To see the largest private collection of Americana, you need to travel to Minden, Nebraska, home to the Pioneer Village which was founded in 1953. Harold Warp, founder of Pioneer Village, was born in 1903. Harold was the youngest of twelve children; besides becoming an inventor, he also hoarded for posterity and exhibited artifacts of industry.
You may tour 28 buildings on 20 acres at Pioneer Village, housing over 50,000 historical items, many restored to working order, with history given on each item. Our world lived quite simply for thousand of years, waking in a few hundred years to open hearths, telephones, television, super sonic speed, and atomic power.
Harold Warp purchased many structures associated with his childhood, including a school house, his hometown church, an old depot, frontier fort, pony express station, and relocated them on his 20 acres. You can see many antique tractors, the oldest Buick, a 1902 Cadillac and 1903 Ford, and over 350 other antique cars. There is also an original art collection from Currier and Ives, Jackson Paintings, and the largest collection of Rodgers statues. For just a nickel you can ride a merry go round built in 1879.
There is a collection of seven native Nebraska grasses, tin foil from Edison’s first phonograph and a collection of monkey wrenches. Farming buffs can follow the evolution of various agricultural equipment. Homemakers can compare their modern conveniences with period kitchens dating 1830, 1860, 1890, and 1930. Children can be amazed at antique toys and the learning tools in the old schoolhouse.
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