Saturday, May 30, 2020
Casper, Wyoming to Grand Island, Nebraska
Highlights: Jackalope City, Wyoming, the assorted sights of Alliance, Nebraska, a drive through the Sandhills, “The Villagers” of Taylor, and the windmills of Comstock
In 1934 in Douglas, Wyoming, taxidermists Ralph and Doug Herrick added deer antlers to a jackrabbit, creating the first ever jackalope. Somehow, the idea caught on and jackalopes spread like wildfire! The town of Douglas has embraced the joke and is now the self-proclaimed “Jackalope Capital of the World.” In 2005, the jackalope was made Wyoming’s official mythical creature. (I could not make this up!)
Former world's largest Jackalope
Current world's largest Jackalope!
Also in Douglas
Aren't all public restrooms at your own risk always?
A couple of years ago, the Nebraska Tourism Commission revealed its new slogan: “Honestly, it's not for everyone.” Well, at least they're not pretentious. I haven't heard a slogan that bad since “Oklahoma is OK,” which actually appeared on Oklahoma's license plates for DECADES! Under-promise and over-deliver, I guess. I was surprised how much I ended up liking Nebraska.
Welcome to Nebraska!
Alliance, Nebraska, is home to a bunch of great stuff, including an unofficial “rest area,” the art installation “Carhenge,” and Dobby's Frontier Town, a collection of preserved Nebraska buildings from a bygone era. The insides of the buildings at Dobby's were closed due to Covid, but we were able to walk around the grounds and look in the windows.
Carhenge
Dobby's Frontier Town, closed yet open
Frontier Town Jail
Lonesome Duck Saloon and Bordello
General Store
Cabin of the region's first black homesteader, Robert Anderson
Early Texaco gas station
From Alliance we drove east for four hours on the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway (Highway 2) over lovely green hills and past brilliant blue lakes, through some of the prettiest country you could ever hope to see. We didn't make any photo stops but just enjoyed the drive.
The best thing about taking a road trip is stopping at the odd roadside attractions, and here are two more: Taylor, Nebraska, is little town with a dwindling population, trying to make up for the decline with plywood cutouts, and 2nd Wind Ranch in Comstock features dozens of windmills, some decrepit and some restored, scattered about its grounds.
"The Villagers" of Taylor, Nebraska
Villager couple with villager dog
Villager children
2nd Wind Ranch, Comstock, Nebraska
The windmills of 2nd Wind Ranch
Lodging: Quality Inn in Grand Island, Nebraska, just off I-80. We would have stopped sooner, but there were no motels in the tiny towns between Comstock and Grand Island.
Driving distance: 538 miles
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