sod house museum

If you are in the area to see The Pony Express Station, it's worth the short drive to see this small museum. I don't think they have their own website, but we got information on their hours and exact address from Nebraska tourism sites. The museum consists of memorabilia exhibits set up in an old barn, and in the back down a path there's a sod house in a farmstead setting with a windmill. It was interesting to see the thick walls and roof of the sod house, built from sod because there were few trees for wood in this area. Inside and outside there were items from the days when people lived in this one-room house, so you get a real sense of how they lived. The knowledgeable attendant informed us about the exhibits with interesting stories about people who lived in this area. There's a gift shop, and you can mail postcards here and they will stamp them with the Pony Express stamp.

This is a museum of a small, but interesting historical museum (and gift shop) in a barn not far off the interstate. As I recall, the suggested donation: $1 per person. Through and outside the rear of the barn-museum is the Sod House. It was for a family of eight, which is hard to believe. Easy to appreciate the thick walls in addition to the sod roof. Don't miss the "out house" or the barbed wire sculptures of a bison and an Indian on a horse.

The museum is well maintained, but not worth driving a distance to see. Simply, just not much to view. There are figures of buffalo and Indians made from wire, that are impressive

I used to read Laura Ingalls Wilder when I was younger, but was never quite able to picture exactly what a sod house looked like. This little stop just off the highway was a great eye opener! For only a $1 suggested donation, you're able to browse historic photos and pieces in the museum before heading outside to see the sod house and a few barbed wire sculptures. The sod house itself is a testament to how hard the pioneer families worked to make a life on the frontier. Made with sod from pioneer land, the house acts as a model for present-day visitors to view and as a memorial to these historic families and their tenacity. Along with the sod house, the man who started the museum also created massive barbed wire sculptures of a buffalo and a man on horseback. The buffalo is very realistic-looking, at least from far away! Great learning experience, affordable gift shop, and easy stop off the highway.

Very interesting. Museum/shop manager was a wealth of information and shared her knowledge in a well-delivered manner. I only wish it was a hut that someone had really lived in - it's a replica built for the museum 25 years ago.

We were driving cross country and needed gas... across the road was sod museum, we said what the heck! it was great the lady that runs it was pleasant with a big smile and lots of information and it had 2 great sculptures made out of barb wire,, very cool nd in same parking lot a great coffee shop

I most enjoyed seeing an original sod house that the settlers built because there were very few trees on the prairie. There was a lot of educational materials to browse in the museum. The attendant was very knowledgeable.

We stopped in Gothenburg on July 4th our way from Michigan to Montana - traveling along 80 much of the way. This museum and house are privately run (donations requested) and an excellent stop full of very interesting history. The museum docent was full of information and engaging with our children (9,13 and 15), a real gem! Our children really enjoyed this stop along with the Pony Express station also in Gothenburg. My husband and I hit the coffee shop next door and then we were back on the road! I recommend this stop to anyone, especially families.

Gothenburg is a wonderful little town right off the highway. Make sure you go over the railroad tracks to do anything. It gets much better. It's very clean and there is stuff to do and great food. The Sod House is right on the edge of town- near I80. It's kinda tucked behind the gas station. The Sod house costs to go in, but not much, the house is small but it is a giant piece of American history. Take the time to read about the house and the history of the Midwest. Take a look around, read a little bit about how people use to live, what homes looked like, and smell what heating a home with cow dung is like (It smells sweet.). The house is ancient and they have done a great job maintaining it.Check out the Pony Express Station. It's a bit further in town but it's free to go inside and it's another little piece of American history they just don't teach kids much about anymore.

Sadly the Sod House Barn was closed as we dropped by but it was super amazing outside. There are such realistic sculptures of a buffalo Indian on a horse and then the actual Sod House behind the barn building. Cute & neat photo opts!

This place gives you a real idea of what naive European settlers faced. Friendly and knowledgeable staff.So simple but I'm glad we went there.

We tried to call. No one answered. We went anyway. Mistake. It wasn't open, although according to the hours posted it was supposed to be. My husband slipped between the fence to at least see the outside of the house. Mistake no. 2. The grass is VERY high and full of LOTS of burrs. I still haven't figure out how to get them all out of my husband's socks. If you are really interested in seeing a sod house, go to the Stuhr Museum in Grand Rapids. They have a wonderful reconstruction of a sod house!

This is a chance to see how early Nebraska pioneers lived first hand. They have a nice gift shop as well. While the place is not large it makes up for it in historical value. Kids will enjoy it as well.

I don't think we actually walked out to the sod house, and probably missed out. But we went into the barn which contains lots of artifacts and family photos and things from early settlers to the area. It was an interesting and instructive stop.

As many of the other reviewers have done a great job of describing this worthwhile stop, I will add that I was impressed with the passion and amount of knowledge the woman in the barn possessed. She was also a hoot! We printed up information about sod houses and this one in particular before we left for our trip and read those pages out loud on the long straight highway across the plains. This is a practice we have enjoyed for most of our road trip spots. When we arrived, we got a whole lot more detail at the site. There is nothing like seeing this kind of thing for real. A picture does not capture the real earthy essence of this early way of life. Go see it.