So today we went over 100 miles out of our way to see a big ball of string…
We had some major things to look forward to today! In fact I think Neil had planned the trip around the first of our sites, as it had originally beenon his plans for our 2016 trip but we just couldn’t fit it in. This one he kept reffering to as the “Centre of the Universe” – but really it was the Geographical Center of the Lower 48 States in Lebanon Kansas. It may be hard to belive but I was also excited to see this as Bill Bryson had written about it in one of my favourite books of his “The Lost Continent” ( It’s hilarious, if you haven’t read it… just do!)
When we’d been researching this trip we kept coming across weirder and quirkier sites and the next one really took my fancy.. from the Centre of the Universe we had another 30 minute drive south to the town of Cawker City which is the home of the Worlds Largest Ball of Sisal Twine. Frank Stoeber started winding twine December 24, 1953 on his farm and soon neighbor farmers started bringing their twine to him. In 1961 his symbol of thrift had grown to such grand proportions that it was moved to town under a shelter so all could see it! Frank has since passed away but the community still adds to the Ball of Twine at the annual Twine-athon held the third weekend of every August. It is a stupendous ball of twine!
IN the same town are two of the cutest AirBnBs you can imagine – they’re old 19230’s Gas stations that have been lovingly restored and turned into mini motels – both had a No Vacancy sign as we passed by so they’re obviously popular.
Neil hasn’t had many military sights to se eon this trip but we snatched a little WWII history in Concordia where we stopped to see the remnants of a Nazi POW Camp. Hard to believ that in amongst the cornfields there were hundreds of germand POWs working aay on the farms..beacuse all the farmers were in germany fighting!
We weren’t finished with Big Things yet… up the road we stopped in to see the World Largest Covered Porch Swing. It really does swing!
Later in the afternoon we finally arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska. It’s the capital city of the state so we had to walk down to take a look at their Capitol building.This one has a tall tower AND a dome – so their covering ll their options.
We also wandered through the historic Haymarket are of the city which had more pubs and craft breweries an a small area than I’d seen anywhere. Nebraska State Capitol. The “Haymarket Square” area bounded by 9th and 10th, Q and R Streets was a tru market area – scales were provided for weighing hay, cattle, and produce. Haymarket Square continued “to provide space for the teams and wagons of country folk, a mart for hay, and a camping ground” well into the 1880s. It became the location for the first City Hall from 1886 until 1906. Over the next century it had fallen into decay but the Lincoln City Council designated the eight-block Haymarket Landmark District in 1982, giving it recognition and protection as a major element of Lincoln’s heritage. The Haymarket has been transformed from a largely vacant, crumbling area into a vibrant part of Downtown Lincoln. Lincoln Station, the Burlington Railroad depot which anchors the west side of the district and the 8th Street loading docks recall the Haymarket’s rail transportation lifeline.
Back at the hotel we enjoyed some complimentary drunks and snacks at the “Evening Reception” before we filled up on really tasty calimari and delicious Pizza in the hotel restaurant. It’s sad to be near the end of the trip but we spent the evening talking about the “best” and “worst”… and really there wasn’t much in the “worst”.
