Anyone that has been anywhere near south-central Nebraska has probably seen a similar sign. 10 miles south of an I-80 exit just east of Kearney, Pioneer Village sits on 20 acres off US6/34 in Minden and is filled with buildings and artifacts from 1830 into the 20th century. (Semi-restored Fort Kearny is also nearby)

Harold Warp (1903 – 1994) was born in a “soddie” on a Nebraska homestead near Minden. He moved to Chicago in 1924 and founded the Warp Bros Co based on his invention of Flex-O-Glass. The family-owned company is still in business and specializes in plastic films.

By accident, Harold also filmed Babe Ruth’s famous 1932 home run where Ruth (supposedly) points to where his ball would go.
(Utube dot com/watch?v=HkEX0eb2eBo – just the short, out-of-focus blip)

When the school he had attended was put up for sale in 1948, he bought it and began his collection of “Americana”. He opened Pioneer Village in 1953. I happened to visit my first time in 1975 – not long after I-80 was completed in Nebraska – and had the opportunity to meet the man. It’s a fascinating little museum, a bit sad now, not on the main highway since I-80 was built, but well worth at least the half-day or longer to explore.

Utube dot com/watch?v=5jmjdz195Y0