This is a beautiful capitol inside and out. It was completed in 1932.The Sower, on top of the 400 foot tall tower. The figure is modeling the traditional method of hand sowing grain. The sculpture is 19-1/2 feet tall and weighs 9-1/2 tons. It was raised to the top of the Capitol in 1930.Abraham Lincoln statue, with the Gettysburg Address inscribed on the wall.Rotunda on the ground floor.The prehistoric life of Nebraska winds around Soil, Water, Fire and Air under the rotunda.The floor mosaic in the vestibule represents “Cosmic Energy”.Ceiling in the vestibule.In the vestibule are three James Penney’s murals created in 1964. This one is “The Homesteader’s Campfire”.“The First Furrow”“The House Raising”In the foyer, Venetian glass wall murals depict the Past, Present and Future Life on the Plains. This is “The United States Survey”.“The Blizzard of 1888”“Tree Planting”“The Coming of the Railroad”“The Spirit of Nebraska”“The Building of the Capitol”Senate chamber. Nebraska is the only state with a single legislative chamber (unicameral).Nebraska State Supreme CourtThe 14th floor rotunda (top of the tower). This area is called the Memorial Chamber.The murals in the Memorial Chamber represent the work of society to achieve virtue and noble life. Labors of the head, hand and heart. This mural is The Ideal of International Law.The Peril of FireThe Ideal of Freedom.The Scourge of PovertyThe Scourge of PlagueThe Ideal of Self-DeterminationThe Scourge of Famine
Harry S Truman, our 33rd President, was born in Missouri in 1884. He became president upon Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death on April 12, 1945. He was elected on his own as president in 1948, and served until 1953.President Truman greets you as you enter the museum.Truman served in World War I as Captain.After the war, Truman opened a men’s clothing store in downtown Kansas City.Harry and Bess’ wedding announcement.Truman served in the Senate from 1935 until he became Vice President in 1945.This is the Bible that was used when Truman was sworn into office as President.Interestingly, as Vice President, Truman had only met with President Roosevelt twice prior to FDR’s death, and Truman was totally unaware of the atomic bomb the US had been developing. He made the decision to drop the bombs on Japan, ending World War II.Letter written on rice paper from President Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China to President Truman.After the war, our attention turned to the developing threat from Communist Soviet Union.With the Soviet blockade of West Berlin, President Truman ordered supplies dropped in via airplane, the “Berlin Airlift”, delivering billions of pounds of food and supplies to the people.On May 14, 1948, the state of Israel declared itself an independent nation. President Truman issued a “de facto” recognition of the new state. In 1949, following the first elections in Israel, the US officially recognized them as a nation.Ancient pottery vessels gifted to Truman. The footed vase dates from 2000 to 1800 BC. The rounded base pitcher dates from the time of the Jewish Kings 1000 to 800 BC. The long-necked cruet served as a wine decanter in the first century AD.Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion gifted this menorah to President Truman in 1951, It dates back to at least 1767, when it was donated to a synagogue in Germany.Because of low approval numbers, much of America was sure Truman would lose the election of 1948, so much so that some newspapers printed the headlines before the results were in!Many of President Truman’s Square Deal programs were not enacted into law.Korea became hot.We went to war in Korea. President Truman skirted the Constitutional requirement for Congress to declare war by calling the war “police action”. Congress has not declared war since World War II, even though our military has been at war numerous times. This precedent started with the Korean War.President Truman’s most famous quote.The Truman’s White House china.President Truman spent time at the “Truman Little White House” in Key West FL.Exact replica of President Truman’s Oval Office.The stages of Truman’s life…1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan used during the Truman administration.Truman’s post-presidency office.President Harry and First Lady Bess Truman’s graves.
Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals.Kauffman StadiumGeha Field, home of the Kansas City ChiefsSculpture of Lamar Hunt, the founder of the Kansas City Chiefs, and one of the original founders of the old AFL.Hall of Famer Len Dawson, who led the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win, 1970.Pat Mahomes, who led the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl win, 2020.
This is a 27-pound brick of gold. It is a little more difficult to lift with one hand than you would think. For this 27-pound brick its value has had worth of a 10 year high of $804,683 and a 10 year low $408,504.Examples of early American paper currency.Silver notes, United States Notes and National Bank Notes.Federal Reserve Bank Notes, Gold Certificates, Federal Reserve Notes and Hawaiian Issue Silver Certificate.This is what $40 million in $100 bills looks like.As you leave the Money Museum, you can take a bag of free money! It’s about $83, but it is shredded. Haha!
This Museum and Memorial holds the most comprehensive collection of World War I objects and documents in the world and is the second-oldest public museum dedicated to preserving the objects, history and experiences of the war.The setting for World War I.Wilhelm II of Germany and Franz-Josef of Austria-Hungary.European empires controlled half of the world’s surface.Europe was by far the strongest economic engine of the world.This “World War” was fought on many fronts…the Western..…the Eastern…African..Near East…Gallipoli (Turkey)…Even Asia and Japan!The trigger for World War I: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Bosnian Serb nationalist.Various cannons from the war. These are a German 15 cm Heavy Field Howitzer, Model 1902 and a British 5 inch Heavy Field Gun, Mark I.German 24.5 cm New Model Heavy Trench Mortar (Minenwerfer), Model 1916French 75 mm Field Gun, Model of 1897Austro-Hungarian 8 cm Field Gun, Model 5/8Bavarian 15 cm Heavy Field Howitzer (SFH), 1893Whitehead Torpedo, Mark I, manufactured in the USA, this type of torpedo was used on British, French, Russian and Japanese submarines during the war.Naval Mine, US-made Mark IV, Model 1, 1917, contained 300 pounds of TNT.We stayed out of the war until 1917. President Woodrow Wilson campaigned for reelection in 1916 highlighting that he had kept us out of the war.President Woodrow WilsonBritish Dehavilland DH2German Fokker D.VIIThis was the legendary Red Baron.Trenches.War recruiting postersFord Model T Truck, 1918, Light Delivery Body. These trucks were used for transporting supplies and equipment without military paint or markings.Red Cross wagon and infirmary cot.1917 Harley Davidson motorcycleFrench-made Renault FT17 TankGeneral John J. Pershing, Commander, American Expeditionary ForcesUS Army Nurse Corps uniform worn by Amy Beers, who served on a “shock team” treating severely wounded soldiers. She rigged up an apparatus to conduct heat into hospital beds. She served more than twelve months overseas. After the war she returned to the states and became a nursing administrator.This cane was crafted from the wing of Quentin Roosevelt’s plane that was shot down by the Germans. President Theodore Roosevelt’s son was killed in 1918 just months before the Armistice was signed. The Germans, out of respect for the ex-president, conducted an honorable funeral for Quentin.Austrian uniforms.Russian uniforms.Austro-Hungarian General’s hatArmistice ends the war on November 11, 1918.Unfortunately, the way World War I ended paved the way for the rise of Adolph Hitler, and World War II.Below the bridge leading to the inside of the museum are 9,000 poppies. Each poppy represents 1,000 World War I combatants who lost their lives during their service, honoring the 9 million total soldiers killed.We were at the museum during Memorial Day weekend, so there were many flags all around.It was rainy earlier in the day.
