Chimney Rock, Pony Express Museum, Lewis & Clark Memorial - NE & IA (7-6-08)

On our way back across the plains we decided to make a few pitstops to break things up a bit. First we detoured up to Chimney Rock, a famous landmark for the pioneers travelling the Oregon Trail. Next we stopped briefly at the Pony Express Station in Gothenburg, NE. The station is one of a very few that remain today. Finally, on our last day of the trip, we drove over to the Lewis & Clark Memorial in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It was interesting to be standing atop the same bluffs they had back when this was still unknown territory. Overall it was a nice, brief look at the history of the plains...

Chimney Rock, Nebraska
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Chimney Rock National Historic Site...it was a bit smaller than I imagined it.
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
The visitors center with Chimney Rock in the background...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
This is as close as you can get to Chimney Rock. It actually sits on private property and is off-limits to the public...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
Chimney Rock sits just north of the cliffs that mark the southern edge of the Platte River Valley...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
As we continued east we stopped for a couple minutes in Gothenburg, Nebraska for a look at an original Pony Express station...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
The Pony Express Station in Gothenburg, Nebraska. This cabin was reclocated to this spot from a location to the south along the Oregon Trail. Very few structures remain from the short-lived pony express so this little structure is quite special...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
One of our last stops was in Council Bluffs,Iowa at the Lewis & Clark Memorial...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
The small memorial sits in a pleasant little park with a commanding view of the Missouri River...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
The monument depicting the meeting of Lewis and Clark withe the Oto Indians on their way west...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
On the back of the monument you get a bit of background info about the spot...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
Overlooking the Missouri River plain from the momument in Council Bluffs...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte
The panorama from the Lewis and Clark Monument. Omaha, Nebraska can be seen in the distance through the haze...
nebraska iowa oregon trail pioneers explorer pony express lewis clark council bluffs missouri river platte

dwhike

Chimney Rock, Pony Express Museum, Lewis & Clark Memorial - NE & IA (7-6-08)