Trailside Museum of Natural History explained

Army Theatre
Nrhp Type2:	nhldcp
Nocat:	yes
Coordinates:	42.6665°N -103.4665°W
Built:	1904
Architect:	Army Corps of Engineers
Added:	July 7, 1988
Partof Refnum:	66000442
Designated Nrhp Type2:	October 15, 1966
Refnum:	88000930

The Trailside Museum of Natural History is located in the historic Army Theatre at Fort Robinson State Park, three miles west of Crawford, Nebraska on U.S. Route 20.

History

The building served as a theater and gymnasium for the Fort Robinson army post.^[1] The theater hosted many types of entertainment, including boxing matches, dances, and moving pictures. The theater was exclusively used as a gym by 1917 as automobiles and movie houses became more prevalent, allowing soldiers to seek entertainment elsewhere.^[1]

The building was acquired by the University of Nebraska in 1955^[2] which opened the Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson in 1961.^[3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and is also part of the Fort Robinson and Red Cloud Agency historic district.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=88000930}} National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Army Theatre ]. D. Layne Ehlers. January 15, 2016. PDF. August 1998. National Park Service. .
2. Web site: History. Trailside Museum of Natural History at Fort Robinson State Park. University of Nebraska State Museum. January 15, 2016.
3. Book: Hickey . Donald R. . Wunder . Susan A. . Wunder . John R. . 2007 . Nebraska Moments . University of Nebraska Press . 9780803215726 . 91 . In 1961 the University of Nebraska established its Trailside Museum to highlight the geology and natural history of the region..
4. Web site: [{{NHLS url|id=66000442}} National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Fort Robinson and Red Cloud Agency]. pdf. July 20, 1983 . Steven Lissandrello and Sarah J. Pearce . National Park Service. January 15, 2016.