News-Press Online - Nebraska City Resident Guide

The Wildwood home was built by Jasper Ware in 1869 as a gift to his wife, Ellen. The 10-room brick home, called a country house in the days of horse and buggy suburban living, was restored in 1969. The home is decorated with beautiful furniture from the Victorian Period, including parlors featuring period furnishings, oriental rugs, velvet and lace. The art gallery is located west of the house.

Location: Wildwood Park

Times: Victorian home and Wildwood “Barn” Gallery open from Arbor Day to Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Saturday. Open Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

Special events: Victorian Christmas in October

• Arbor Day Family Fun Festival

• Special events at AppleJack

Special exhibits: Art gallery features Kimmel prints and showcases regional artwork including paintings, pencil art, weaving, pottery, porcelain, photography and watercolors.

Cost: $3 for adults and $1 for children.

Mayhew Cabin and Historical Village, formerly known as John Brown’s Cave, is operated by a non-profit organization for the preservation of the Underground Railroad and early Nebraska history.

Location: 2012 Fourth Corso

Times: Memorial Day until the onset of winter weather from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m., Sunday.

Special events: Traditional music, drama and storytelling

Special exhibits: 1850’s cabin used by abolitionists to help slaves escape to the North

• Otoe Railroad Station

• One of the first African-American churches in the area

• Main Street Museum

• Old Wyoming Schoolhouse

Admission: $6 for adults, $3 for children.

Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum

A stately 52-room neo-colonial mansion, Arbor Lodge mansion stands majestically as the focus of this state park. Once the home of J. Sterling Morton, founder of Arbor Day, and his family, the mansion started as a four-room structure in 1855 and experienced four major expansions, the last completed in 1902 by Morton’s son, Joy. The mansion features Victorian and Empire-style furniture and many items from the Morton family. In 1923, Joy Morton donated the house and grounds to the state.

Location: Western edge of Nebraska City north of Steinhart Park Road

Times: Mid April through mid October

Costs: State park permit required. Admission for self-guided tours is $3 for adults and $1 for children ages 3 to 12.

Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts

The Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts was created in 2001 and is designed to be a working retreat for visual artists, writers, art scholars, choreographers and collaborative teams from across the nation. Artists can enjoy stays from two to eight weeks, with up to four artists living and working at the center at a time.

The KHN Center houses a Main Gallery along with additional exhibition space. Art classes offered throughout the year are open to the public and target various age groups. Resident artists also periodically offer public talks, performances, exhibitions or presentations.

Times:The KHN Center is open Monday through Thursday during business hours and by appointment. Please call ahead to arrange a tour. The entire facility is handicapped accessible.

Old Freighters Museum

The Old Freighters Museum showcases the history and importance of freighting and immigration trails to the development of the community dating back to 1859 when Russell, Majors and Waddell Freighting Company owned the property. In 2004 new additions to the museum were added.

Location: 407 N. 14th St.

Times: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Phone: Nebraska City Historical Society, Jerry Bell, president, 873-4240. For tours call 873-3000.

Admission: $2 for adults and $1 for children

River Country Nature Center

The River Country Nature Center is expected to open at its new location at South 6th Street in the fall of 2005. The center houses over 400 preserved specimens of native Nebraska birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles in natural habitat exhibits and diorama.

Location: 114 S. Sixth St.

Times: To be announced.

Phone: Nebraska City Tourism - 873-3000.

Admission: $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and $1 for children.

The Kimmel Orchard features a recently renovated apple barn which includes an expanded retail area, a commercial kitchen, and a new, state-of-the-art cider pasteurization system. The retail area features products grown and made in Nebraska.

Location: 5995 G Road

Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Interpretive Trail and Visitor’s Center

Re-live the adventure in the magnificent 12,000 square foot facility located on 80 scenic acres, quickly becoming “the premier Lewis and Clark Center in the country.” Incredible, highly-interactive exhibits test your skill and challenge your senses while providing hands-on activities of observation and discovery. Burrow with the prairie dog and flush their tunnel with barrels of water in the Young Explorers Discovery Wing. Run with the American bison, be surprised by our ferocious grizzly bear, and walk in the footprints of Lewis and Clark and Seaman the dog on our giant floor map. Discover pure, unobstructed views of the Lewis and Clark trail in Nebraska, the Mighty Missouri River.

Hours: Monday-Wednesday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Adults $5, seniors and college students $4, children $3 and children 5 and under are free.

Location: One Valmont Drive, off Highway 2 near the Missouri River.

Phone: 402-874-9900.

Email: discover@mrb-lewisandclarkcenter.org

Website: www.MRB-Lewisandclarkcenter.org

A 260-acre National Historic Landmark owned and operated by The National Arbor Day Foundation, Arbor Day Farm offers numerous visitor experiences. Lied Lodge and Conference Center offers meeting space, a dining room and 144 lodging rooms and is open year round. An apple orchard surrounds the Apple House, Pie Garden and the new Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure including the Lied Pavilion and Greenhouse and Tree House Trail which opened in spring 2003. An expanded Nature Trail and Hall of Heroes tree-packaging center opened in 2005. The adventure provides many educational experiences as well as being fun.

The Farm boasts additional conservation demonstrations – such as a hazelnut research field, windbreak arboretum, fuelwood plantation, and bioengineering demonstrations.

The Arbor Day Festival, celebrated the last weekend in April, and the AppleJack Festival, celebrated the third weekend in September are key events of the Farm. Apple processing can also be viewed in the fall.

The Nelson House is regarded as the finest example of Greek Revival style architecture in Nebraska. It was built in 1857 and authentically restored in 1978. The interior includes three fireplaces, antique furniture, draperies and floor coverings.

Location: 711 Third Corso

Times: For tours call 873-3000.

Phone: Nebraska City Historical Society, Jerry Bell, president, 873-4240.

Civil War Veteran’s Museum

The Grand Army of the Republic Hall, built in 1894, was used for meetings and socializing by Civil War Veterans. Now it is a memorial to those Veterans. Rifles, sabers, GAR memorabilia and many more Civil War artifacts are housed in the museum.

Location: 910 First Corso

Times: Open the last Sunday of each month except December. Also open on Memorial Day, Arbor Day, AppleJack, and other special times and by appointment.

• Original 1894 U.S. flag

• Andersonville drawing — Painted from memory by Thomas O’Dea as it appeared on Aug. 1, 1864, when it contained 35,000 prisoners of war.

Attractions