Heading East toward Omaha (3)

…continuing with what must seem to be an endless July road trip to those who follow my blogsite.  Still heading east but exploring as we went.

While I did take a photo of this mural in the lobby area, I didn’t think to take a photo of the US Post Office in Ogallala Nebraska where the mural resides.  I should have photographed the building too as it was built in 1937 and it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  I suspect that the post office was built as part of the Works Progress Administration’s efforts to employee people during the Great Depression…but I couldn’t verify it.

This 12 foot by 4 foot oil-on-canvas mural is entitled “Long Horns” and it was painted as part of the United States Treasury Department’s Section of Fine Arts program in 1938.  The artist was Frank Mechau (1904 – 1946).  He was an American muralist whose style earned him considerable respect and attention in the art world.   His career included 3 Guggenheim fellowships, 13 public mural commissions and works featured in dozens of national and international exhibitions.

Another historic place in Ogallala is the Spruce Street Standard Oil Red Crown Service Station at 220 North Spruce Street.  This service station…yes, that’s what we used to call them…was built in 1922 and it was listed on the National Register in 2004.  In addition to those great old gas pumps, you may be able to make out a dark figure, a statue of a man between the gas pumps.  His name is “Hugh, a friendly hometown mechanic.  A plaque at the service center states that Hugh “commemorates a simpler, gentler time, when an attendant would pump your gas, check your oil and wave you on your way with a smile”.

Ogallala is the county seat of Keith County Nebraska.  The town has a population of about 4,500 people, down from 5,638 in 1980.  Keith County covers 1,110 square miles…111 square miles larger than the European nation of Luxembourg.  About 8,000 people live in the county. 

Back when this area was the Nebraska Territory, Ogallala was a stop on the Pony Express and later on the transcontinental railroad.  The town first became famous as a key terminus for cattle drives that traveled all the way from Texas to the Union Pacific railhead located here.  The railroad reached Ogallala in May of 1867.  The town’s name comes from the Oglala Sioux tribe of Native Americans.  The Ogallala Aquifer is named after the city.

The Prairie Theatre isn’t listed on the National Register but I’m always fascinated to see any downtown/small town movie theater that has survived and is still operating.  This theatre is located at 208 North Spruce Street and it was built in 1935.  Currently showing (as of 11/18) were “Eternals” and “Ron’s Gone Wrong”.  As per its website, the theater is up for sale…and as an extra incentive, ghost tours of the building are offered where visitors seek out “Leonard and friends”.  From what I can tell $150,000 could make you the owner of this movie theater!  Their website is found at https://prairietheatre.com/.

If you’ve ever been to Ogallala you may have visited Front Street, which is just east of the downtown area.  For some reason, despite the fact that it was built in 1964, it is listed on the National Register.  It was built as a “Wild West” tourist attraction, capitalizing on the town’s cowboy past.  It appears to be several adjoining buildings but in reality it is one building with applied decorative facades.  The core of Front Street is almost unchanged since it was built and it continues to be a major draw for tourists, complete with shows.  To learn more go http://ogallalafrontstreet.com/.

Our next stop was in Paxton Nebraska, just about 15 miles east of Ogallala.  This old Frontier Gas Station was the first place I spotted.  It’s located right on US Hwy 30, the Lincoln Highway in Paxton.  Too bad that the old gas pumps are missing but someone has spent a lot of effort to keep up the station itself…not to mention that mural commemorating the highway, automobiles and trains.  The station fits right into a 1940s scene along the road. 

Paxton was named for William Paxton, the largest rancher in the area.  However, the town began as a railway siding with a telegraph station, water tower and a small depot with living quarters.  Prior to the siding, Fort Alkali had been established here to protect settlers along the Oregon Trail…and later railway workers.  Why alkali?  It was all about the soil content found in the area.  The town’s name was changed to Paxton in 1885.  By 1895, Paxton consisted of a dozen houses, a general store, drug store, post office, water tower, railway section house, the Globe Hotel and the Bank of Paxton.  Today Paxton has about 490 residents…but it’s never exceeded 568

When I originally planned this trip, I’d spotted this shop along my route and I knew that Laurie would really like it.  Happy wife, happy life!  Anne Marie’s Antiques and Gifts is located in the original Paxton Union Pacific Railroad Depot that dates back to 1897.  I got my railroad fix and Laurie got her shopping fix!  Apparently, Leah Fote, the owner of this old depot has always loved antiques and she’d always dreamt about owning her own antique store.  When the old train depot came up for sale, she gutted it, rebuilt the interior and then moved it to its current location.  The idea was to salvage as much of the original architecture as possible.

As you can see from these two photos, both the merchandising and quality of the merchandise offered exceeds the typical antique/gift store.  Plus the store was so light and airy… Yes, Laurie had a good time shopping here and I earned a couple of credits against future faux pas. 

Here’s a photo of the Paxton Depot from back in the old days.  It sure looks like Leah Fote did a fine job of external restoration!

Leah is apparently quite an entrepreneur!  Sitting to one side of the Depot/Store is this second building that is chock full of antiques.  Another hit for Laurie!   

And it doesn’t stop with just the old depot and adjacent antique adjunct.  Next we have The Grainery.  In the fall of 2016, Leah saved the original town grain elevator.  It was built in 1920.  Leah had the elevator moved across the railroad tracks and relocated to a spot adjacent to Anne Marie’s. 

The Grainery serves ice cream, coffee and other hot drinks, cold drinks and smoothies, lunch and a modest assortment of baked goods.  Laurie had a special coffee.  Love the lounge area!  Of special interest to me was that some of the original elements of the old grain elevator were preserved inside The Grainery.  FYI…The Grainery also sells different blends of coffee both in store and on-line.

To learn more about Anne Marie’s Antiques and Gifts as well as The Grainery, go to www.anne-maries.com.  

…and there is more!  Leah Fote and her husband also owns a 20 acre aronia berry farm right next to her retail operations.  It is called “Good Berry Farms”.  Aronia berries are also known as chokeberries.  These berries are considered to be the highest antioxidant berry of all the fruits.  I did buy a jar of aronia jelly which I have enjoyed with my morning toast.   A variety of aronia products as well as a variety of teas are offered for sale on the Good Berry Farms website.  Check it out at Good Berry Farms - Aronia Berries, Aronia Berry, Chokeberry.

So, if your wondering why would you go out of your way to visit Paxton Nebraska.  My answer is that it's not off the beaten path.  Paxton is right off of Interstate Highway I-80 at exit/mile marker 145...

From Paxton, we headed toward North Platte Nebraska via a rather circuitous route…but that’s the subject of another post to my blogsite. 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave