Sentinels of the Prairie Windmill collection

in the foreground, the words "Sentinels of the Prairie, Jackson, Nebraska, SiouxlandFamilies.com, Facebook.com/SiouxlandFamilies", in the background, a boy in a blue sweatshirt stands in front of a white and a yellow antique windmill

I found a quirky roadside attraction not far from Sioux City that makes a great little drive if you are looking for a place to get out of the house to visit and charge up your car battery, while also avoiding human contact, and I'm excited to tell you about it! Here's a look at our recent visit to Sentinels of the Prairie:

Where is Sentinels of the Prairie?

Sentinels of the Prairie is at 1420 Highway 20, a few minutes past Jackson, Nebraska, in front of the L.P. Gill landfill. (note: Kids are not allowed in the actual landfill area.) When we were there, we did not smell any unpleasant odors from the dump. The railroad tracks are in use, so do not park or play on the tracks and do watch and listen for trains coming if you are anywhere near them!

What is Sentinels of the Prairie?

Sentinels of the Prairie is one of the biggest private collections of antique windmills in the US! Dozens of windmills line the land just off highway 20, with beautiful plaques telling about the history of these unique structures. Many date to the 1800's, and most were used to pump water on farms. There are also a few other artifacts in the collection, including a train car and a wooden cart. The entire collection is outdoors and free to visit. Be sure to keep kids from touching or climbing the windmills. They really are antiques, and while they seem sturdy, all it would take is one aging board to give way to cause a big tragedy. Please keep your family safe and help preserve this cool collection as well!

There is no shade, and no bathrooms or other amenities, so be sure to use the restroom before you leave home.

an antique windmill from the Sentinels of the Prairie collection with a sign identifying it as a Large Spear Challenge

a horse cart and wheels from another cart sit in front of a white fence and an antique windmill in Jackson, Nebraska

a white vintage windmill from the Sentinels of the Prairie collection in Jackson, Nebraska

a white and yellow wooden windmill with a sign identifying it as a Bob Tailed Raymond

A green sign with white letters welcomes visitors to the Sentinels of the Prairie antique windmill collection near Jackson, Nebraska.

For more information:

To find out more about the Sentinels of the Prairie collection, contact Gill Hauling, or send me an e-mail and I'll try to find you an answer if I can! For more information about Highway 20, visit the Historic US Route 20 Association.

a boy in a blue sweatshirt stands in front of a windmill with a white wooden tower base and yellow fan blades. a bright blue sky with a few wispy white clouds are visible in the background

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