From Quilts to Gallery: The Chadron open art journey

Porter Anderson

Discover Northwest Nebraska

I had the privilege of interviewing Buff Tewahade, co-founder of Chadron Open Art. This unique community art space provides a platform for people to share their creative work, regardless of their skill level. Unlike traditional galleries, where art is often for sale, Chadron Open Art focuses on fostering a supportive environment where individuals can freely express their ideas without the pressure to compete.

Buff Tewahade, along with Mary Donahue, Daniel Anderson, Trudy Denham, Daniel Bowen, and Susan Rolfsmeier, works tirelessly to organize free art shows that benefit the local community. Their short-term goals involve exploring diverse themes to engage every facet of the creative community. Looking ahead, they aim to create easy access to the basement, providing additional space for workshops and events. Whether through courses, gallery exhibitions, gatherings, or open mic nights, they want Chadron Open Art to be a welcoming space that defies the intimidating connotations often associated with the word “gallery.”

Chadron Open Art isn’t driven by profit; instead, it thrives on a genuine love for art and a desire to connect with the local artistic community. Recently, I attended their latest show, a collaboration with the Northwest Nebraska Trails Association. The event featured live music, art spanning various skill levels, and a vibrant community spirit. I extend my gratitude to Buff and the entire Chadron Open Art team for allowing me to delve into their history and mission.

Below is part 1 of my interview with Buff Tewahade, followed by a link to the rest of the interview.

Agate Fossil Beds to host regional volksmarch event

The Northwest Nebraska Trails Association and several other partners will bring the third annual Northwest Nebraska Volksmarch to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument this spring.

The event will take place May 18, with 5K and 10K walking options available starting at the Agate Fossil Beds visitor center.

Volksmarches, a non-competitive form of fitness walks, became popular in Europe in the 1960s.

While this is the third year for the Northwest Nebraska Volksmarch, it represents a step forward for the organization and sanctioning of the event. The Northwest Nebraska Trails Association has worked with the Nebraska Wander Freunde Trailblazers out of Omaha for the last two years to bring volksmarching to the region. However, NNTA is now a recognized member of the American Volkssport Association and can sanction events on its own.

“The Northwest Nebraska Trails Association is excited to be able to independently sanction and host volksmarch events,” said Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp, who serves as the volksmarch club manager for NNTA. “We are grateful for the training and support we’ve received from the Trailblazers the past two years. Our initial events drew more than 50 participants each from across four to five states. The volksmarch trails and the annual event is a great way to learn more about the trails across Northwest Nebraska, the mission of NNTA and the region as a whole.”

In addition to the May 18 volksmarch, NNTA has three sanctioned walks that can be completed at any time. The trails at Agate Fossil Beds are sanctioned as a seasonal volksmarch, while volksmarches at Chadron State College and along the White River Trail are sanctioned with year-round availability. Walkers can complete the walks and get their stamps through an online process at ava.org or by stopping at the Chadron Chamber of Commerce and asking for the volksmarch start box.

Pre-registration for the Northwest Nebraska Volksmarch May 18 is not required but is open at https://bit.ly/3vugnOb. Enter Harrison as the starting city to navigate to the Northwest Nebraska Volksmarch page. Those who register by April 29 will receive a free t-shirt. Registration will also be available the day of the walk. The cost to walk is $4/person; children in strollers are free. Participants can begin their volksmarch anytime between 8-11 a.m. and must report back in by 2 p.m.

Tourism industry awards presented

Chadron State Park, Randy Kane and Carrie Frahm were announced as the award winners for the second annual tourism industry honors April 4.

The awards were presented at the fourth annual Treasure Chest of the Northwest event, which gathers members of the region’s tourism industry together for networking, a brochure exchange and informational programs. More than 80 industry members attended to watch the awards ceremony and take part in the activities.

Chadron State Park was named Business/Attraction of the Year for the region. Established in 1921, the park attracts an annual visitation of over 400,000 people, providing a significant economic impact to the community all year. Randy Kane, a volunteer at the Museum of the Fur Trade, was recognized for his efforts as Volunteer of the Year. Kane engages visitors to the museum and is knowledgeable about the many Northwest Nebraska historical events. The Frontline Employee of the Year went to Carrie Frahm of Perk Up Java in Crawford for making every visitor feel welcome and sharing information on what there is to see and do in the area with them.

Other nominees for the awards this year included Runza, Wild’s Bar and Grill staff members Cody Kronhofman and Willow Davies and Chadron State Park office manager Debbon Shields.

“One of Northwest Nebraska’s greatest assets is its people, and the tourism industry awards are meant to recognize the people who make it an enjoyable experience to visit the region. All of our nominees and award winners go above and beyond every day, making them tremendous mentors to those around them as we seek to grow the industry,” said Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp. “Once again, our Treasure Chest workshop was a success as it saw growth over last year. The event is a great opportunity to network with colleagues and prepare for the upcoming tourism season.”

Treasure Chest will take place again in April 2025, and nominations for the industry awards are open now on a rolling basis until March 1, 2025. Nominations can be submitted online at https://discovernwnebraska.com/industry-awards/.

Laure Sinn of the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center presented tourism industry awards April 4 at the Treasure Chest of the Northwest industry workshop sponsored by Discover Northwest Nebraska, Chadrad Communications and Chadron Chamber of Commerce. From left: Volunteer of the Year Randy Kane, Frontline Employee of the Year Carrie Frahm and Business/Attraction of the Year Chadron State Park.

Tourism award nominees announced

By Kerri Rempp

Discover Northwest Nebraska

The nominees are in!

The Northwest Nebraska region has submitted nominations for the second annual tourism industry awards, presented in three categories: Business/Attraction of the Year, Frontline Employee of the Year, and Tourism Volunteer of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the fourth annual Treasure Chest of the Northwest tourism industry workshop, scheduled for April 4 at the Dawes County Fairgrounds. Doors will open at 5 p.m., with the event set to start at 5:30 p.m. The evening will include a brochure swap, networking opportunities, a local business perspective by Valerie Homrighausen of Prairie Agate Rock Shop, and presentations on collaboration, the 2023 tourism season and more.

Anyone working in the tourism industry in Dawes and Sioux counties is invited to attend. RSVPs are due to director@discovernwnebraska.com or 308-432-3006 by March 29.

This year’s award nominees are:

Chadron State Park: Chadron State Park is Nebraska’s first state park, established in 1921. The park celebrated 100 years in 2021 and has a annual celebration each June with music, vendors, food and lots of kid activities. The park attracts an annual visitation of over 400,000 people a year, with roughly half coming from in-state and half out-of-state. The park provides a huge economic impact to the community all year long, hosting hunters in the shoulder seasons and ark visitors for camping and activities during the summer. Chadron State Park is a hidden gem, but we are happy to share it with all visitors.

Runza: I absolutely love going to the Runza Restaurant in Chadron, NE – not only is their food wonderful, but I thoroughly enjoy ALL of their employees. They are super nice, welcoming, always in good moods, and remember me and what I want to order. They are always super helpful and nice to all of those people who visit and order food, no matter if they are local or are visiting “tourists.” It is definitely a place that anyone can stop by and feel like the people who work there “make their day.” Jackson – the manager – really keeps all his people going and in a very positive mood. I look forward to stopping by there even just to say “hi!”

Carrie Frahm: Just stepping into the Perk Up Coffee place – one feels very welcome and wanted. It is such a pleasure to talk to Carrie Frahm whether it is ordering something or letting her know what is going on around the area so that she can share it with her customers, too. The place is great to look around with the historical photos on the wall or when Carrie has an event in there such as during the Crawford Cattle Call. I definitely believe the Carrie deserves the Frontline Employee of the Year Award.

Cody Kronhofman: Cody Kronhofman works at Wild’s and is a fantastic front line staff member. He not only brings a tenacious attitude to the situation, he is quick, he cares about his guests and the business he is working with and it shows by the hospitality that he brings to the table. Cody always remembers exactly what I like to drink for lunch, the additional items that I really enjoy with my meal that I don’t even have to request at this point; he just remembers and makes it happen. He is wonderful at ensuring he greets guests when they arrive and walk into the establishment and treats everyone like a local.

Debbon Shields: Debbon Shields is the new office manager at Chadron State Park. She has been revamping the gift shop with new and improved items, along with making it look great with new paint and carpet. She has been working with local businesses to provide products for our gift shop. Her customer relations is excellent and that is also true for the employees she works with. Debbon has been a huge asset to the park and we are very fortunate to have her.

Willow Davies: Willow Davies, an employee at Wild’s is a wonderful front line worker who shows her diligence through urgency in how she moves within the restaurant that she works. Willow has a great memory and usually does not have to write down your order. Not only that, she is able to remember folks “go to” meal on a regular basis, making us here feel like we have a true local sense of belonging. Willow is very speedy, precise, and detailed. She has great customer service skills that translates over within hospitality and how she works with each guest that come in to dine.

Randy Kane: Randy Kane is an AWESOME volunteer!!! He volunteers out at The Museum of the Fur Trade and every time I go out there, especially with Upward Bound High School Students, he gets them engaged with his presentation and scavenger hunt, throughout the museum including the outside teepee and original site of the Fur Trade Store. Randy is extremely knowledgeable about a great many historical events, people, items – artifacts in the museum that he makes it an adventure every time we visit.

No Better Direction…For You

Flat. Boring. Plain. Not here.

Everything you think you know about Nebraska will be turned on its head when you visit Northwest Nebraska.

After all, There’s No Better Direction…

For Biking

Whether you’re exploring the trails at Chadron State Park, Fort Robinson State Park or on the Pine Ridge Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands, you’ll find bike trails for every skill level surrounded by scenery ranging from a sea of grassland landscape to towering buttes covered in Ponderosa pine.

For Hiking

Explore those same trails on foot or escape to Toadstool Geologic Park to hike through a lunar landscape and end up at Hudson-Meng Bison Education and Research Center, a bison kill site nestled in the surrounding grasslands with 11,000 years of Paleo-Indian history. Or hike to the top of the bluffs at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument to survey mammal fossils dating back 20 million years and then return to the visitors’ center to learn about Chief Red Cloud’s relationship with rancher James Cook through a collection of artifacts presented to the rancher by Red Cloud and other Lakota.

For Night Skies

It’s true, we don’t have large metro areas in Northwest Nebraska, but we make up for it with spectacular views of the night sky. Whether you’re camping out under the stars or just want to take a quick stroll outside after dark…look up for the light show.

For The Wild West

What’s your definition of the Wild West? Rodeos? We’ve got ‘em. Visit Crawford over the Fourth of July for the third oldest PRCA rodeo in Nebraska – the Old West Trail Rodeo. Add more western fun at the Sioux County Fair rodeos in Harrison or the Senior Pro Rodeo in Crawford. Quirky events? Check out the World Championship Buffalo Chip Throw during Fur Trade Days in Chadron, the Rubber Check Race during the Dawes County Fair or hog wrestling at both the Sioux and Dawes county fairs. Little to no pavement? We got you! With 1,300 miles of gravel and natural earth roads, Northwest Nebraska’s Roads Less Traveled trips get you off the highway and onto the backroads. Keep an eye peeled for beautiful scenery, wildlife and explore out-of-the-way attractions. Bonus: The routes are great drives but also fantastic gravel grinding options if you prefer two wheels. Frontier History? That’s here, too. Explore the Museum of the Fur Trade or pay your respects at Fort Robinson State Park, where Crazy Horse was killed and the Cheyenne Outbreak took place.

For Sitting Around The Campfire

Tent camping? Traveling in an RV? Set up in Northwest Nebraska. Explore during the day and relax under the stars at night. From fully equipped hook-ups at two state parks to boondocking or pitching a tent on the National Forest Service and everything in between at several private locations, Northwest Nebraska captures the essence of what it means to get away from it all.

For Sitting in the Saddle

Horse lovers love Northwest Nebraska. Stay at the recently updated horse campgrounds at Fort Robinson State Park, once home to the largest remount station for the U.S. Cavalry, or head to Robert’s Tract Campground for a more remote option. Consider one of the many private ranch stays available through Northwest Nebraska High Country for even more options for you and your equine companion. No horse? No problem. Both Fort Robinson and Chadron State Parks offer trail rides.

For So Much More

Drop a line in a trout stream. Paddle your kayak across a quiet pond or lake. Launch your boat at Box Butte State Recreation Area. Chase big game. The opportunities are endless.

For You. Here. This Year

What are you waiting for? Discover Northwest Nebraska

Start planning your trip today. The 2024 Northwest Nebraska Travel Guide is available online or can be mailed upon request.

Tourism industry invited to annual event

CHADRON – Northwest Nebraska tourism industry professionals will have a chance to network with each other during the fourth annual Treasure Chest of the Northwest April 4, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. at the Dawes County Fairgrounds Event Center.

Discover Northwest Nebraska has once again teamed up with Chadrad Communications and the Chadron Chamber of Commerce to host the event.

Three tourism awards will be presented to the Frontline Employee of the Year, the Business/Attraction of the Year and the Tourism Volunteer of the Year. Nominations for the awards are open until March 1 at https://discovernwnebraska.com/industry-awards/.

In addition to the awards, attendees will have the opportunity to network and exchange ideas and information with each other and hear from several speakers during the workshop to prepare for the upcoming tourism season. A brochure exchange will be offered, and attendees will have chances to win several prizes.

Event coordinators, business/attraction managers, owners and employees are invited to enjoy heavy appetizers provided by B&B Catering, networking and informational sessions. Invitations will be mailed out soon, but anyone who works in the Dawes & Sioux County tourism industry and wants to attend can do so, regardless of whether or not they receive an invitation. RSVPs are required, however, so interested individuals are asked to contact Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp.

Tickets are $5 per person, payable at the door to B&B Catering by cash or check. RSVPs are due March 29 to director@discovernwnebraska.com, or by calling 308-432-3006.

Nominations open for Northwest Nebraska tourism industry awards

Nominations are now open for Discover Northwest Nebraska’s annual tourism industry awards. The awards recognize outstanding people and businesses participating in the regional tourism industry.

Nominations are open for awards in three categories: Frontline Employee of the Year, Tourism Business/Attraction of the Year and Tourism Volunteer of the Year.

“Our tourism industry professionals work hard each year to provide a fun, affordable vacation to hundreds of thousands of visitors to Northwest Nebraska,” said Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp. “We want to honor outstanding performances by the employees and businesses that contribute so much to the economic activity of the region.”

The travel and tourism industry generates more than $25 million in direct travel spending by visitors annually in Dawes and Sioux counties and supports more than 200 jobs.

The award winners will be announced this spring at the annual Treasure Chest of the Northwest industry gathering hosted by Discover Northwest Nebraska, Chadrad Communications and the Chadron Chamber of Commerce. Nominations are due March 1, 2024, and can be submitted online at http://discovernwnebraska.com/industry-awards/ or by contacting Rempp at 308-432-3006 or at director@discovernwnebraska.com.

Community invited to help plan creative development

An ongoing effort to designate a portion of Chadron as a Nebraska Arts Council creative district will take its next step in January, and the community is invited to help shape the priorities during a strategic planning session.

The proposed creative district includes the Chadron State College and Chadron High School campuses, Memorial Park, the Dawes County Courthouse, Chadron Arts Center, Chadron Public Library and the Downtown Historical District. A task force that includes representatives from the college, tourism, city, chamber, Museum of the Fur Trade and Chadron Open Art has already completed the initial application steps and conducted a site visit with the Nebraska Arts Council.

“The next step is to prioritize what we as a community would like to see happen within the proposed creative district boundaries over the next five years,” said Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp. “We had several public meetings in 2022, but want to solicit additional public comment before submitting our strategic plan.”

The community is invited to attend the upcoming session of the Northwest Nebraska Regional Planning meeting where the focus will be on the creative district’s development. The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 10 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Platte Valley Bank Community Room in Chadron.

“We’d love to hear from artists and creators and those who enjoy their works as we determine priorities for the next five years,” Rempp said. “The designation as a creative district through the Nebraska Arts Council has the potential to increase exposure for the downtown area, along with our local and regional artists and businesses.”

Carter P. Johnson Lake and dam to be decommissioned

By Shawna Richter-Ryerson

Nebraska Game and Parks

Nebraska Game and Parks will decommission and remove the dam at Carter P. Johnson Lake at Fort Robinson State Park for the safety of the public. Once the dam is removed, Soldier Creek will be restored to a natural flowing state to enhance trout fishing in the region.

The 480-foot-long earthen dam, built in 1935, was reclassified as a high-hazard-potential dam in February 2020 by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. It has since been found to be deficient in three areas that could lead to its sudden or complete failure. These include:

a high probability of erosion and failure of the dam’s auxiliary spillway during floods;
concerns about potential leaks in the spillway conduit running through the dam; and
the potential for excessive seepage and erosion through an open gravel layer just below the ground surface in the foundation of the dam.

Should the dam fail, the potential for loss of life at Soldier Creek Campground and across U.S. Highway 20, both about 4½ miles downstream, is unacceptable to both Game and Parks and NeDNR.

Since 2020, Game and Parks has worked with engineering and environmental consultants to identify solutions that would avoid removing the dam. Consultants estimated it would cost at least $11 million to replace the dam with a structure that meets the more rigorous design and safety standards required of dams classified as high hazard.

In late 2023, Game and Parks developed plans to safely remove the dam and restore this section of Soldier Creek in a manner that would enhance the trout fishery and public access on portions of the creek above and below the current lake.

“Our goal is to mitigate the loss of Carter P. Johnson Lake with enhanced angling opportunities in Soldier Creek,” said Jim Swenson, Game and Parks deputy director. “Soldier Creek is a popular destination in northwest Nebraska for anglers seeking trout fishing opportunities.”

“We know the lake holds a special place in the hearts and minds of those living in northwest Nebraska, the guests who have visited there, as well as staff who have invested time and talent into maintaining the lake and providing fishing opportunities,” he added. “This is a difficult but necessary decision. Fortunately, and thanks to our Fisheries team, we have recently worked to enhance angling opportunities at Fort Robinson and make stream enhancements in the region, each of which offer excellent and diverse fishing opportunities.”

Recent renovations and angler access improvements have been made at the three Ice House Ponds, three Grable ponds and Cherry Creek Pond at Fort Robinson. These built upon already good fishing opportunities at Soldier Creek, Wood Reserve Ponds, White River and Cherry Creek Diversion Pond.

Game and Parks is committed to continuing to provide quality fisheries at lakes and streams throughout the region and will continue to improve access to those water bodies at Fort Robinson SP.

Staff will begin to drain the lake this fall to dry out the lakebed and surrounding soils so the dam can be removed.

Learn more about dam classifications and requirements at dnr.nebraska.gov/dam-safety.

Carlson stepping down as curator

By Kerri Rempp

Discover Northwest Nebraska

A visitor from Belgium found his way from a toy convention in New York to the Dawes County Historical Museum to view the Heesacker toy collection and the Erixson doll collection.

A local resident recently donated items to add a Vietnam exhibit to the military room, where Curator Phyllis Carlson enjoys the personal connections to Fort Robinson, where she lived during its time as a military post when her dad was stationed there and her uncle ran the bakery.

Personal stories are shared while visitors stroll through the Dawes County Historical Museum connecting points on a timeline, from Dawes County’s earliest days to the present, as young students bring their families back to the museum after taking part in Frontier Day.

“It’s like walking through your own history,” said Carlson, who retired as curator in October after 10 years at the helm.

Carlson, a retired teacher who taught in Sheridan and Dawes counties for 30 years, was first introduced to the museum through her in-laws. Father-in-law Dave Carlson served on the board, while mother-in-law Irene volunteered. In the summers, when she wasn’t teaching, Carlson would work at the museum as a volunteer alongside Irene.

When Belle Lecher was ready to retire as curator, the board reached out to Carlson about taking on the position.

“I could see the value of the place, and the goal of preserving the history of Dawes County,” Carlson said.

The Dawes County Historical Museum has a good base of volunteers, and she set a goal to get them more involved in the day-to-day aspects.

“I wanted to try to find ways to integrate our volunteers.”

She wanted the museum to be a place where volunteers enjoyed a positive attitude, cooperation and like values and goals while they worked to preserve the county’s history. Volunteers have taken on expanded roles with maintaining the exhibits, membership and research requests and record-keeping. In return, they’ve learned even more about the museum.

“It gave them ownership,” Carlson said.

Two major exhibits were added to museum during Carlson’s tenure, each requiring construction to house them. The Marcus Cain machinery collection from the Cullen family is a one-of-a-kind collection of farm equipment, all built by Marcus Cain during growth in the agricultural sector of the county. The museum raised funds to construct a building to house the equipment, and actually built it around the machinery. The collection has been featured in several agricultural publications, including Nebraska Farmer.

The Doll House was constructed to house a collection of an estimated 3,000 dolls donated by Clara and Richard Erixson. Clara was a doll maker and restorer in Lincoln for 20 years and had been searching for the right place to donate the collection. After the couple relocated to Crawford and visited the museum, they selected it as the recipient.

“It was her life’s work,” Carlson said. An endowment fund and grants made it possible to construct the Doll House, an addition to the museum’s Cove building.

It’s always a challenge to determine which donations to accept, Carlson said. A family considering a donation of an exhibit treasures the item.

“It meant a lot to the people, to the family,” Carlson said. But the museum is limited on space and must determine if the item or collection reflects a stage of growth in Dawes County first and foremost. Other considerations include the item’s condition and whether the museum already has the same item in its collection.

Over the years, the museum board, volunteers and curator have worked to create a museum that encompasses Native American history, settlement, agricultural and business growth, railroad expansion and more.

“It hits all aspects of life,” said Carlson, who when pressed, said she especially enjoys the doll and surgical collections.

The museum also hosts several events each year, including Frontier Day, when local students get to attend school each May in the one-room schoolhouse on the museum property. A lot of students have made memories over the years at Frontier Day, and often bring their families to the museum and guide them on a tour.

Outside of Frontier Day, the museum strives to make its exhibits kid-friendly so children can connect with the past on their level. During a tour, kids can take part in a scavenger hunt, try their hand at using an old-fashioned typewriter and rotary phone or have a tea party in the Doll House.

Each September, History in Action Day encourages visitors of all ages to explore days gone by as they churn butter, shell corn and press apples. The summer Garden Party highlights an aspect of the museum and provides a closer look at some of the exhibits.

In 2022, the Dawes County Historical Museum hosted a Smithsonian exhibit on rural America and took part in the Nebraska State Tourism Passport Program.

“It was a thrill to do the Passport Program. It was just wonderful,” Carlson said.

The museum is unique in that it allows visitors to see and touch the exhibits up close.

“It’s not behind glass,” Carlson said, noting that one visitor remarked that of the 200-300 county museums he’d visited, Dawes County was the best.

During her decade as curator, Carlson has worked to grow the museum’s outreach and reputation.

She writes “Meanwhile Back at the Museum,” a feature for the monthly Golden Age Courier publication owned by the museum, established a Facebook presence and expanded its quarterly newsletter to 12 pages. She also designed posters, brochures, business cards and merchandise for the museum and oversaw the launch of a new website.

With the support of the board, she also created an extensive advertising campaign.

“(Advertising) has really brought the museum to the forefront,” she said. “Our outreach is much bigger than it was.”

The museum now receives research requests from overseas through its Facebook page and welcomed visitors from 9 foreign countries, 65 Nebraska cities and 41 states as of mid-October.

“The board has been great to work with, very supportive,” Carlson said, making it possible for all the accomplishments to happen. Rex Cogdill will take over as curator for the next year to continue the positive growth.

Though she’s stepping down as curator, Carlson plans to continue to volunteer at the museum.

“My whole 10 years have been a labor of love,” she said. “The people I’ve worked with have all made it such a pleasant journey.”

From Quilts to Gallery: The Chadron open art journey

Agate Fossil Beds to host regional volksmarch event

Tourism industry awards presented

Tourism award nominees announced

No Better Direction…For You

For Biking

For Hiking

For Night Skies

For The Wild West

For Sitting Around The Campfire

For Sitting in the Saddle

For So Much More

For You. Here. This Year

Tourism industry invited to annual event

Nominations open for Northwest Nebraska tourism industry awards

Community invited to help plan creative development

Carter P. Johnson Lake and dam to be decommissioned

Carlson stepping down as curator

Sign-up to Our Newsletter

Visit Us

Explore