Pioneer Village-Harold Warp

Great! Minden, Nebraska at its finest. Large area with replicas of pioneer-era post office, house, and school. Many exhibits of cars throughout the ages, tractors throughout the ages, trucks throughout the ages, buttons throughout the ages, salt-and-pepper-shakers throughout the ages. Mr. Warp had a lot of time and a lot of land and obviously had a penchant for collecting everything he set his eyes on. There was a large collection of art glass as well as a building full of toys throughout the ages. There are many barns devoted to tractors throughout the ages, and that can get a bit tedious after the 7th barn full of tractors. All in all great fun. Nice gift shop. Go to the restaurant next door and have a buffalo burger. They’re yummy! more

If you ever find yourself in Minden, Nebraska, and have ten or twelve hours to kill, be sure to stop by this legendary museum of, well, almost everything. Lots full of classic cars, acres of farm equipment, and hangers full of air planes, Harold Warp’s Pioneer Village is a tribute to almost every aspect of the America’s industrial history. While an interesting place, there is just too much of everything, and displays such as tractors tend to leave your bored by the fifteenth barn full. more

Recently, while visiting family in Kansas, I not only had the opportunity to see the World's Largest Ball of Twine (see my review of that), as well as the Geographic Center of the Contiguous 48 States, I also had the opportunity to drive into Minden, Nebraska, and visit the wonderland known as Harold Warp's Pioneer Village. What a treat it was. Realisitc interpretations of pioneer life including homes and shops and schools. It is apparent that Harold was a collector of many things. Back then, we called it "being eccentric". Today, we have a more patent name for such activities such as "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder". There are about 5 warehouses filled with tractors from pioneer days through the 1980's. There are also many houses devoted to the collection of various buttons (as in, what you button your shirt with) as well as thimbles and needles. Well, whatever affliction plagued dear Harold, the end result is a delightful place where you can spend the day realizing what a person does when they, in fact, have nothing else to do with their time. Highly reccomended. Nice souvenirs in the gift shop. Eat a buffalo burger at the restaurant. more

What a wonderful way to spend a day or two. With the convience of having a motel and a restaurant on the property as well as other businesses within walking distance and a campground. This is a wonderful trip for old and young, families and couples all the way around. Harold Warp the originator of the Museum has collected items from the beginning of Nebraska and has put together different building representing aspects of our state and country's growth. There is one building that is JUST cars, another that is farm equipment and another that is homes across the years (ie 1880's through the present). There is the original land office in their small village set up in the center of the museum. A village that contains a soda fountain, a school house, a small chapel in which during the summer once in a while is rented out for small weddings. There is a log cabin, a store and an old steam engine. There is also one of the few left in the country steam operated merry go-round which still works and you can ride for only a penny or two, the cost of which has never gone up from the time it originated. This is a museum that can be done quickly in one day or you can spend two or three and really learn how America and the mid-west grew. Wonderful learning experience for kids and a great memory trip for adults. It is open all year round closed ONLY on Christmas Day. more

Pioneer Village is a very unique museum in Minden Nebraska. It was started by an individual man and just doesn’t have the feel of a government sponsored museum. It is very large and has many outstanding claims to having the largest of various collections. They have out buildings devoted to specific items only, such as a building just for glass items. They have many items that you wouldn’t find in a typical big city museum. Many of the items re interactive, meaning they aren’t behind glass and you can touch them, which is great for kids. more