The Nebraska Prairie Museum of Holdrege is a Gem

Located a mile north of Holdrege, Nebraska on Highway 183, 15 miles south of the I-80 exit 257, the Nebraska Prairie Museum is easily overlooked by tourists and history buffs. This is a sad mistake. The Nebraska Prairie Museum is a gem that provides historical context for events from earliest history to the present, with an special view of World War II POW camps both here and overseas.

Visitors amble around the Nebraska Museum Town Square to view turn-of-the-century businesses with all the tools of their particular trade that include "people" working and shopping. Visitors peruse a clinic, a drug store, a toy store as fascinating for adults as for the little ones. Maybe you're interested in stores offering clothing, eyeglasses or wall paper. But we can't miss a trip to the barbershop or the beauty parlor, and yes, they did have those as the 19th century became the 20th century.

The Nebraska Prairie Museum includes Indian artifacts and vintage clothing as well as an extensive display of antique automobiles and agricultural equipment.
On the grounds of the Nebraska Prairie Museum are a Lutheran Church where weddings are still held on occasion, a one-room school house, a windmill, a fully restored farm house and a World War II POW guard tower. The tower is a replica of the guard tower that stood during World War II at Camp Atlanta, a POW camp for German prisoners that was located just south of Holdrege.

The POW guard tower is a visible indication of what historic treasures are housed at the Nebraska Prairie Museum of Holdrege, Nebraska. These include the history of World War II in pictures, artifacts, vehicles, equipment, uniforms and so much more.

The Nebraska Prairie Museum has a unique and fascinating POW display both German and American. The Nebraska Prairie Museum houses a unique display of historic artifacts, pictures, letters and other memorabilia donated by those interned at Camp Atlanta, south of Holdrege, and those who served as World War II guards and other U.S. Military personnel.

Our veterans were also captured and held, often without food or proper conditions, overseas, never knowing if they'd make it home to their loved ones. Bill Potter is one veteran whose effects are displayed at the museum. One grows silent viewing the letters and journals written by our soldiers who were captured, often tormented or tortured, by the Germans. The many displays and pictures and special video leaves the visitor awed and humbled by the sacrifice of so many ordinary citizens.

The Nebraska Prairie Museum displays are so lifelike, that even the horse hooked to the carriage seems just on the verge of breaking into a trot. At one point, I entered a room and was awed by a paratrooper just touching down, his parachute still completely open above him.

Though the collection is huge, the building is modern, clean and gives the air of spaciousness, very unlike the dark, dim, sometimes creepy sensations felt in some museums.

The Nebraska Prairie Museum is open weekdays from 9 am-5 pm with 1-5 pm hours on weekends. The staff is friendly and there is a gift shop where visitors can purchase momentous of a visit that is sure to stay on mind and heart for a long time after the visit ends.