April 2021 • Nebraskaland 55
Part of the
Family
By Renae Blum
"Prepare to load … prepare to fi re …
Fire!"
At Jerry Gronewold's command,
the fi ve cannons at Fort Kearny State
Historical Park fi re, delighting visitors
at the park's living history weekends.
Gronewold has volunteered with
the park's living history group for
more than 25 years, and at age 78,
is its oldest member. Several of the
volunteers, who he's watched grow
up, still call him "Grandpa Jerry."
"It's such a nice group. It's really
kind of a family group," Gronewold
said. "I've gotten to know so many
wonderful people."
After the cannons fi re, the
volunteers disperse to Civil War-style
tents where they can engage in period
activities and chat with visitors, who
come from across the United States
and as far away as New Zealand and
Germany.
"We're just really good
ambassadors, all of us are, for Fort
Kearny," he said.
N
"Fort Kearny played a real important role
during the Oregon Trail and Mormon Trail
migrations, because it was kind of a halfway
point across Nebraska and a stopping-off
point," Gronewold said. "Kind of a respite
place — what I call 'the beacon on the plains.'"
What we want you to know
about Fort Kearny
A Volunteer Profi le