Museum water exhibit highlights county's precious water

It started with an Elgin family’s bathtub, one that had been in the family for decades, and it led to a major new exhibit at the Antelope County Museum in Neligh that spotlights the important role water plays in the lives of every county resident.

Jane Schuchardt of Elgin said as she contemplated getting rid of the clawfoot bathtub that had been in her husband Rick Schuchardt’s family for years, it occurred to her that it could be the basis of an exhibit focusing on the importance of water. Her husband Rick is the newly-elected president of the Antelope County Historical Society, so considering how the bathtub might be used in an exhibit came naturally.

Donna Hanson, museum executive director, said she is excited about how well the exhibit shows the many facets of water use, from domestic use to agricultural and other commercial use.

“When we look at a bathtub, we can easily see how important water is to us as individuals,” Hanson said. “But water is so important in so many ways, beyond what we need for drinking, food preparation and sanitation.”

Hanson said while it is easy to take water for granted, it is not an unlimited resource. The exhibit highlights the idea that conservation is a responsibility important in every use of water.

The exhibit features a quote from Benjamin Franklin: “When the wells are dry, we will know the worth of water.”

Most of Antelope County is over the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the world’s largest underground sources of water that stretches from North Dakota to Texas. Large-scale extractions of water from the aquifer began after World War II, made possible in part by the development of center-pivot irrigation systems. As massive as the aquifer is, groundwater is not unlimited. Additionally, the groundwater and surface water – streams and rivers – needs to be protected from contaminants.

Hanson applied for funding from the Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District, headquartered in O’Neill, and received a grant to help finance the development of the exhibit. Hanson rolled up her sleeves and did a lot of the work in creating the exhibit herself with the help of volunteers, including scrubbing and painting the antique bathtub.

The exhibit includes a mural showing how water cycles through the environment, starting the rain and going all the way to groundwater.

Other water uses are highlighted: Irrigation, livestock and wildlife water needs and commercial use. The list of activities that consume water cover almost every aspect of human and animal life. It’s a case of water, we can’t live without it.

Hanson said she hopes the new exhibit will be a draw to the museum, which usually has fewer visitors in the winter. Winter hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The Antelope County Museum’s mission is to collect and preserve the history of Antelope County. The museum building houses artifacts and displays about the county’s history at 410 L Street in Neligh. Also part of the complex is the one-room schoolhouse, log cabin and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. The church is no longer used for regular worship, but is available for tours, events and weddings.