Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center

The Sandhills of Nebraska were formed when glacier floods carried silt and sand from the Rocky Mountains onto the plains. The rolling dunes, which were formed by the wind, support 720 different species of plants, mainly sand-tolerant grasses that require minimal rainfall. 

As the flat plains to the east of the Sandhills were settled by early homesteaders, newcomers traveled west to claim 640 acres in the hills as allowed by the 1904 Kinkaid Act. This was 480 more acres than allowed by the original Homestead Act of 1862. Most of the homesteaders raised cattle which the land was well suited for but a few tried farming. Mari Sandoz's father, Jules Sandoz, was one of them; an early settler who grew a large orchard and garden. He was a strong advocate of experimental farming and was responsible for helping many new homesteaders get a start. Eventually, the homesteaders found the environment too difficult for farming and most moved onto ranching. This means that over 80% of the Sandhills has never been plowed and is an intact natural habitat. 

 Mari Sandoz, along with her five brothers and sisters, grew up in the Sandhills. Her father was brusque, demanding, and free with his money but only on what he deemed was necessary; her mother was quiet, hardworking, and frugal. Mari left home at 18 when she married but the marriage didn't last long and she moved to Lincoln Nebraska to pursue a writing career. After many years of rejections her first book, Old Jules, which she first submitted in 1929, was published in 1935. Old Jules is the story of her father and the family's life in the Sandhills. I read it after we visited the Sandhills but it should be read first to get a good picture of the lives of the settlers and their conflicts with the large ranching operations. It's a bit of a slog to get through the book but it's worth reading. 

The museum is small with exhibits on Mari Sandoz's life and career. There's also an art gallery and an exhibit on the history of cattle ranching. The main museum is kind of hidden. Go to the left after viewing the exhibits in the entry hall. Don't miss the cardboard and burlap buffalo. 

The accessible entrance is at the rear of the museum, on the west side. The museum is accessible.

Parking is on the street. We parked on East 11th Street which has spaces marked for visitors. Center 42.81982, -103.0022