Show Old West Lives Again Omaha Historical Museum oad road Exhibit ual l Record Of Pioneer Days Tr NU Features OMAHA NEB The The roarIng roarIng roaring roar- roar Ing hectic days of the Old West a are e not dead they dead they still live in in all their flamboyant glory in m the Union Pacific's historical museum located in inthe inthe inthe the company's headquarters building here Fascinating documents maps relics weapons furniture books household articles farm implements Implements implements ments personal possessions and other mementos of the men and events which carved an empire out of a wilderness comprise a dramatic and end graphic visual record of the struggles tragedies and triumphs of the pioneer West Portray Progress Interwoven with the faded relics and end ghosts of long-dead long pioneers and heroes of the West are exhibits portraying portraying portraying por por- the epic record In the build- build tag ng of the Union Pacific which played an Instrumental role in the westward expansion of the empire Shunning away from the musty and moldering atmosphere atmosphere atmosphere atmos atmos- phere of the typical museum Idea all the exhibits are arc designed designed designed de de- signed to preserve all the color and adventure which prevailed in the pioneer days Since this valuable historical collection collection col col- col- col lection was opened to the public In 1939 approximately visitors representing every state In the union and 41 foreign countries have registered registered registered regis regis- at the museum Reminisce on Careers Bearded oldsters wander through the exhibits musing over items which recall their own picturesque careers Wh careers when they they and and the West West- West West- were young In contrast are school schoolchildren schoolchildren schoolchildren children and street urchins intrigued in intrigued intrigued in- in by the drama in the winning winning win winning win win- ning of the West Side by side come scholars and business men housewives housewives housewives house house- wives and railroad executives while d during ring war years ears many a serviceman discovered that browsIng browsing browsing brows- brows Ing around the exhibits provided an ideal means of whiling away the seemingly endless wait for trains Curator of the museum is Mrs Ruth Huth Cultra Hamilton former school teacher who has been associated associated asso asso- with the railroad for many years Lauds Wo-m- Wo Womans Woman's ii Role l True to her clan Mrs Hamilton admits that her one regret is that the museum collections are almost wholly a memorial to the great men of f the past No No one remembers those anonymous anonymous anonymous women who ranked with their men as courageous pioneers she complains To museum visitors however however however how how- ever she can point out a few household articles which serve as mute reminders that even e while heroes conquered the West someone had to cook and as i r I d. d c wN pl t I ro S 3 t tR R Y i n m mK K HISTORY WAS MADE With the rifles saddle and aud other equipment equipment equip equip- ment Included in this general view of a section of the historical I museum sew rear children and help with the farming Modern-day Modern housewives stare uncomprehendingly uncomprehendingly uncomprehendingly un- un at such primitive devices as candle molds a sauerkraut sauerkraut sauerkraut sauer sauer- kraut a broom of hickory splints a spinning wheel and reel dating back to 1859 Typical of the hardships which the pioneer woman woman woman wom wom- an endured are exhibits of crude farm implements implements-an an awkward flail clumsy hoe and handmade barley fork The old Iron Dutch Dutrh oven and grill in hi the museum once were the only cooking utensils owned by some Mormon family which carried them across the plains on the historic migration from Nauvoo Ill m. to Utah Recall Indian Raids Many souvenirs of the constant guerrilla warfare between the hostile hostile hostile hos hos- tile Indians and workmen who pushed the rails ever westward also are on display Supplementing the tomahawks and arrows is the handiwork handiwork handiwork handi handi- work of Indian women who engaged engaged engaged en en- in more peaceful pursuits than their warriors warriors Included in the display are fine baskets and beadwork beadwork beadwork bead- bead work tobacco pouches medicine bags amulets and other articles fashioned by Sioux women and decorated decorated decorated dec dec- orated with embroidery of flattened porcupine quills quills dyed dyed with roots and berries Wild-eyed Wild youngsters gaze in awe at the pistols which spat flame and lead in the hectic early days but which now rest peacefully in the museums museum's display cases Many Guns Shown A huge 69 horse pistol Is on display along with flintlocks dating back to the American revolution and pepper box types derringers balland balland ball balland and cap and muzzle-loading muzzle types In one case are guns taken from train robbers while another case contains bullet molds cartridge loaders powder fla flasks ks and horns I Y y a N Hr y nS y I f 4 POUT TO PROMISED LAND Mormon pioneers used these crude a fa farm Implements and household utensils on their historic trek from Nauvoo to Utah shot pouches and other pieces of equipment used in pistol shooting A rare old book showing the trails from Texas to Ellsworth Kas one of the thc roaring cow towns of the tho and a collection of branding irons highlight the mementos of the day of the cattleman and cowboy cow cow- boy Mute symbols of a still earlier day when the buffalo and bison roamed the western plains by the ther r s i r x 1 L V Vf f TilE THE WILD AND WOOLLY WEST Is re created re-created created for goggle-eyed goggle youngsters in this display of guns and knives millions are the watch and scissors used by Old Jim Bridger and a money belt and autographed pic picture pie pic ture of Buffalo Bill Cody The epic migration of pioneers pioneers pioneers pio pio- over the Mormon trail Oregon trail and other pathways pathways path path- ways to the West Is represented represent represent- ed by many relics Attracting major interest is an original map issued to westbound pioneers pioneers pioneers pio pio- showing every place across the prairies where food could be obtained and the location location location loca loca- tion of blacksmiths Rare and original photographs photograph of the Great Emancipator hold th thi thE i I spotlight in an extensive Lincoln col lection A replica of the Lincoln funeral car also is displayed Tribute to Rails With the building of the West irretrievably irretrievably ir retrievably linked with the development develop ment of rail transportation the mu scum seum features mementos in the history his tory of railroading Principal item is a yellowed telegram telegram tele gram bearing a single sentence You can make affidavit of completion comple tion of road to Promontory Sum mit This message sent by Grenville Gren ville vile M M. Dodge chief engineer tc to I Oliver Ames then president of th the I U. U P. P signified completion of construction con work and on the followIng follow follow- following Ing day the Golden Spike was was driven driven en to Join the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific as the first transcontinental trans continental railroad linking the East and West |