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We toured the Genoa Indian Industrial School, which was modeled after the Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School that we recently visited in central Pennsylvania. We appreciated the private tour we got from the well-informed high school girl who staffed the site that day; the kids are alright.

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We visited a petrified wood art museum in Ogallala, Nebraska. It’s crazy that these framed art pieces and music boxes are made completely from petrified wood! The museum also had a bunch of cool rocks and arrowhead displays.

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Trapped inside. (Exeter, NE)

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There’s a bar & live music venue in Ogallala, Nebraska called Driftwood, and they have this cool large guitar made from driftwood over their door. We didn’t have time to stop in, sadly, but I bet it’s a fun place.

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Business really picked up after they tweaked the name from Dickie Diddles.

A convenience store named "Dickie Doodles" and laundromat is situated in a parking lot with several cars parked in front.
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Fred’s Flying Circus

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Scott, Lookout! Tower…is missing its platform. This fire lookout tower burned recently. 🏷️25.08A

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On trail(s). 🏷️25.08A

Two directional signs indicate the distances to historical trail destinations, including Independence, Sacramento, and Oregon City, with labels for the California and Oregon Trails.
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Have you really truly been to Nebraska if you haven’t toured a sod house? This one was at the Sand Hills Journey Scenic Byway Visitor Center near Broken Bow. They also had a barbed wire collection, which must be mandated by state law for Nebraska museums. 🏷️25.08A

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My Nebraska County map is looking pretty good after day 2! I surpassed the 50% completion mark, which was my primary questing goal for the trip. We’ll grab a few more tomorrow on our way to the Grand Island airport to fly home. 🏷️25.08A

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North Platte is very proud of its connection to Buffalo Bill, so we stopped by his Scouts Rest Ranch, which is now a state historical park. 🏷️25.08A

A large, historic Victorian-style house with intricate detailing is surrounded by a white picket fence and lush greenery.A historical marker in Nebraska details the significance of Scout's Rest, set against a background of trees and a red building labeled "Scout's Rest Ranch."A red barn with the words "Scouts Rest Ranch" on the roof is situated behind a red footbridge with the same inscription, surrounded by trees and a grassy area.

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Jen and I realized tonight that we’ve been to all 50 states together on trips, a fact that hadn’t occurred to us before. That’s not too shabby for ten years of travel, especially given our overseas adventures. Apparently we’ve been to 37.5% of all US Counties together during trips as well.

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Oregon Trail marker in front of a cornfield. Approaching peak Nebraska. 🏷️25.08A

A stone monument stands in front of a cornfield at sunset.
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We stopped in Arthur today to see its 3 claims to fame: what was the smallest county courthouse in America (while operational), the only straw-bale church in the country, and…uhh…one of the last remaining metal playgrounds that were seemingly banned everywhere else in the country. 🏷️25.08A

A small, white, historical building labeled "Arthur County Court House" sits surrounded by grass and trees.A historical white building with a sign detailing its construction and significance stands under a blue sky with scattered clouds.A playground features multiple slides and climbing structures on a gravel surface, surrounded by trees and open grassy areas.

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We caught the last bit of sunset over the Platte River tonight. 🏷️25.08A

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It’s not the Fourd Seasons, but we did manage to snake a free stay at the Crown Plaza tonight. 🏷️25.08A

Several cars are artistically arranged standing nose-down in the ground with one car balanced on top, set against a landscape with a cloudy sky.
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We did the Golden Spike Tower tour at Bailey Yard—the world’s largest rail yard—in North Platte. I’m not a train guy, but I think I’ve been to most all of the major train spots in the country by now. 🏷️25.08A

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Plotting today’s general route during breakfast. 🏷️25.08A

A person is pointing at a road map with a yellow highlighter.
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Is this the Nebraskan Cowboy equivalent of a sock over the dorm room doorknob? We didn’t go any further to investigate… 🏷️25.08A

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Really enjoyed our stop at Second Chapter Brewing in Ogallala. The brewery took over the old city library location and really nailed the theme. What a fun spot! 🏷️25.08A