Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Nebraska City (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum, Mayhew Cabin, and Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Visitor Center. Also, be sure to include Kregel Windmill Museum in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Nebraska City (Nebraska).
Table of Contents
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum
Mansion in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum is a mansion and arboretum located at 2600 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States. The park is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1969.
The 52-room neo-colonial house began in 1855 for J. Sterling Morton, originator of Arbor Day and Secretary of Agriculture in the 1890s under President Grover Cleveland. The house was originally a modest 4-room frame structure on 160 acres (65 ha). It was extended several times, most recently in 1903, and in later years served as the summer home for his son Joy Morton, founder of Morton Salt Company. The mansion features Victorian and Empire furnishings, many of which were owned by the Mortons. Its sun parlor contains a fine Tiffany skylight with grape trellis design.
Trees were a central interest of J. Sterling Morton. He imported trees from all over the country in order to test their suitability to create windbreaks and otherwise break up the monotony of the great plains. The house is surrounded by 270 varieties of trees and shrubs, including gardens, apple orchards, and acres of oaks, maples, chestnuts, and pines, including at least 10 state-champion trees. Specimen trees are typically labeled with engraved bronze plates. Over the years, many of Arbor Lodge's apple orchards were demolished, but in the 1990s their restoration began with plantings of winesaps, golden delicious, red delicious, jonathans, and jonadels.[1]
Address: 2300 2nd Ave, 68410 Nebraska City
Mayhew Cabin
Museum in Nebraska City, Nebraska. The Mayhew Cabin, in Nebraska City, Nebraska, is the only Underground Railroad site in Nebraska officially recognized by the National Park Service. It is included among the sites of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.[2]
Address: 2012 4th Corso, 68410-2604 Nebraska City
Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Visitor Center
Park, Relax in park
Address: 100 Valmont Dr, Nebraska City
Kregel Windmill Museum
Museum in Nebraska City, Nebraska. The Kregel Wind Mill Company produced water pumping windmills in Nebraska City, Nebraska starting in 1879. It is now the Kregel Windmill Factory Museum.[3]
Address: 1414 Central Ave, 68410-2224 Nebraska City
Arbor Day Farm
Theme park, Amusement park, Park, Relax in park
Address: 2611 Arbor Ave, 68410-1000 Nebraska City
Nebraska City Museum of Firefighting
Museum, Specialty museum
Address: 1320 Central Ave, 68410-2312 Nebraska City
Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall
Museum in Nebraska City, Nebraska. The Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall, also known as William Baumer Post No. 24, Grand Army of the Republic, and as the Civil War Veterans Museum, is a historic building located at 908 1st Corso in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in the United States. The hall was built in 1894–95. In 1994, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.[4]
St. Benedict's Catholic Church
Catholic church in Nebraska City, Nebraska. St. Benedict's Catholic Church is a Catholic church in Nebraska City, Nebraska, United States. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. The church parish was founded in 1856 and its building, completed in 1861, is the oldest brick church in the state of Nebraska. The church's address is 411 5th Rue, Nebraska City, Nebraska.
It is a brick "vernacular Romanesque structure featuring buttresses and entry tower".
Its exterior walls were noticed to be spreading in 1948, and it was feared the roof would collapse. "The walls were dismantled, reinforced and then rebuilt using primarily original brick."[5]
Otoe County Courthouse
Building in Nebraska City, Nebraska. The Otoe County Courthouse is home to the county seat of Otoe County, Nebraska in Nebraska City, Nebraska. The building contains both the Nebraska City Court and the Otoe County Court along with the government and law enforcement offices of both. The building sits at 1021 Central Avenue in Nebraska City. The courthouse is currently on the National Register of Historic Places and the oldest public building in the state of Nebraska.[6]
Address: 1021 Central Avenue, Nebraska City
Civil War Veterans Museum - GAR Hall
Museum, History museum
Address: 910 1st Corso, 68410-2323 Nebraska City
Nebraska City Bridge
Pontoon bridge in Otoe County, Nebraska. The Nebraska City Bridge is a four-lane girder bridge over the Missouri River connecting Otoe County, Nebraska with Fremont County, Iowa at Nebraska City, Nebraska.
The bridge built in 1986 bypasses the central business district and replaced the Waubonsie Bridge truss bridge which opened in 1930 and went towards the middle of town. The Waubonsie Bridge built by the Kansas City Bridge Company called itself "The Bridge with a State park at Each End" because Arbor Lodge State Park was on the Nebraska side and Waubonsie State Park was on the Iowa side.
The Waubonsie Bridge replaced a pontoon bridge built in 1888 that claimed to be the largest drawbridge of its kind in the world. The pontoon bridge was more than 2,000 feet (610 m) long and the middle of the bridge could swing open providing a 528-foot (161 m)-wide passage.
Local usage refers to the new bridge just as "the Missouri River Bridge."
The bridge was constructed as part of a highway plan to provide four-lane access between Lincoln, Nebraska and Interstate 29 in Iowa. The bridge connects Nebraska Highway 2 with Iowa Highway 2.
The bridge was closed to all traffic in April 2019 as a result of the 2019 Midwestern U.S. floods. The bridge reopened with one lane of travel in each direction on August 1, 2019.[7]