Red Cloud (pop. 1,100) was once part of the Omaha, Pawnee and Oto Indians hunting grounds and is now the county seat of Webster County, Nebraska. The town was founded in 1871 and named for an Oglala Sioux chief. The land attracted settlers and it still remains a farming and ranching area.
The Webster County Museum showcases the history of Webster County since 1870 in a 1909 Revival-style mansion. Exhibits include furniture, toys, household items, photographs, and military memorabilia.
Willa Cather who was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, spent six years in Red Cloud. Many of the scenes and characters in her writings are based on the town.
Six structures include her childhood home, the Catholic and Episcopal churches, the Garber Bank, the Burlington Depot, and the Pavelka Farmstead.
Address: Willa Cather Historical Center, 413 North Webster Street, Red Cloud, NE 68970-2550, United States
Phone: 1 (402) 746-2653, Fax: 1 (402) 746-2652
Hours:
April 1 to September 30: 8am-5pm; Sun:12pm-5pm; Sat:9am-5pm
October 1 to March 31: 8am-5pm; Sat:9am-1pm; Closed: Sun
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), American Independance Day (July 4), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Easter - Christian
Tips: Tours: 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. No Sunday morning tours. Three or seven building tour admission available.
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