JULY 2017 • NEBRASKAland 33
a fossil display of two bull Columbian
mammoths that battled and died north
of Crawford with their tusks locked
together. A full-size mammoth skeleton
stands in the center of the building,
towering over visitors and exhibits.
Still an Attraction
Fort Robinson continues to make
history, these days by attracting
thousands of visitors from near and far.
In addition to Fort Robinson, nearby
Crawford and the numerous visitor
attractions in the Pine Ridge area make
the park a premier summer destination,
and there are always sights to see
throughout the winter, as well.
Just as that newspaper editor wrote
in 1907, an afternoon at "the fort" will
never grow old or tiresome. With almost
150 years to prove it, one can bet that
statement will be true for whatever
birthday Nebraska is celebrating. ■
To learn more about Fort Robinson,
visit the web at OutdoorNebraska.org/
fortrobinson and postplayhouse.com.
For information about Nebraska's
Sesquicentennial,
including programs,
projects, and events
celebrating Nebraska's
150 years of statehood,
visit ne150.org.
Want More History?
Books written by the late Thomas R. Buecker served as valuable
resources for this article. Buecker, the long-time curator of the Fort
Robinson State Historical Museum and History Center who died in
2015, developed a legacy as an authority of the fort with his
books, Fort Robinson and the American West 1874-1889 and Fort
Robinson and the American Century 1900-1948. The books, along
with a self-guided driving tour manual for the fort and many other
historical resources, are available for purchase at the fort's head-
quarters, the historical museum or online at history.nebraska.gov.
A full moon hangs behind the water towers at Fort Robinson State Park.