The Great Plains Welsh Heritage Project operates three facilities in downtown Wymore:
- The Great Plains Welsh Heritage Centre, located at 307 S. 7th St. Virtual Tour
- The District 81 Pleasant View Schoolhouse, located in McCandless Park on Highway 77 Virtual Tour
- The Burlington Park Railroad Museum, located at 116 S. 7th St.
The Great Plains Welsh Heritage Centre is the home of the only museum in the United States dedicated to Welsh immigrants who settled on the Great Plains. In addition to our exhibit rooms, library, auditorium and gift shop, the centre includes our custom-built archives building. The centre also has accessible restrooms.
Our museum is easy to find thanks to the stunning mural "Wales to Nebraska" by artist Dave Loewenstein, which overlooks our Memorial Garden. The garden features a brick walkway with bricks dedicated to our Welsh ancestors and family members. To purchase a memorial paver, click here.
The Historic District 81 Schoolhouse is a fully furnished 1900-era one-room schoolhouse museum. The interior of the schoolhouse has just been restored to its original appearance. Thomas J. and Elizabeth (Rowlands) Humphreys held the first local school in their home until George U. Jones donated the land in 1878 and School District 81 was established, three years before the town of Wymore was established.
The present schoolhouse was built in 1906 and was originally located about two miles south of Wymore at the north end of the Welsh settlement centered on the Bethel Welsh church. This was the first school to be built by the Welsh community for the education of their children. At first, many children only spoke Welsh. Therefore, it was important that teachers come from the Welsh community, and many teachers were recent graduates of Wymore High School. The school was closed in the fall of 1960 and relocated to McCandless Park in 1967.
Twice a year volunteers from the Great Plains Welsh Heritage project offer “A Day at Country School” event at the schoolhouse for local 4th graders. Students experience a day of authentic 1929 lessons and learn a little Welsh. They also learn about the history of country schools and the significance of this particular school in the Welsh settlement. The Pleasant View Schoolhouse is open to visitors Memorial Day weekend, Sam Wymore Days in June and on request.
The present schoolhouse was built in 1906 and was originally located about two miles south of Wymore at the north end of the Welsh settlement centered on the Bethel Welsh church. This was the first school to be built by the Welsh community for the education of their children. At first, many children only spoke Welsh. Therefore, it was important that teachers come from the Welsh community, and many teachers were recent graduates of Wymore High School. The school was closed in the fall of 1960 and relocated to McCandless Park in 1967.
Twice a year volunteers from the Great Plains Welsh Heritage project offer “A Day at Country School” event at the schoolhouse for local 4th graders. Students experience a day of authentic 1929 lessons and learn a little Welsh. They also learn about the history of country schools and the significance of this particular school in the Welsh settlement. The Pleasant View Schoolhouse is open to visitors Memorial Day weekend, Sam Wymore Days in June and on request.
The Burlington Park Railroad Museum commemorates the significant role the railroad played in the development of the town of Wymore. The town came into being when Sam Wymore donated the land for the division point of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad. Many Welsh immigrants worked on the railroad through the years.
The museum is a scaled-down replica of the original station building, which was destroyed in 1984. It contains many items used on the trains based in Wymore, and other artifacts related to the railroad and its workers. Artifacts include historic photographs, maps, station furnishings, railroad uniforms, timetables, model trains and many other items of railroad memorabilia. Almost everything in the museum has a connection to Wymore.
The museum is a scaled-down replica of the original station building, which was destroyed in 1984. It contains many items used on the trains based in Wymore, and other artifacts related to the railroad and its workers. Artifacts include historic photographs, maps, station furnishings, railroad uniforms, timetables, model trains and many other items of railroad memorabilia. Almost everything in the museum has a connection to Wymore.
Directions
The Great Plains Welsh Heritage Centre is located at 307 S 7th St. in Wymore, Nebraska, USA. Wymore is in southeast Nebraska, 60 miles south of Lincoln and 8 miles north of the Kansas state line.
The Great Plains Welsh Heritage Centre is located at 307 S 7th St. in Wymore, Nebraska, USA. Wymore is in southeast Nebraska, 60 miles south of Lincoln and 8 miles north of the Kansas state line.
