Copyright NEBRASKAland Magazine, 1987. Reprinted with permission.

Visitor center interprets history of fort and region.

The Harold W. Andersen Visitor Center

Dedicated in May 1986, the Harold W. Andersen Visitor Center at Fort Atkinson is the focal point for the interpretation of the fort's history. It is a history dominated by two themes, that of the fort itself, and that of the exploration and commercial development of the Missouri River basin in which the fort played a significant role.

Five bas-relief murals, sculpted in brick by Lincoln artist Jack Curran, decorate the walls of the center, depicting people and events important in fort history; and life-size mannequins dressed in historically accurate garb of a Rifle Regiment soldier and an Oto Indian, dominate the lobby.

In the center's theater, a short film shown hourly from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily throughout the summer season, introduces Fort Atkinson and its role in the history of the region.

From the theater, visitors can enter the first of two galleries housing historical displays. The first develops the theme "Building an Empire." Here, displays introduce the Indian tribes of the area, the coming of the Europeans and Americans, and the exploration of the area. Additional displays highlight the treaty-making process, the mountain men and the fur trade, and the importance of the Missouri River itself, "the first highway to the west." Among the displays is a detailed reproduction of the unusual air gun carried by Meriwether Lewis.

Dominating the south wall of the gallery is a group of mannequins depicting the peace treaty negotiations with the Pawnee Indians in 1825. Animated by four film projectors, it creates an extraordinarily life-like illusion.

The socond gallery focuses specifically on Fort Atkinson itself, giving an interpretive overview of the site, and tying American military expansion to the commercial growth and exploration introduced in the first gellery. The building and operations of the fort are explained, the typical equipment of a soldier is displayed, and the fort's activities are outlined. A minutely detailed scale model of the fort and its environs illustrates the surprising expanse of the fort in its prime. Displays and interpretive material in both galleries were prepared by the Nebraska State Historical Society.

The center was built with funds provided by the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, including major donations from the Burlington Northern Foundation and the Peter Kiewit Foundation. It is named for Harold W. Andersen, president of the Omaha World-Herald, in tribute to his leadership of the Foundation and his efforts in the preservation of Nebraska's historic sites.