Life as a prisoner is not for me. There's a friendly…read moreattendant at the entrance to guide you and give info annoy the jail. Very interesting especially for my hubby and his friend.

This is a one of a kind place worth visiting. It was a revolving prison that was used from 1885 to…read more1969. It had 3 floors of pie-shaped cells inside a cage. The fourth floor was where the jailer and his family lived. The staff were very nice and knowledgeable about the place. This is not free but your $10 is definitely worth it. Their small gift shop (also were you check in) has shirts, pins, and magnets. This is walking distance from the Union Pacific Railroad Museum which is also another place to see in Council Bluffs.

This is a very simple statement of one family and specifically 2 people Granville Dodge and his…read morewife. The description above does a very good job of telling you what to see. During the summer it is a fountain, although the city has been having problems with the piping and it seems to off frequently. If you take the time to stand or sit by the edge of the fountain there is a quiet presence. That it is even here is a story because when the next generations of the Dodge family left Council Bluffs the stature was dismantled and stored in their basement. Many years later when the property was bought with the intent of restoring it to its original look the statue was found. Eventually, a suitable location was found to place it. A personal side note because I live only a few houses from the angel. While they deny it now the Angel goes through stages of legends being told by the kids nearby. She is said to talk or move possibly even cry at certain times of the year. Full moons and Halloween are considered prime times. None of us can verify if any of the legends are true but I know of several 'now adults' who visited the Angel when they were kids usually without their parent's knowledge or approval.

Yes I'm reviewing another cemetery. My friend has a thing for these black angels scattered through…read moreIowa so we found another one (I previously reviewed one in Iowa City). Locally known in Council Bluffs as the "Black Angel," this statue was inspired by visions experienced by Ruth Anne Dodge, the wife of General Dodge, in 1916 on the three nights preceding her death. This memorial sculpture, dedicated in 1920, represents a dream experienced by Ruth Anne Dodge. The angel, on the prow of a boat, extends her hand and offers the water of life. The solid bronze statue, commissioned by the Dodges' two daughters, was created by Daniel Chester French who call the Black Angel one of his finest works. French is known nationally for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. According to the legend, Mrs. Dodge related to family members that she had a vision of being on a rocky shore and, through a mist, seeing a boat approach. In the prow was a beautiful young woman whom Mrs. Dodge thought to be an angel. The woman carried a small bowl under one arm and extended the other arm toward Mrs. Dodge in an invitation to partake of the water flowing from the vessel. Then, according to accounts later published by Mrs. Dodge's daughter, Anne, the angel spoke twice, saying: "Drink, I bring you both a promise and a blessing." The daughter wrote that the vision came three times to her mother and, on the third visit, Mrs. Dodge took the drink as offered and felt "transformed into a new and glorious spiritual being." Mrs. Dodge died immediately after her supposed third vision, on September 5, 1916. She had died in her sleep at her home in New York. Her body was brought back to Council Bluffs where she was buried in a mausoleum in Walnut Hill Cemetery. The memorial was commissioned in 1917 to Daniel Chester French, the same man who sculpted the statue of the Minute Man in Concord, Massachusetts and the Lincoln Memorial Statue in Washington DC. The ten foot tall angel statue is made of solid bronze. The construction of the statue took approximately two years, and the cost of the statue was reported at around $40,000. Council Bluffs began its fine military record during the Civil War when, in 1861, the attack on Fort Sumter brought four companies of the town's volunteers to the famed Fourth Iowa Infantry. In command was Captain Grenville M. Dodge, later promoted to Colonel, then General. As the War ended, Dodge returned to the Bluffs, built an impressive home on Third Street for his wife, Ruth Anne, and family, and took a job as surveyor and chief engineer for the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. Four years prior to the War, Abraham Lincoln, in a personal visit, had designated Council Bluffs as the eastern terminus for this first transcontinental line. Dodge later built railroads all over the world and was president of seven of them before he died. Grenville's daughters, Anne Dodge and Eleanor Dodge Pusey, commissioned and contributed this city's most valuable work of art in memory of their mother, Ruth Anne Dodge. Located very near to the cemetery where The Black Angel is located, is a monument marking the spot where Abe Lincoln selected this as the terminus of The Union Pacific Railroad. This impressive pylon was erected in July, 1911 and commemorates Abraham Lincoln's visit to the site in 1859. From this site, Lincoln viewed and selected the Eatern Terminus of the first transcontinental railroad built on the United States.

Spectacular views of the whole area looking toward Omaha! We visited near sunset which was an…read moreamazing time to enjoy the scene. It is interesting to ponder that President Lincoln was at this very spot over 160 years ago. Another positive is the short drive through the historic Oakland Ave. neighborhood to get to the monument. Many of the houses are beautiful and well-kept. The nearby Fairview cemetery is also worth a visit.

This is a small monument on a little plaza area located at the end of a small and cozy…read moreneighborhood. If you are driving here, you will find free street parking available within a reasonable walking distance. The area is realtively clean and looks to be in pretty good shape. The monument consists of a tall granite obelisk that was erected in 1911 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to commemorate President Abraham Lincoln's visit to the site in 1859. This is the spot where Lincoln viewed and selected the Eastern Terminus of the first transcontinental railroad built in the US. The bronze plaque on the monument reads as follows: "This monument is to commemorate the visit of Abraham Lincoln to Council Bluffs, Aug 19, 1859. From this point he viewed the extensive panorama of the valley of the Missouri River and in compliance with the law of Congress on November 17, 1863 he selected this city as the eastern terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad." The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. The monument's plaza offers an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding area. The monument is on the top of a hill and I had to take a steep set of stairs to get up there. It was a work out. You will find some benches to sit on around the monument and you will probably need them after transiting up the stairs. As I mentioned, this is a nice spot to visit that give you an awesome view all the way into Omaha, plus there is its historical significance and the opportunity to stand where President Lincoln once stood. This may not be a long consumer of your time. I was there about 15 minutes and moved on to my next destination. I recommend visiting this place on your way to another destination or making this part of another larger itinerary. The Golden Spike and the Black Angel.

The Durham Museum is in the old Union Station. I'm glad they were able to preserve the building…read morebecause it really is spectacular. There are many permanent displays about Omaha history, and there are train cars you can walk through; enthusiastic docents are often there to answer any questions. There are temporary exhibits here as well, and in the summers they will have something cool that the whole family will enjoy. There are lots of programs here, many of them free with admission or membership. I do recommend getting a membership if you think you might want to come at least a couple times in a year. And you probably will want to! There is a soda fountain/snack bar area. The ice cream is great! The food is okay. It's a museum and not a lunch destination. The museum is located right next to Omaha's Old Market.

This was my second time visiting The Durham Museum, and it continues to impress. My first visit was…read moreduring a free event honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and this most recent trip was with a group for the "Negro Motorist Green Book" exhibit. From start to finish, the experience was excellent. The museum provided discounted tickets for our nonprofit group, communicated clearly throughout the planning process, and had a tour guide ready who found us right away. That level of organization and customer care made a big difference. The exhibit itself was powerful and deeply educational, highlighting the history of the Green Book and the realities African American travelers faced during segregation. Through artifacts, photographs, and personal stories, it sparked meaningful conversations--especially among our younger visitors. I also really appreciate the museum's intentionality around inclusivity and programming. You can feel that it's a space designed to educate and welcome a wide range of audiences. The museum itself is on the smaller side, with exhibits primarily on the lower level, which actually made it manageable for our group to move through at different paces. My kids love the super long train you can walk through and the nearby play area. Practical perks matter too--there's plenty of parking (a huge plus), and they even offer umbrella strollers to borrow, which is incredibly thoughtful for families. Overall, a meaningful, well-run experience that I would absolutely recommend--whether you're visiting on your own, with family, or as part of a group.

I randomly saw something about the Thomas Dambo troll exhibit the week before I was due to be in…read moreDes Moines for a dog event, so I made a note to try to stop by on my way home if it worked out. I was done with the event a little after lunch time, so was passing through Omaha at about 3 PM - a couple of hours before the garden closed. It was a cooler, overcast day so it was safe for my dogs to hang out in my car for an hour or so. A good bit of luck, since I'm not sure I would have been able to find a shady parking spot. Admission to the garden is roughly $18 for non-members, and when you buy your ticket with a credit card at the self-serve kiosk it gives you an option to cover credit card fees - which I chose to do so all told I paid $21 to see these trolls. I will not that there is one troll that is outside of the entrance to the garden - the one with the little car - so even if you can't justify the admission price it is still worth taking a few minutes to come see that troll. They are all built of reclaimed wood and recycled materials, with incredible detail right down to their fingernails. While I came primarily to see the trolls, the grounds are beautiful. It is still early enough in spring that just a few things were in bloom, but those things were pretty spectacular - such as the field full of dafodils. There were beautiful plantings of other spring bulbs and several magnolias were in bloom. The gardens have some beautiful hybrids as well as traditional cultivars. The trolls were scattered throughout the gardens, but it was not a difficult walk to see them - though there are some short inclines I think it would take no more than an hour to see all of them if that were your only agenda. There is also a troll tram available for a nominal cost. I found strolling through the gardens to be a peaceful break from highway driving. You can still hear some traffic noise, but there's plenty of birdsong as you get away from the entrance. Each of the trolls was unique, but there wasn't any signage to tell you about their unique personalities (you can look that up online, though - and Thomas Dambo's website is a wonderful rabbit hole to go down if you are so inclined). My favorites were the one with the birdhouses and the buddha-like one in the Japanese garden. I almost left right after seeing all of the trolls, but then decided to exit through the conservatory an I am glad that I did. It was warm and humid inside so I didn't stay for too long, but it is packed with tropical foliage including beautiful orchids, pitcher plants, ferns, tropical trees, and a koi pond with the biggest koi I have seen in a very long time. I didn't have much in the way of expectations of Omaha or these gardens when I thought I'd stop to see the trolls, but I am impressed. People were friendly. The gardens are beautiful and it seems family friendly - a children's playground takes up a good chunk of real estate within the garden - and starting in May four-legged friends can walk with you in the gardens on Monday (I think?) evenings. Well worth a visit.

A must visit spot while in Omaha! We got hit with beautiful 70 degree weather and took advantage of…read moreit by coming here. We got our steps in while admiring the greenery and well thought out flowers. My toddler enjoyed Sophia's garden playground the most. While I enjoyed the super massive greenhouse. There were so many photo opportunities. They don't allow outside food or drinks which is a bummer for those traveling with kids! However, there are two cafes that offered food for purchase. It looks like they offer events during the holidays. Looks especially fun during Christmas time, we'll definitely be back!

Spectacular view and watching the sunset is amazing. The walk is great exercise 3,000 feet and…read moreabout half an hour round trip. Love watching the eddies in the water and the large USA flag flying in the distance. You will come to a place where the state line between Iowa and Nebraska is reflected. It's windy so wear a light jacket.

Really enjoyed walking around the Old Market. It's a cool little pocket of Omaha that's full of…read morecharm. Cobblestone streets, brick buildings, art galleries, quirky shops, and restaurants tucked into alleyways. It's a great place to just wander with no agenda. If you're exploring Omaha, this area is a must!

Brick paved streets and buildings. The was a police officer on a horse clip clopping. We walked…read morearound after lunch and checked out a few stores. I was able to find some souvenirs at the "Old Market Sundries." Make sure you check out the Passageway- loved the green plants. U.S. National Register of Historic Places