Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Tag: Durham Museum

  • Omaha – Durham Museum (1906 Holsman Motor Car)

    This car was produced by the Holsman Automobile Company of Chicago and apparently has a two-cylinder air-cooled engine and chain belt drive, although that means nearly nothing to me. I liked that there’s plenty of information about the car’s history, it was owned by Arthur H. Johnson and his wife Minnie of Columbus, Nebraska.

    There aren’t that many cars from the Holsman Automobile Company left on display around the world, around 25, and there’s only one in England, which is located at Burwell Museum and Windmill in Cambridgeshire. I thought that this was interesting as I’ve never heard of the museum before and it sounds a quirky place which is worth a visit, and their 1907 model is in working order.

  • Omaha – Durham Museum (Terrazzo Floor)

    I’m not claiming that this cross-section of flooring was the most interesting part about my visit to Durham Museum but I have stared at floors in these grand stations before and wondered what they’re made of. OK, it’s likely true that I have too much time to think about these things….

    Anyway, the floor dates to 1931 and is a terrazzo floor which is hard wearing and also decorative. At this railway station the floor was designed to complement the art deco elements of the rest of the Grand Hall. Terrazzo is made of chips of marble which are then poured into a polymeric material, all very much of an art form.

  • Omaha – Durham Museum (Pullman Lounge Car)

    Durham Museum has a few carriages as part of its collection and this is an original lounge car.

    There’s a bar area at one end of the carriage and seating along the sides.

    All rather comfortable, it’s from the golden age of railway travel.

    Copies of menus from the period, dating from 1950. There was an interesting policy that “to expedite and improve service to you please write on meal check each menu item desired, as waiters are not permitted to accept or serve orders given verbally”.

    The extra thick steak cost $5.25, which would have been a considerable sum at the time.

  • Omaha – Durham Museum

    The former entrance to Union Station in Omaha, once one of the largest railway stations in the country. Work started on this building, on the site of the previous station, in 1929 and it opened in January 1931.

    During its busiest period this railway station saw 10,000 passengers go through its doors every day, with 64 passenger trains. It remained in use until 1971 when Amtrak just couldn’t justify keeping it given the falling passenger numbers. The building was nearly demolished, but fortunately it was kept and turned into a museum.

    The interior of the main railway hall. There was much more to this museum than I had anticipated, which I’ll post about separately as the collections were quite extensive. The staff member at the ticket desk was helpful and welcoming, offering a really comprehensive introduction to the museum. There were a large number of school children as part of a science festival, although they were kept to certain parts of the building and didn’t get in the way of visitors.

    It’s a shame that this railway station still isn’t use, especially as the facilities in the replacement Amtrak building are much more limited, but at least it is still standing and can be accessed by the public.