US Highway 281

Gigantic shamrock on Hwy 281 Nebraska

O'Neill, Nebraska population +/- 3,500. The largest permanent shamrock in the World, is here at the intersection of Hwy 20 & US Hwy 281. Made of colored concrete this shamrock is so large it can be seen with Google's Satellite View. O'Neill is the official "Irish Capital of Nebraska". Named after its founder, an Irish born American who brought three groups of people from Ireland to Nebraska during the 1870s. Enjoy some "Blarney". The word blarney has come to mean clever, flattering, or coaxing talk. - Source: Wikipedia®.

A Pulitzer Prize winner grew up in this Hwy 281 town.

 I found her on the Great Plaints, in Red Cloud, Nebraska on Highway 281. Willa. How many little nowhere towns became somewhere towns because a novelist grew up there? Not many come to mind, Red Cloud is one of those communities. Willa Cather moved away for college in 1891 like most others and never moved back, she visited often and sent money back to help out. She died in 1947 and with her legacy, she is still helping the town.

St. Paul, NE and Loup Valley on Hwy. 281

A Supercell thunderstorm near US Highway 281 Nebraska, July 2004. Photo by D.J. Fuller, digitally enhanced by me :-). If you spend much time on the Plains, you will see some interesting clouds. 

Snow angels to palm trees on US Highway 281.

If one wanted to bounce out of the house for some fun on 281 this weekend into the week ahead we might want to dial in the weather channel for a look see. Lets have a satellite look at the weather conditions some of our neighbors up and down US Highway 281 are or will be experiencing in the next few days.

Tastes great here in Hastings NE on Hwy 281

Have you every enjoyed Kool-Aid?  The drink for “kids” of all ages. As a kid we drank it buy the gallons. I liked the Red and Blue flavors best. :-)- The man who invented this All American drink did it right here Hastings Nebraska.

Nebraska Highway 281 travel.

Nebraska has miles and miles of rivers.