The Blue River Rest Area, located between Seward and Milford on I-80 at Mile Marker 381 is now open for business and the summer travel season.
Travel counselors for the summer include hosts Jenny Taylor, Connie Endicott and Clark Kolterman. Known affectionately as Nebraska Know-It-Alls, the team offers travel tips and insights to the I-80 travelers. The three recently participated in an orientation session with the State Travel Office in Kearney with counselors across the state. There are 10 official information centers for Nebraska this season.
All three Seward County counselors are returning, seasoned veterans in offering travel advice and have served as summer hosts for years at the Blue River Rest Stop. Their travel counter is open every day during the summer from May 15 to Sept. 13, with hours from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. and features new Nebraska Tourism printed materials- including the new, free printed road maps and the State of Nebraska “Traveler” official travel magazine.
A major feature at the Blue River Rest Area is the sculpture “Arrival” by the late Paul Von Ringleheim of New York, The sculpture was dedicated in 1976 as one of the eight Bicentennial sculptures in the “500-mile Sculpture Garden” and sits in a beautiful, parklike setting. It will be rededicated again this year on July 4 at 1 p.m. by the Nebraska Arts Council and area groups.
To visit “Arrival,” travelers can use the new cement walking path through a wooded area on the west side or cross a wonderful cement Brutalistic bridge to the artwork. The bridge is one of the only several Brutalistic bridges in Nebraska.
The I-80 Rest Area also features the historical marker honoring Standing Bear and the Ponca Tribe. The Ponca Tribe, led by Chief Standing Bear, traveled through the area to their reservation in Oklahoma. Standing Bear’s daughter and granddaughter are buried at Prairie Mound Cemetery near the rest area.
“We are excited to host the travelers in Nebraska and encourage them to visit some of the wonderful attractions,” Endicott said.
“This is a special year to travel as we celebrate USA-250,” Kolterman said. “There are many special events in our area area - such as the USA-250 exhibit at the Nebraska National Guard Museum in Seward or the big Seward Fourth of July Celebration, Nebraska’s Official Fourth of July City, celebrating the semiquincentennial ‘One Nation - Many Stories.’”
“We have a beautiful, park setting, with lovely trees and nice facilities and welcome all who visit our rest area,” Taylor said. “Our rest area is the last stop before Lincoln and one of the busiest in the state and we are ready to host all for the new travel summer. Welcome to Nebraska.”
For more information contact visitnebraska.com.
