jackets Buffalo Bill would wear in his Wild West Shows; Also the beautifully carved headboard on the bed. 

Interestingly, these pantry closets in the hallway across from the kitchen each counted as a “room” when figuring taxes for the homeowner. All of the bedrooms in the mansion had closets and each closet counted as a room. The room count and taxes paid were one way to show off the family’s wealth.

A small area perfect for playing games on the second floor. Buffalo Bill would go up the steps to the cupola to look for guests who might be coming to visit his mansion.

This is my room. I like that I have a pot-bellied stove for heat in the brutal winter weather, and a conveniently located chamber pot. And a door that leads out to a second floor outdoor “porch”.

There were a few women who were famous at the time of the Wild West Show: shooting sisters, and a female wrestler! And, of course, Annie Oakley.

A framed poster for the Wild West Show

Is it just me or is human hair jewelry a bit of the macabre?  I don’t get that same feeling when people donate their hair for wigs for cancer patients....

I guess the Riverside Band Boosters got a deal on their uniforms! These were purchased for $100 in 1894 but in today’s dollars, they would be $2981! EACH. Cody had a band that played at his Wild West Show.

View from the barn

Cody called his ranch “Scout’s Rest Ranch”. This is the horse barn.

The saddle room in the horse barn

Beautiful, graphic posters hung in the barn

Horse stalls with tack hung on the opposing wall 

Apparently the Budweiser Clydesdales visited. They ate their straw that was in the bin and then chewed on the bins themselves!!

There were remnants of a couple dozen posters in the barn. They must’ve been beautiful at one time because the bits that are left are really graphic and colorful. Vandals entered on night and destroyed these posters. So sad. 

I was so excited to see the 3 week old bison calf! I dared not get any closer; Mom was right there, giving me The Eye.

 

Mom gives me The Eye

Back at our Nebraska vacation home, it’s siesta time!

I think we might have to walk across the street to see what that brewery is all about. Just saying. It’s a HOT day. Time to cool off....🍻