Category: States

President Gerald Ford Birth Site

Omaha NE

Gerald R. Ford, our 38th President, is the only president born in Nebraska. He was born July 14, 1913. His birth name was Leslie Lynch King Jr. His father was very abusive to his mother, so she left him and moved to Michigan. When she married Gerald Ford, her son took his name.
President Ford is the only president who was not elected, either as President or Vice President. He was named Vice President under President Nixon after Spiro Agnew resigned, then became President when Nixon resigned in 1974.
Bust of President Ford.
Bust of First Lady Betty Ford.
The house in which President Ford was born no longer exists. This is a model of the house.
President Ford was perhaps our most athletic president. Here is his presidential golf bag.

TD Ameritrade Park

Omaha NE

This stadium is the home of the College Baseball World Series every year.
Neat sculpture capturing the joy of victory.
The stadium was hosting the Big 10 baseball tournament when we were here.

Omaha NE

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge over the Missouri River
Nebraska-Iowa state line
Missouri River
Sculptures at the CHI Health Center
Omaha skyline
Tallest building in Omaha, 45 stories tall
Union Pacific building
Omaha World Herald headquarters, the largest employee-owned newspaper in the US
Warren Buffet’s house
Spirit of Nebraska Wilderness
Long-time family owned bakery, Olsen’s Bake Shop…
Kolaches!
Joslyn Castle, built in 1903 for George and Sarah Joslyn. George Joslyn gained his wealth in printing newspapers toward the end of the 19th century. This castle was designed to resemble a Scottish manor.
Platte River, west of Omaha

Pioneer Courage Park

Omaha NE

This sculpture park is a pretty impressive sight. It is way too large to photograph the entire sculpture, so I did it group by group.

Installed in 2005 and 2009, Sculptors Blair Buswell and Ed Fraughton of Utah created Pioneer Courage with four pioneer families and their covered wagons departing westward from Omaha. Each wagon stands approximately 12′ high and more than 40′ long when the oxen, horses or mules are placed in their hitches. Individual characters range in height from 3′ to 7 1/2′. The Wagon Master served as a crucial element to wagon trains, guiding their members west and looking after the families and their supplies. This Wagon Master stands at 11′ tall and weighs approximately 2,000 pounds. The Hunter Group portrays the constant need to provide additional nourishment and supplement the families’ meals with meat.

Boys Town

Omaha NE

Boys Town was founded in 1917 by Father Edward J. Flanagan. It is dedicated to the care, treatment, and education of at-risk children. The village was made famous by the 1938 award-winning movie “Boys Town,” staring Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney.
Father Flanagan’s house.
Father Flanagan statue
Catholic chapel
Rear of the chapel
Scene where the boy Jesus taught the Jewish religious leaders.
The tomb of Father Flanagan
This garden has many flowers, shrubs and trees that are referenced in the Bible.
Christ’s Thorn
Burning Bush
Protestant chapel.