Fort Cody is a must in North Platte

Souvenirs and music highlighted our visit to the Fort Cody Trading Post in North Platte.

A giant-sized Buffalo Bill sign welcomes visitors to the largest souvenir store in Nebraska. You can get almost anything you want there – from jewelry to jellies and jams.

The souvenir shop has been in place for about 50 years. It’s been family-owned since the start.

We checked out the obligatory cowboy hats. I checked out a couple of Civil War soldier hats. I remember wearing them as a kid, when we would travel to my grandpa’s in Arkansas. You can guess which color of hat was popular there. In North Platte, I tried on both sides’ hat. I shan’t say which one fit better.

We picked up quite a few souvenirs for family during that stop.

The trading post is also home to a western museum. Hats and other cowboy memorabilia – including chaps and saddles – are featured.

The must-see is a two-headed calf on display.

The museum has a wild west show consisting of miniatures. The display features more than 20,000 hand-carved pieces, according to the store’s website, www.fortcody.com. It took about 12 years to complete the work.

The outside of Fort Cody is interesting. You see mannequins dressed as Calvary troops standing guard. I got a kick out of one leaning over the top of the fort with an arrow sticking out of his bum.

Inside the fort, it’s a pioneer museum. Wagons are on display throughout the fort.

A large Native American stands in the middle of the fort.

A cool thing the city does is host a summer music series at Fort Cody. During our visit, Brad Collerick performed. The California-based folk singer is actually from valentine, Nebraska. We fell in love with his music immediately. “Sweet Corn” is a song about eating corn – a staple among rural Nebraskans. It brought back memories of my childhood and eating pots of boiled sweet corn.

The Trading Post has been recognized by www.roadsideamerica.com as a must-see along Interstate 80.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the North Platte/Lincoln County Visitors Bureau for the complimentary tickets to the concert. All opinions and views are ours.