Day 57 - In McCook - Two Far 2021 - Sooo... Far

June 4, 2021

Day 57 - In McCook

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We took a short ride into town today to visit the High Plains Museum. It was a local history museum with household, farm, rail and business items from the late 1880's.

The most interesting thing we found was an old tandem bicycle.

It is obviously not all original, but still a cool find. A rear steering tandem. Unfortunately the steering rods are missing.

A close up of the badge on the head tube shows it is a No. 25 Crescent, product of Western Wheel Works, Chicago.

A little internet research led me to this from Adventure Cycling's site:

Crescent Tandem

Manufactured by Western Wheel Works, Chicago, Illinois

Tandems were often used for courting in the 1890’s, and while it was considered proper for the woman to have the front seat, it wasn't considered proper for her to steer or control the bicycle. This tandem is equipped with dual steering. The rear handlebars turn in unison with the front by means of a pair of steel rods connecting the front forks with the rear head tube.

A few other interesting things we found included these wheat milling machines. We've seen so much wheat in the field, lots of harvesters on the road and grain elevators in every town, but we haven's seen any mills. The museum had a couple of machines used in wheat milling.

Another machine I don't recall seeing in a museum was a movie theater projector.

Since I've had an unusual fur coat thing going for a couple of days, here is another one.

Kerry here... While Jeanna was looking at boring clothing, I was checking out the neat stuff. The High Plains Model Railroad Club built this exhibit for the museum. It turns out that this is just a small layout of the club's. The club has its headquarters in the basement of a building across the street from the museum. The club also happens to be right next door to Sehnert's Dutch Oven Bakery. Toy trains and donuts - what more could a guy ask for???

Across the street from the museum was the old newspaper building. The Gazette had a wonderful saying inscribed on their building.

Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy in this world.

Just up the street from the museum were the homes of Ben Nelson (governor from 1991-99) and George Norris, a powerful US Senator (1913-1943). The museum had a large exhibit about Senator Norris. The political cartoons on display were very entertaining, as he was a very liberal Republican in a very conservative state.

Closeup of sculpture in the Nelson yard.

Today's ride: 3 miles (5 km)
Total: 2,264 miles (3,644 km)

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