Ft. Atkinson, Arbor Lodge, and Catalpa

Having guests in town sometimes nudges me to find something new and interesting to do. This week, we traveled on Hwy. 75 to see Ft. Atkinson and then Arbor Lodge.

Ft. Atkinson was interesting. It was a beautiful day, but we lacked hiking shoes and tick spray, so we stuck to the paved walkway. I would like to go back, and take the 1.2 mile nature trail. As it was, we saw some very interesting displays of medical tools and punishment methods for prisoners.

The next day, we headed in the other direction on Hwy. 75, and visited Arbor Lodge. The home of the founder of Arbor Day was not a disappointment. The woodwork in the older part of the house was stunning, and featured intricate carving. I think my favorite room was the library. I love books, and there were many beautiful old books in glass library cases.

I was surprised to see Catalpa trees. I had forgotten that this is not just a southern genera. The flowers are really beautiful.

My guests seemed to enjoy our trips to both of these parks, too. Nebraska has so much to offer. I feel as though we have barely scratched the surface, and when my guests return (hopefully!), we will have even more interesting places to visit.