VisitGrandIsland.com | 17 Monuments and Memorials 308-382-4400 • VisitGrandIsland.com • Eagle Catcher, Grand Island City Hall • Nebraska Law Enforcement Memorial, Fonner Park • Soldier, Hall County Courthouse • Statue of Liberty, Pier Park Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer 3133 W Highway 34 • 308-385-5316 • StuhrMuseum.org Praised as “one of the top ten places to re-live America’s past” (Good Housekeeping), Stuhr Museum tells the story of early pioneers settling on the plains. Its 200 acres offer spectacular architecture, a recreated railroad town staffed by historic interpreters during the summer and holidays, Native American displays, and much more. Call for hours and admission, which vary with the season and events. The Townsley-Murdock Site Alda Rd & Guenther Rd • 308-382-4400 • VisitGrandIsland.com See some of the only remaining Mormon Trail wagon ruts or swales on this 2.4-acre prairie. Railroad Hot Spot Railside (downtown) • 308-382-4400 • VisitGrandIsland.com During peak seasons, up to 160 trains pass through Railside in Grand Island daily. The most action happens at the flyover; another good spot is the pedestrian bridge in Wood River. North of Railside is the restored Burlington Station, which hosts events and houses the Tri-City Model Railroad Assocation’s layout. Stuhr Museum offers static train displays and an 1890s railroad town. A miniature railroad offers rides in Stolley Park during the summer. Raising Nebraska 501 E Fonner Park Rd • 308-385-3967 • RaisingNebraska.net Raising Nebraska is a large agriculture display detailing how our food goes from farm to fork. Its museum-quality, interactive displays include a walkable map, a touchscreen dining table, a full-size center pivot section, and an adjacent 1-acre educational garden. Open Monday-Friday 9am-noon and 1-4pm. Bader Park 898 Bader Park Rd (Chapman) • 308-986-2522 • BaderPark.com This 270-acre public park is open year round and offers hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. It includes Platte River and Wood River access, wetlands, a cottonwood forest, and a tall grass prairie all with abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. RV and tent camping are available. Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center 9325 S Alda Rd • 308-382-1820 • CraneTrust.org The Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center is your gateway to Nebraska’s Platte River and your headquarters for the spring migration of the sandhill cranes. Relax in the art gallery, hike, or check out one of the trust’s guided excursions. Explore the butterfly garden during the summer months. A genetically pure herd of bison roams its prairies. Open Monday-Saturday 9am- 5pm, except during March when they are also open Sundays. Derr House Prairie 13650 S Platte River Dr (Wood River) • 402-694-4191 • Nature.org/Nebraska The Nature Conservancy’s Derr House has public trails through restored prairies. They host prairie days that offer talks and tours. Gjerloff Prairie & Farm/Sherman Ranch Platte River Valley • 402-694-5535 • PrairiePlains.org Gjerloff Prairie’s 390 acres offer trails on open prairie, gulleys, steep cliffs, and a half mile of riverfront. An education center is being constructed on the property as well. The Prairie Plains Resource Institute completed the purchase of the nearby 650- acre Sherman Ranch in 2016. Outdoor Learning Center 501 E Fonner Park Rd • 308-382-4400 The Groundwater Guardian’s learning center on the east side of the Nebraska Building at Fonner Park educates the public about water quantity and quality, groundwater stewardship, natural filtration techniques, efficient water use, and the Ogallala Aquifer. Lincoln Highway Historic Byway US Highway 30 • LincolnHighwayNebraskaByway.com Lincoln Highway landmarks located in the area include the one-of-a-kind Seedling Mile, Shady Bend, Kensinger’s Service Station, the first FCC monitoring station, and the Gloe Brothers Service Station in Wood River. Loup Rivers Scenic Byway Highway 91/11,Wood River to Dunning • LoupRiversScenicByway.com Rolling farmland surrounds the scenic Loup River Basin, giving way to the Sandhills as your travel west. This byway is also home to the 300+-mile Junk Jaunt. Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway Highway 2, Grand Island to Alliance • SandhillsJourney.com This 272-mile stretch of Nebraska Highway 2 rolls through the Sandhills, the largest area of grass-covered sand dunes in the Western hemisphere. The World Wildlife Fund compares the ecological importance of the Sandhills to regions such as the Amazon and Antarctica. Byways Nature Cen- ter 8