Day 5

Sunday, September 14

Drove along Missouri into Iowa and Nebraska.   Spending night not far from Sioux City, IA.

Made long stop at Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center near Nebraska City, NE.   Fairly large building (but not a lot of parking.)    Was built about 10 years ago on the west bank of the Missouri.   In the early 1800s, the open prairie began near what is today Nebraska City.

Excellent statue at the road entry to the Center.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Nebraska City, NE.

 

Large 6 foot model of the keelboat inside the museum.

The Interpretive Center is very focused on the natural history (plants and animals) located in this section of the Missouri River.    Lots of great info about the fish of the region!   Also displays about prairie dogs, plants, etc.

There's a reproduction of the famous keelboat right in front of the museum.   A reproduction of the "White Pirogue" is inside the front of the museum.   The pirogues were larger than I had imagined from the books and journals.

Keelboat with reenactor.

Linda at mast of keelboat.  Note the hinge on the mast and the lockers along the gunnels.

Stan at the mast.

We were lucky to arrive on one of the rare days when a number of local reenactors were at the Interpretive Center!   

 

Demonstration of "knapping":  making arrowheads, knives, and spearpoints from flint using a deer antler.

Entrance to Earth Lodge.    A typical building used by a number of tribes along the Missouri.

 

Interior of Earth Lodge.

The Missouri River at Nebraska City.

   Linda adds:  I am reading a historical novel by Anna Lee Waldo called "Sacajawea".  It was highly acclaimed by the New York Times when it was published in the late  '70's.  It is quite an enjoyable read despite being a rather lengthy book.  There are interesting notes at the back for each chapter.