Ogallala, Nebraska: Petrified Wood Art

More than petrified wood. Although the collections of houses is impressive, there are extensive arrowheads and a lot of large geodes. My seven-year old enjoyed the displays and it's hard to beat free for something interesting and educational.

This is a must stop if you love seeing the amazing creativity of others. I took my husband here as I thought he'd enjoy the wood sculptures (He is into woodworking). He was hesitant but was willing to at least stop. This gallery was beyond our expectations. It has more than wood carvings, as the artist twins also collected Indian artifacts and rocks, some of which were made into beautiful butterflies. We had hoped to meet the twins but, sadly, they passed this year at 95 within six weeks of each other.

Wonderful collection of petrified wood and the art of the now 91 year old Kenfield twins. My favorites were the music boxes. Would definitely make time for this stop.

The gallery is well laid out, and we were welcomed right away by one of the artist-twins' friends, who works as a volunteer. We spent over an hour touring the space and really getting the stories behind the gallery, its founders, and the art. Petrified wood is really neat. These guys make it a treasure.

This was a great place to explore. A unique blend of history and art. Even my kids -- 7 and 10 years old -- enjoyed it. We were greeted by Harvey Kenfield himself. He showed us petrified pine cones and a rock that bends. This was kept behind the counter so be sure to ask about it.

This spot also boasts clean bathrooms and a nice gift shop.