Love of history displayed by new museum curator

Ron Westlake's interest in history has led him to start a new chapter in his story.

The Norfolk man became the new part-time curator of the Antelope County Museum in Neligh on Aug. 1, replacing Pat Kenaston.

"I have helped out at the museum in the past and was impressed with the organization," Westlake said.

He said he has enjoyed meeting new people and searching the museum's collections since he took over as the curator.

The organization features numerous displays and research archives specific to the history of the county and each of its communities.

"The museum has something for everyone and every day of work I learn something new about the county," Westlake said.

He especially enjoys talking about the museum's Native American artifacts.

"Antelope County has a rich history going back to the Ice Age," Westlake said.

The 55-year-old Bristol, Indiana, native's interest in history stretches back to his childhood.

He noted his hometown had little to offer for entertainment while he was growing up.

"Fun for me revolved around fishing, camping, exploring the old pre-Civil War abandoned houses and barns, and hanging out at the local library and museum," Westlake said. "Little did I know those interests would define the rest of my life."

The need for adventure and the love of travel led him to a career in the military.

Westlake served 1983-85 in the U.S. Army Reserve as a cannon crewman and then about two decades of active duty in the U.S. Air Force.

He spent about 14 years of his Air Force career as a SERE instructor, teaching survival, evasion, resistance and escape training.

His last six years in the Air Force saw him working as an intelligence analyst on issues involving Asia, the Balkan Peninsula in southeast Europe and the Middle East.

"Towards the end of my Air Force career, I went into the intelligence field, where I literally went from teaching Stone Age skills to working with some of the most advanced weapons and intelligence-surveillance systems in the world," Westlake said.

After he retired from the military in 2004, he, his wife, Rachelle, and their two sons – Zachary and Brendan – moved to Norfolk so they could live close to his wife's parents.

"It was at this time I happened into doing a complete restoration of the circa-1868 Dederman log cabin in Norfolk," Westlake said. "Most of this work involved using period tools like broadaxes and hand planes."

That experience sent his love for history into overdrive, including serving in the past on the board of directors for the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk.

"I quickly began blacksmithing and making and collecting old carpentry tools as well as building early period furniture using hand tools from the past," Westlake said.

In addition to blacksmithing and woodworking, his historical hobbies also have included flintknapping – the creation of flaked or chipped stone tools – and early survival skills.

"I love the past and I love researching it," Westlake said. "I also am very involved with living history, which is a hands-on way of learning about the past."

Moving to Nebraska also sparked his interest in the Cornhusker State's history, especially the time period before it was granted statehood in 1867.

After relocating to Nebraska, Westlake earned a bachelor's degree in geography in 2013 and a master's degree in social science education in 2018 from Wayne State College in Wayne.

He noted he feels fortunate to be the curator of the Antelope County Museum and looks forward to expanding the organization's offerings and community outreach.

"I'm very interested in getting people, especially children, involved in history through hands-on activities like living history days and classes where participants get to experience the past firsthand," Westlake said.

Barring any concerns due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the organization hopes to offer programs for people to participate in next summer.

"Hopefully, we will be able to offer a living history day, and every year we feature the history of a town from the county," Westlake said.

"In addition to events at the museum, I also look forward to supporting the local schools by giving talks and bringing museum artifacts to classrooms," he said.