As shared in my previous post, continuing to learn is important to me, and I am seeking to build this culture of finding joy in the discovery of new learning by sharing this with others. To that end, here are some thoughts about recent new learning of mine.

Last week I visited the Durham Museum in Omaha, NE. The museum is created from the old Union Station railroad depot and is a beautiful Art Deco architectural construction — one which has been restored to its original glory. During the visit, I delved into the rich history of the region and discovered some intriguing facts that shed light on significant events, notable figures, and the progressive nature of the area. Here is some of the new learning of mine:

• Council Bluffs, IA (originally Bluff), is named for the meeting that Lewis and Clark had with representatives from multiple Native tribes at that place.
• Malcom X was born in Omaha.
• In 1898, Omaha created the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. They a temporary city of buildings that was similar to Chicago’s “White City” in 1893 that highlights the progressive nature of the world and the west of that day. Over 2.6 million people came to Omaha to view the 4,062 exhibits during the five months of the Exposition. The modern day Kountze Park on the north side of Omaha was the location for this exposition.
• By the mid-50s, Omaha surpassed Chicago for its cattle yards and meat packing.
• The Enola Gay was manufactured in Omaha.
• Bellevue is the oldest town in NE, dating to 1822. It name means, from the French, “beautiful view.”
• Nile Kinnick graduated from high school in Omaha. He only lived there one year. He is the only Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Iowa, and he died on a training flight in the service in 1943. Kinnick was the first Heisman Trophy winner to die and the first winner to have a stadium named after him.

Let’s work together to build this culture of new learning. I’d love to hear about things that you have recently learned, either through a comment to this blog or on the various social networks where this is posted. Let’s make sharing our new learning a regular part of the joyful exploration of the world God has given us.