Pioneer Village - Minden, Nebraska

Just a short twelve miles off of Interstate 80 near Minden, Nebraska is the Pioneer Village which is located at 138 East Highway 6. This unique historic site gives visitors a peek into the interesting background of our American past. The founder, Harold Warp desires to show us the incredible progress of the past one hundred and twenty years. From a relatively simple past of cooking over an open fire and transportation by ox cart to a fast-paced future with every type of technology a person can imagine, the Pioneer Village is a memorial to yesteryear. This village is a way to see how the past has shaped the future and the many little achievements that happened along the way.

The Pioneer Village is located on 20 acres and includes nearly thirty buildings that take visitors back into the past. The entire village is arranged in chronological order so that visitors can get a sense of how things developed for our pioneer ancestors. Some of the unique buildings include a Pony Express station, an original stockade, a country church and general store, a sod house, an historic one room schoolhouse, and a blacksmith shop. The village is also home to a large collection of antique toys, an original art collection that includes Currier and Ives prints, antique tractors and 350 antique cars. Visitors can also ride an original steam carousel.

This popular attraction hosts a variety of fun activities almost all year round. In March, visitors are encouraged to see the annual Nebraska sandhill crane migration. In June every year, they have their annual Pioneer Village Days anniversary. July 4th is also a big celebration with old-fashioned events from a carnival to games, concerts and an historic fireworks display. In August, the annual Antique Airplane Association Fly-in is a chance to see both historic and modern aircraft at the Pioneer Village Field.

The Pioneer Village is open every day except for Christmas Day. The winter hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The summer hours run from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the village is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The admission prices are $9.50 for adults, $5.00 for children ages six to twelve and children less than six years old are admitted free. All admissions come with a free pass for the next day so that visitors can enjoy the village at their own leisurely pace and re-visit exhibits that caught their attention and piqued their interest.

Many additional services to visitors are offered at the Pioneer Village. There is an adjoining motel with rooms for $53.00 and up for the night and a campground which charges $14.00 and up. There is also a restaurant and lounge, catering services, meeting rooms and there are summer church services offered, as well. The Pioneer Village is a great place to spend a few days on a vacation to Nebraska. To contact this attraction or for more information, visitors can call 1-800-445-4447 or (308) 832-1181.

Pioneer Village - Minden, Nebraska