
Gilman Park
Playground and picnic areas, two restroom buildings, enclosed shelter
house, open picnic shelter, camping area with electric and water
hookups, museum complex, baseball fields, lighted sand volleyball
courts and a new swimming pool are in the 50 acre park. Twelve acre
Bill Cox Memorial Lake has a fishable population of largemouth bass,
bluegill, crappie and catfish with a boat ramp and dock available.
Boaters may use electric motors only. Canadian Geese are quite popular
at Bill Cox Memorial Lake. During most of the year that the lake
is not frozen, geese can usually be seen somewhere around the arboretum.
In the spring, over 1,000 geese spend several days around the lake.
For more information visit Gilman
Park website or contact Gary Zimmer at 106 S. 1st St, Pierce,
NE 68767 or (402) 329-4873.

Gilman Arboretum
See one of Northeast Nebraska's most diverse collections of woody
plants with over 200 different labeled varieties of trees and shrubs.
The arboretum encompasses 14 acres around beautiful Bill Cox Memorial
Lake and is served by 1.2 mile wood chip and cement path. The arboretum
path takes visitors over a historic bridge which was moved to the
park in 1994 from its original location southwest of Pierce. The
bridge, which was built in 1913, is one of only two remaining "rigid-connected
lattice pony truss" bridges in Nebraska and quite possibly
in the nation. For more information visit the Gilman
Park Arboretum website or contact Gary Zimmer at 106 S. 1st
St, Pierce, NE 68767 or (402) 329-4873.

Pierce Historical Museum
Four buildings filled with memories of the past. The main building
is the old depot of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co. built
in 1880. The school house has original items dating back to the
early 1870's. The first school census revealed 13 children of school
age. The blacksmith shop features tools and equipment from 100 years
ago, including a blacksmith forge. Another building was constructed
to hold the flood of donated items of historic value. See a hand-built
covered wagon, a 1916 Case steam tractor, thousands of items on
display, an old time kitchen, furnished bedroom, an early day doctor's
office, a child's room, a spiral staircase and more!! The Historical
Society also sponsors the Old Time Threshers' Bee each September.
The museum complex is open Sundays and holidays 1:30 pm-4:30pm Memorial
Day thru Labor Day. Group tours are welcome anytime by appointment.
For more information visit the Official
Museum Website or contact Don Zimmer at 417 S. Elm, Pierce,
NE 68767 or (402) 329-4576.

Veterans Memorial
The Pierce County Veterans Memorial, located at the Pierce County Courthouse, 111 West Court St., honors veterans from around the area. |

Cuthills Vineyards
Located just 3 miles west of Pierce on H & N Blvd. and north
of Willow Creek State Recreational Area, the vineyards are set in
15 1/2 acres of rolling hills. Seven acres of wine grapes consisting
of 20+ varieties are French Hybrids. A milk barn built in 1920 has
been converted into the winery. International award winning wines
range from dry to sweet. Cuthills Vineyards, presented the "1996
Outstanding New Attraction," award and "Top 10 Rural Development
Projects" award by Gov. Ben Nelson, also hosts the annual Wine
& Wings Festival each August just before harvest. The festival
includes: live bands, food, hayrack ride tours through the vineyards,
wine tasting, wine seminars, food and wine workshops, and many other
activities. Wine samples are given in the tasting room and gift
shop. HOURS: January-April, Friday-Sunday 1-5pm / May-December,
Wednesday-Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday 1-6pm. For more information
or to purchase products online, visit the Cuthills Vineyards website
or contact Ed & Holly Swanson at 54663 853 Rd, Pierce, NE 68767-9518
or (402) 329-6774.

Lied Pierce Public Library

Carnegie Library
Andrew Carnegie donated money for 1,688 public libraries in 1,419
communities. This accounted for approximately half of all the public
libraries in America. Through these endowments, Carnegie made libraries
accessible to the common person no matter what social background
he or she came from. The first of these libraries under the "free
library program" was opened in 1893 just outside Fairfield,
Iowa. Pierce received a Carnegie endowment in 1911 in the amount
of $4,000. The Pierce Carnegie Library is one 69 Carnegie libraries
in Nebraska and one of 767 in the Midwest funded through Carnegie
endowments. For more information, visit the official website.

Restored Fire Engine
Pierce's first gasoline powered fire truck has been restored and customized. The 1925 Dodge Fire Truck can be seen at the Pierce Fire Department at 106 S. 106 S. 1st St. (402) 329-4873.
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