SCOTTSBLUFF — The Robidoux Trading Post takes visitors back in time, serving as a representation of the family’s second trading post in the Nebraska Panhandle. Historical documents show the trading post provided supplies and blacksmithing to immigrants and the Native population.
“The Robidouxs were one of the very first entrepreneurs in this area that had the trading posts,” Dan Morford, member of The Friends of Robidoux Trading Post, said. “They provided a lot of services and supplies for those immigrants and for the Native Americans that were here, that traded with them.”
Robidoux Trading Post stands at its new location in Gering north of Five Rocks Amphitheater.
The sod-roofed building has been reconstructed with 100-year-old hand-hewn logs and had been located at its original site in Carter Canyon until last year.
The new home for the trading post was well thought out, with its location in Gering just north of Five Rocks Amphitheater and near Robidoux Pass.
“It’ll be fun for the people camping, you know, they can easily walk (to the post),” Barb Netherland, chairman of The Friends of Robidoux Trading Post said.
People are also reading…
Visitors are encouraged to view the outside structure of the fort and glimpse through the windows to see the restoration work that is still underway. The Friends of Robidoux Trading Post is a group of volunteer community members who have taken up care of the post.
History Nebraska CEO who evoked praise and criticism to leave this summer
UNL beginning restoration of Love Library cupola
“We formed mostly to just try to better serve the post, to keep a better eye on it,” Netherland said. “The post had some maintenance issues that needed to be looked at and we just really felt like it needed more attention.”
The group has divided into subcommittees to continue to work on different phases geared toward completing the renovations. Morford is the chairman for the story committee which is charged with designing the interior exhibits as well as the interpretive signage for the outside of the post. The displays will feature items that will depict the Native and fur trade life of the 1850s as well as blacksmith tools.
Landscape additions comprised of plants native to the area are also planned.
A portion of the Robidoux Trading Post will most likely be roped off for visitors to see a display of blacksmithing tools, fur trade items and other things immigrants may have stopped at the fort to restock on.
“Our hope is to be able to open the post — at least occasionally — and make it into a fun, educational experience,” Netherland said. “And it is an opportunity to demonstrate local history.”
She said to this point the projects have been completed by volunteers and funded primarily through Scotts Bluff County Tourism and Gering Keno revenues. The City of Gering and Scotts Bluff National Monument have supported the renovation with preservation guidance and expertise.
editor’s pick alert top story
Several residential projects in or near downtown, including the 250-foot-tall Lied Place Residences, will open to residents this year.
editor’s pick alert top story
Delta Nelson’s entire life has been rooted in the auto industry, so it only made sense when she decided to open The Mechanix Garage in Lincoln.
editor’s pick alert top story
Downtown Lincoln’s population is expected to reach 10,000 in 2025 — a 730% increase since 2010.
editor’s pick alert top story
The history, culture and DNA of the Cornhusker state are woven throughout the Scarlet, which is scheduled to open this spring.
editor’s pick alert top story
Robin Eschliman’s annual review of restaurants in Lincoln found more dining options opened in 2021 than shut down.
editor’s pick alert top story
Over $2 billion worth of inventory was sold online through HiBid in 2021, and there are typically anywhere from 700,000 to 1 million items listed on the site at any given time.
Assurity’s Jack Douglas moved with his wife from South Carolina in 2020, the height of the pandemic.
editor’s pick alert top story
What started as an ambitious vision in 2015 has nearly come to fruition for Speedway Properties and Nelnet, which partnered together and bought more than a dozen properties in the once-blighted area in the 2010s.
editor’s pick alert top story
Union Bank & Trust executive vice president Doris Robertson attributes the bank’s recent success in part to the innovations the company made during the early days of the pandemic.
editor’s pick alert top story
Before Boxcar BBQ officially served its first slab of ribs to a paying customer in October, the staff experimented with hundreds of pounds of meat and dozens of tweaks to their recipes.
Even when the work is hard and frustrating, Jayne Ellenwood says it fills her bucket to be a part of Bryan’s response to the community.
editor’s pick alert top story
The golf club that opened in 2001 has gone private and among its new features will be a 250-foot-long lazy river, an adults-only pool with a swim-up bar and a six-lane competition lap pool.
editor’s pick alert top story
“I wrote thank-you cards to anyone that spent money with us. … I wrote hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cards,” owner Laurie Frasier said, even if someone only spent a few dollars.
With the South Beltway set to open next year, some developers worry the city isn’t thinking aggressively enough about spurring growth in an area still largely unserved by sewer and other infrastructure.
editor’s pick alert top story
Jason Ball returns home to lead the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce with determination to “keep the ball rolling” for Lincoln as the city develops and grows.
CHI Health plans to open a new clinic at 40th Street and Yankee Hill Road, while Bryan Health will wrap up a multiyear expansion and renovation at its East Campus hospital.
editor’s pick topical alert top story
Each of the eight Schulz Poultry barns holds 45,000 birds, which arrive at just a couple hours old and spend the next 42-44 days in the barns before going to Fremont for processing.
Jada Picket Pin said she enjoys serving first-time visitors to the Green Gateau, as well as regulars who return for the excellent food and quality service.
editor’s pick alert top story
Christina Melgoza has seen big changes in Lincoln during her eight years as director of lot sales at Kreuger Development. She spoke to the Journal Star about Lincoln’s growth, the housing market and more.
Since CompanyCam’s inception, more than 400 million photos have been stored and 15 million projects created largely by contractors looking to better document their work.
Monolith led a record year for investment in Lincoln-based companies, which collectively raised nearly $300 million in venture capital in 2021.
editor’s pick alert top story
Many employees moved to remote work during COVID-19, a trend that’s likely to stick around, experts say. But other pandemic effects, such as labor shortages and pay increases, are likely to be short-term changes.
A fundraising campaign brought in more than $10.3 million for the 7 acres of land near the airport and the 60,000-square-foot new office building and warehouse, almost doubling the Food Bank’s current space.
Jay Foreman, Erick Strickland and Vershan Jackson have shows on the The Ticket, which also has programs featuring 22 current Nebraska athletes.
The Journal Star invited businesses and other offices celebrating an anniversary divisible by five this year to share their history with readers.
The Journal Star invited readers to share honors that businesses or employees received as best of state, region or nation. Also included is a recap of the major awards presented by business organizations locally.
In June, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce resumed ribbon-cutting events to mark new businesses, businesses with new owners, relocated and renovated businesses, business anniversaries and ground-breaking ceremonies.