August 3, 2007

A Trip to the Big Island

By Stan Dyer

What could be more relaxing, more refreshing and more American than a vacation to the Big Island? With the sun in your face, your feet in the sand and a cold beverage nearby, you know life is good and all your troubles melt away. I didn't need any more convincing. The next thing I knew, I packed the car and headed off to La Grande Ile, my favorite American island.

It's a great time to visit the Island. Residents are in the midst of celebrating 150 years of history. People knew about and used the island for years, but settlers didn't start building a permanent community until 1857, and people have been staying ever since. For a point of reference, 1857 in America was around the time of Dred Scott, the "Free Soilers", popular sovereignty, the push westward, and John Brown's Holy War. There was a lot happening in America and a lot of it came through Grand Island, Nebraska.

Yes, there is an island in Grand Island, Nebraska, and it is an island of Americana. Before the river was dammed, the waters actually divided the city and there was an actual island. Now, La Grande Ile is more of an oasis of history than the island it used to be. Like many other Midwestern towns, it is a monument to and living museum of American History.

The Pony Express came through Grand Island, as did the Transcontinental Railroad and, later, the Trancontinental Highway. The last of the Mormons moving west stopped in Grand Island, and people can still see the remains of ruts left by the many wagons that passed through the trails that went through Grand Island on their way to the American dream. Many people were just passing through, (just as they do today), but more than a few stopped for a while, and many of them stayed. They built palatial churches as evidence of their faith, grandiose public buildings as evidence of their dreams, and, most important of all, they built the heartland of America, the country's breadbasket. Much of it is still there to see. More real than a history book and as close as a trip down the highway, it is all there to see. There is no better way to learn about America and no better way to learn about the history of our country than to reach out and hold hands with it a while. The small towns of the Midwest are the keys, and Grand Island is one of the best.

Along the way, a person can also visit the many roadside attractions that recall a day when the family road trip was an annual tradition. The Pioneer Village in Minden, NE, has one of the greatest private collections of Americana around, but this time I stopped at the Heartland Museum of Military History and Chevyland.

At the military museum, you can climb inside a Huey and get a sense of what it was like in Viet Nam, or you climb in the back of a tank and imagine what a tank crew goes through to preserve the peace. You can also view many types of ordnance, rifles, handguns, weapons, and other tools of war. It makes Iraq and the other wars of this country seem a lot more real.

Chevyland is a roadside monument to the automobile. What would the highways be without them? They have some of the first Chevy's that didn't have the luxury of paved highways, other Chevy's that we all packed into to visit the drive-in movie, and still others that remind us of our first cars. People are forgetting their heritage, and Chevyland may be one of the first monuments to disappear because of lack of interest. If you want to see it, touch it and smell it, you had better stop in soon before it is completely gone.

Of course, Nebraska has plenty of corn, animal life and Midwestern charm, (including sand, beaches and water), for those who just want to relax and get out of town. You won't need your passport or have to go through airport security either. All you have to do is pack your car, fill up the cooler, and let the highway take you to the Island. With a vehicle, some gas money and some time, your Island vacation awaits. Next year is an election year, and we will be selecting a new president. It is a great time to get in touch with your American side before you make your decision. You shouldn't need any more convincing than that. Enjoy your history trip.