Summer Journeys Pt. 2 - Adventures in Fort Robinsion and surrounds

The trip to Fort Robinson, Nebraska, was a long one, but western Nebraska is much prettier than the middle part in my opinion.

The region around Crawford, where Fort Robinson is, is surrounded by bluffs and grasslands.  The Fort was built after the War Between The States as a part of the United States Indian Policy and replaced Fort Laramie as a major point of operations.  It is a sprawling place with various barracks and stables.  The main building was a troop barracks which currently houses a restaurant, gift shop, and guest rooms.  After passing a good first night in our tent, we got up early (Mountain Time Zone), had breakfast cooked in camp and sat outside awhile with our coffee.  

Our plan was to travel to Chadron about 20 miles away to visit the Museum of the Fur Trade.  Our current historical interest (mine perhaps more so than Stephanie or Sadie) is the fur trade and mountain man-era of early American History.  The museum was a great one with a large firearms collection and many exhibits, such as a reconstructed trading post and various tools and clothing common among the trappers.  We spent most of the morning there, and we bought a copy of a buckskinner's cookbook and Osbourne Russell's memoir of his time in the Rocky Mountains. We could have easily spent longer, but since we only had today and a bit of time the next day at Fort Robinson, we returned to check out what else there was to do.

The reconstructed trading post.  It was shut down by the 7th Cavalry when the proprietor was found to be selling ammunition to the Sioux and Cheyenne after the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Sadie by the entrance to the trading post.  The inside was recreated as it might have appeared in the early 1870s.

Since last summer in Yellowstone Sadie was interested in another buffalo burger, so we all decided to eat at the Fort Robinson restaurant. Stephanie and I both ordered the hot buffalo sandwiches, which were open-faced and served on Texas toast with mashed potatoes and brown gravy.  The sandwiches were delicious (and huge!) and were far beyond our expectations.  Then we checked out the various activities available at the fort.  We set our reservations for an evening jeep ride into the bluffs, then walked to the stables to see the horses.  There were so many of them, and the stables were impressive.  In one of the old stables (no longer used as such) there were rooms for activities for children, so Sadie painted ceramic figures.  Stephanie was excited to have her do this since she remembered her grandparents taking her to paint them as a kid at some other state parks in Nebraska.  This was also cottonwood season, apparently, because the falling blossoms looked like snow.

Not snow, but it looked like it!

Busted!

So why do I always get my picture made wearing blue?

Reconstructed barracks displayed to look as it would have when the cavalry was stationed here

A storm came up in the evening, and we worried that the jeep ride would be canceled, but the skies cleared and we were a bit early to catch the excursion.  We shared the ride with another couple, and the gentleman loaned Stephanie his long-distance Nikon lens since she had left hers back at camp and they both used the same model of camera.  The pictures were breathtaking, and the weather was cool and clear.  Our driver pointed out several interesting sights and told several fascinating stories, such as some details of the Cheyenne Breakout and how the Indians had fought and died on some of these same bluffs.  

A view from the bluffs.

After the ride, we bid farewell to our companions and returned to camp for a quick bite to eat, then Sadie played for a short while with a family from Omaha camped nearby.  Before long, however, another storm came up with thunder, lightning and rain.  Sadie wanted to go the bed so badly, but the storm made it impossible to walk to the bathhouse, so when it was clear the storm would not pass anytime soon, we drove to the restrooms then returned so everyone could sleep.

Day Four started early, and coffee seemed to take forever to brew in our little percolator on the cook stove. It was in the lower 40's this morning, and coffee was much needed.  After it was done, however, and since it was still before 6:30, we drove the Smiley Canyon Road to hopefully see some bison and other wildlife, but they were far off the road.  We returned, broke down the tent, and drove to see the Red Cloud Agency, walked the grounds of the old trading post, and also walked around what had been the World War II German POW camp.  My father-in-law had an interesting story that he told when he had suggested Fort Robinson to us months before: it seems that the only escape from the camp was when the Germans were told they were being sent back to Germany, and a number of POW chose then to flee.  I am not sure I would have wanted to return to post-war Germany either.

With a packed car, we set out once more about mid-morning.  Sadie loves Fort Robinson and has many times in the passing days since asked when we can return.  It will most likely be sooner than later.