Chimney Rock, Nebraska

Chimney Rock is the most iconic site in Nebraska.

Personally,  I first learned about it from a stamp commemorating the Centennial anniversary of Nebraska's statehood. 

It was fascinating,  conjuring memories of the history of the westward bound pioneers. 

I always imagined what it would be like to visit it.

Finally, this was my chance. 

My son was not familiar with it, so I tried to explain it to him. 

We arrived early.  The Visitor Center  was not yet open. 

So we walked around. After a while, we saw some cars parked a bit closer in the distance,  and I figured it would be easy enough to navigate my way up there 

And so we went up, and had a very nice view of Chimney Rock. 

There was a lady there, an employee. And we wound up talking for probably over an hour.

We learned a bit about the local history,  and where precisely the Oregon Trail was located. It was in the distance, by a row of trees lined up on either side of the Platte River. 

Of course, that was not all that we talked about. 

She seemed interested that we were from New Jersey,  one of nine states,  I believe,  that she said she had not gone to yet. 

As for her,  she had been born in the eastern part of Nebraska, which she said is completely different from the semi  desert western part of the state that we were in presently. 

We said our goodbye. 

Then we snapped a few more pictures before heading to the next Nebraskan landmark.