The Path through Time

The Archway Monument in Kearney is a giant structure which serves as a museum of western history. It spans over Interstate 80 as a monument of how people have traveled westward over the centuries, from the Native American tribes to the first European settlers and those who used the transcontinental railroad. Inside, visitors can walk through exhibits detailing western life over the centuries and can look out over the Platte River. From the top of the monument, I saw an incredible vista of the Nebraska landscape. One thing that struck me was how important the Platte River was to the westward expansion of settlers, as it provided a path through the otherwise barren prairies.