With our community spirit and can-do attitudes, there’s nothing Nebraskans can’t do when we set our minds to it. The perfect example occurred in the small town of Bruno in 1988. Herman Ostry and his family had a barn that needed to be moved out of the way of floodwaters. After obtaining quotes from various moving companies, the family decided that they simply couldn’t afford to have the barn moved the conventional way. So they did what any other Nebraskan family would do: they hatched a seemingly crazy plan and then asked their neighbors to pitch in. This weird story about Nebraska is one you must hear.
The barn in question (not pictured here, but similar) weighed nearly 6,640 pounds.
Tim Vrtiska/Flickr He reasoned that if a large group of people were band together to physically pick up the barn to move it, the weight each person had to carry would be manageable.
He figured that the steel grid needed to stabilize the barn and give people handholds would add an additional 3,100 pounds, making the total weight just under five tons.
Tim Vrtiska/Flickr So by his calculations, if 350 people pitched in to pick up the barn and move it, each one would only need to carry about 55 pounds.
So that’s what they did.
YouTube/Dennis Marquardt Because we Nebraskans are such helpful people - and because, let’s face it, we love being part of a good story - 344 volunteers stepped up to do the job.
They moved the barn, is what is perhaps the most literal definition of a “barn raising” ever.
Ammodramus/Wikipedia The town of Bruno is close-knit and proud, and this epic barn moving is one of their greatest triumphs.
You can watch this incredible feat for yourself:
Tim Vrtiska/Flickr
He reasoned that if a large group of people were band together to physically pick up the barn to move it, the weight each person had to carry would be manageable.
So by his calculations, if 350 people pitched in to pick up the barn and move it, each one would only need to carry about 55 pounds.
YouTube/Dennis Marquardt
Because we Nebraskans are such helpful people - and because, let’s face it, we love being part of a good story - 344 volunteers stepped up to do the job.
Ammodramus/Wikipedia
The town of Bruno is close-knit and proud, and this epic barn moving is one of their greatest triumphs.
The town of Bruno incorporated the unconventional barn “raising” into their centennial celebration in July of 1988. It really was a perfect example of the community coming together to support a neighbor. On the day of the move, more than 4,000 spectators turned up to watch the event. News crews even came out to catch the whole event on film. It only took a few minutes to move the barn from its original location to its new foundation on higher ground. But from the looks of it, the barn movers had a great time taking part in this memorable project.
This weird story about Nebraska is actually pretty heartwarming and epitomizes the heart of the people in our state. In fact, Nebraska small towns really are the best places to live; here are 10 shining examples of small-town life at its finest.
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Address: Bruno, NE 68014, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Weird Story About Nebraska March 07, 2021 Sarah What are some of the best small towns in Nebraska? Nebraska is, at its core, a state full of small towns. We love our cities, but it’s the small towns where you’ll really see the true Nebraska spirit shining through. With hundreds of small towns all throughout the state, we highlight some of the best in this article. Here’s a sneak peek: Curtis, Nebraska. With its gorgeous location in the Medicine Creek Valley, Curtis is definitely scenic - but its appeal is far more than skin deep. This thriving community is known as Nebraska’s Easter City, and every year they throw a massive Easter pageant that attracts people from all over the country. Avoca is another hidden gem; if you’ve never seen hundreds of people get together to chase ducks down a raceway built on a tennis court, you’ve never been to Avoca in January - and you’re definitely missing out. Duck races? Small town life in Nebraska is anything but boring! What’s some weird history about Nebraska? Plenty of historic events have taken place in Nebraska over the years, but not all of them have made it into common knowledge. Some are so obscure or unusual that they aren’t even found in most history books. For instance, Nebraska was hit by a Japanese balloon bomb in WWII… and no one said a word. And on the topic of small towns, a tiny Nebraska town actually voted itself out of existence. The Thomas County town of Seneca, which was incorporated in 1888, dissolved in 2014 after a year of disputes and acrimony. The incident which began the disputes was regarding an ordinance that barred residents from keeping horses within town limits. Over the course of several months, bickering and bitterness led to the village board voting to dissolve Seneca. The motion won by a single vote. Seneca officially became an unincorporated community in mid-2014. What are some must-visit landmarks in Nebraska? Nebraska has a total of 20 designated National Historic Landmarks and countless other slightly less official, yet equally visit-worthy, historic landmarks. Captain Meriwether Lewis Dredge in Brownville is one of the grandest; named for one half of the famed due Lewis and Clark, the side-wheel steam-powered dredge was used starting in the 1930s to maintain the Missouri River’s navigability. In 1976, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gifted the dredge to the Nebraska State Historical Society. Today it sits on dry land in Brownville and houses the Museum of Missouri River History, which is absolutely fascinating. And in Lincoln, the Nebraska State Capitol Building is a magnificent piece of architecture designed by Bertram G. Goodhue. The interior is full of gorgeous murals, tile mosaics, and historic chambers. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that every Nebraskan should have at least once. Even if you aren’t an architecture fan, this building and its grounds are very impressive.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Weird Story About Nebraska
March 07, 2021
Sarah
What are some of the best small towns in Nebraska? Nebraska is, at its core, a state full of small towns. We love our cities, but it’s the small towns where you’ll really see the true Nebraska spirit shining through. With hundreds of small towns all throughout the state, we highlight some of the best in this article. Here’s a sneak peek: Curtis, Nebraska. With its gorgeous location in the Medicine Creek Valley, Curtis is definitely scenic - but its appeal is far more than skin deep. This thriving community is known as Nebraska’s Easter City, and every year they throw a massive Easter pageant that attracts people from all over the country. Avoca is another hidden gem; if you’ve never seen hundreds of people get together to chase ducks down a raceway built on a tennis court, you’ve never been to Avoca in January - and you’re definitely missing out. Duck races? Small town life in Nebraska is anything but boring! What’s some weird history about Nebraska? Plenty of historic events have taken place in Nebraska over the years, but not all of them have made it into common knowledge. Some are so obscure or unusual that they aren’t even found in most history books. For instance, Nebraska was hit by a Japanese balloon bomb in WWII… and no one said a word. And on the topic of small towns, a tiny Nebraska town actually voted itself out of existence. The Thomas County town of Seneca, which was incorporated in 1888, dissolved in 2014 after a year of disputes and acrimony. The incident which began the disputes was regarding an ordinance that barred residents from keeping horses within town limits. Over the course of several months, bickering and bitterness led to the village board voting to dissolve Seneca. The motion won by a single vote. Seneca officially became an unincorporated community in mid-2014. What are some must-visit landmarks in Nebraska? Nebraska has a total of 20 designated National Historic Landmarks and countless other slightly less official, yet equally visit-worthy, historic landmarks. Captain Meriwether Lewis Dredge in Brownville is one of the grandest; named for one half of the famed due Lewis and Clark, the side-wheel steam-powered dredge was used starting in the 1930s to maintain the Missouri River’s navigability. In 1976, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gifted the dredge to the Nebraska State Historical Society. Today it sits on dry land in Brownville and houses the Museum of Missouri River History, which is absolutely fascinating. And in Lincoln, the Nebraska State Capitol Building is a magnificent piece of architecture designed by Bertram G. Goodhue. The interior is full of gorgeous murals, tile mosaics, and historic chambers. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that every Nebraskan should have at least once. Even if you aren’t an architecture fan, this building and its grounds are very impressive.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Nebraska is, at its core, a state full of small towns. We love our cities, but it’s the small towns where you’ll really see the true Nebraska spirit shining through. With hundreds of small towns all throughout the state, we highlight some of the best in this article. Here’s a sneak peek: Curtis, Nebraska. With its gorgeous location in the Medicine Creek Valley, Curtis is definitely scenic - but its appeal is far more than skin deep. This thriving community is known as Nebraska’s Easter City, and every year they throw a massive Easter pageant that attracts people from all over the country. Avoca is another hidden gem; if you’ve never seen hundreds of people get together to chase ducks down a raceway built on a tennis court, you’ve never been to Avoca in January - and you’re definitely missing out. Duck races? Small town life in Nebraska is anything but boring!
What’s some weird history about Nebraska?
Plenty of historic events have taken place in Nebraska over the years, but not all of them have made it into common knowledge. Some are so obscure or unusual that they aren’t even found in most history books. For instance, Nebraska was hit by a Japanese balloon bomb in WWII… and no one said a word. And on the topic of small towns, a tiny Nebraska town actually voted itself out of existence. The Thomas County town of Seneca, which was incorporated in 1888, dissolved in 2014 after a year of disputes and acrimony. The incident which began the disputes was regarding an ordinance that barred residents from keeping horses within town limits. Over the course of several months, bickering and bitterness led to the village board voting to dissolve Seneca. The motion won by a single vote. Seneca officially became an unincorporated community in mid-2014.
What are some must-visit landmarks in Nebraska?
Nebraska has a total of 20 designated National Historic Landmarks and countless other slightly less official, yet equally visit-worthy, historic landmarks. Captain Meriwether Lewis Dredge in Brownville is one of the grandest; named for one half of the famed due Lewis and Clark, the side-wheel steam-powered dredge was used starting in the 1930s to maintain the Missouri River’s navigability. In 1976, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gifted the dredge to the Nebraska State Historical Society. Today it sits on dry land in Brownville and houses the Museum of Missouri River History, which is absolutely fascinating. And in Lincoln, the Nebraska State Capitol Building is a magnificent piece of architecture designed by Bertram G. Goodhue. The interior is full of gorgeous murals, tile mosaics, and historic chambers. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that every Nebraskan should have at least once. Even if you aren’t an architecture fan, this building and its grounds are very impressive.
