Pages

May 3, 2006

More from the road!

My wife and I are in an RV park in Riverton, WY. After leaving Chadron, NE this morning (May 3) around 8 a.m., we had a leisurely ride over US20/US26 and arrived at Riverton around 1:30 p.m. I have a good wireless connection provided by the park manager so thought I'd write a short update in case anyone is interested in my comments concerning the Coffey Cousins' Convention in Chadron, and the Charles Franklin Coffee family who pioneered the area between Chadron and the Wyoming line.

The Chadron State College has begun building a permanent display of photographs, documents, and other artifacts pertaining to the Charles Franklin Coffee family. The display is housed at the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center on the campus.

My wife and I visited the center and took photographs of nearly everything currently on display, including a desk that C. F. used during his time as president of The Bank of Harrison, near Chadron.

We also visited the site of "Coffee Siding", a railway spur built by C. F. in Nebraska near the Wyoming border. The siding has long since been removed, but is marked by a Nebraska historical marker. The old raised bedding can still be seen, as well as brick culverts laid under the bed at streams.

I have a number of photographs that I will post later.