2017 Neighborhoods USA Tour

Our tour starts at the home of Walter (Skip) and Jackie Thompson 309 South 8th Street.Part of the Bayliss West Neighborhood Association

Our Neighborhood USA (NUSA) guests have arrived by bus and starting to disembark

Jackie and Skip greet our NUSA guests on their front porch to start the tour

Corey Peters and Sharon Babbitt, two of our tour organizers, bring up the rear as a NUSA guest snaps photos of Jackie and Skips house

From Left: Jackie, Corey, Sharon and Dave Huggins having a quick chat about the drive over from Omaha

NUSA guests marvel at the kitchen

Skip shares details of his home in one of the upper bedrooms

Skip relates when the house was once renovated in the past they used a product called “Oak Carpet”. Large rolls of thin oak planks

Jackie answers questions from NUSA guests

Skip pointing out pocket doors off the bedroom

NUSA guests descend the grand staircase as Skip wraps up his house tour

Our next stop is the home of Wayne Andersen 301 South 8th Street. A short walk from Skip and Jackie’s home

Wayne Andersen, on the far right, greets our NUSA guests into his home

Sharon, on the far left, gathers up the NUSA guests in the entryway

Wayne pointing out ornamental details on his plaster ceiling

Wayne answering questions in his living room

NUSA guests chatting amongst themselves and marveling at Wayne’s lavish home

Sharon chats with one of our NUSA guests

Wayne, in the kitchen, relates to our NUSA guests about how servants used to live and work in the house

Corey, between the bushes, leads the NUSA group back to the bus

Before leaving Wayne’s property two of the NUSA guests spot one of Council Bluff’s famous Black Squirrels and just have to take a photo of him

The group pause under the shade to say goodbye’s to skip and Jackie before boarding the tour bus

Everyone back on the bus and we’re off to our next stop the Gibraltar Neighborhood

Corey sharing historical facts and stories as we drive thru the Gibraltar Neighborhood Association

Sharon providing some commentary on local historical figures

The Grenville M. Dodge House of Council Bluffs, 605 South 3rd Street. A national historic landmark

Corey Nielsen, the Director of the Dodge House, greets NUSA tourists from the main staircase to give a short history of this national historic treasure

NUSA guests are then allowed to roam the three stories, and full basement, of the opulent home museum

NUSA guests on the third floor ball room where numerous celebrations and events have taken place over the last hundred years

NUSA guests inspect the many artifacts of the Dodge Family in the basement

Corey shares some of the life and details of General Dodge and his illustrious career building the Union Pacific Railroad

Corey going over some of the artifacts that General Dodge had in his office

Corey telling NUSA guests of the Dodge Family’s long history with Council Bluffs

Corey and Wayne chat in the shade while the NUSA guests finish up

Sharon urging the NUSA guests back on the bus after the General Dodge House Tour

Our next stop is the Bregant House, 517 South 4th Street

We didn’t have time to tour the Bregant House so Corey informs us of the history of the home of Jean and Inez Bregant who were perfectly proportioned “little people”. Jean was 46 inches tall, Inez was 42 inches. The house was custom built for them in 1912

NUSA guests arrive at Bayliss Park, Council Bluff’s central square

It is just a short walk across the street to the Spaghetti feed at the Mason’s Lodge, 130 South 6th Street

A big crowd at the Mason’s Spaghetti feed

Dave paying for all NUSA tour attendee’s dinners

NUSA guests queueing thru the cafeteria line

NUSA guests topping off their dinners

NUSA guests looking for open tables to sit

NUSA guests settling in for a nice meal

Wayne bringing up the rear of our little coterie

NUSA guests and our tour guides finishing up their meal. This is the halfway point in our tour. A little nourishment to keep us going

The new Bayliss Park Fountain

NUSA guests marveling at the fountain

Wayne taking a quick break and conversing with one of our NUSA guests Diana Ruiz

Dave putting out the call to our tour attendees to start heading back to the bus and Sharon leading the way

Dave leading this portion of the tour as he directs people’s attention to homes within the Fairmount Park Neighborhood Association

As we shuffle off the bus, Wayne points out the home of Bill Mann and Bob Pashek, upper right corner. One of the majestic homes in the Fairmount Park Neighborhood Association. Unfortunately a scheduling conflict didn’t allow for a tour

Our next stop is the home of Dave and Marie Huggins, 150 Park Avenue. Yes, that Dave Huggins, one of our lovely tour guides

Dave begins to impart his history with the home and purchasing it back in the 80’s

Marie Huggins, fourth from the left, greets NUSA guests into her home

NUSA guests admire the Huggins home as they relate the extensive renovations they’ve done over the years

Marie in the kitchen sharing details of various remodels

A NUSA guests chats with Dave as Dave recounts how his home got put on the National Registry of Historical Houses

NUSA guests stroll down Park Avenue to our final destination

Our final stop. 134 Park Avenue

NUSA guests make their way into 134 Park Avenue under the Fairmount Park Neighborhood Association Banner

John Huggins, yes Dave’s brother, shares photos of the current renovation of 134 Park that is underway by the two of them.

NUSA guests were then encouraged to roam the three floors and see the work in progress on bringing this great home back to life

NUSA guests gather on the front porch

Wayne sharing his vast historical knowledge with NUSA guests

Your friendly neighborhood photographer documenting the NUSA tour of 2017. This photo was sent to me by Diana Ruiz one of our NUSA guests from the tour

Marie pointing out other homes of interest on Park Avenue to our NUSA guests

The long processional of NUSA guests and tour guides back to the bus. With our last stop home tour complete it’s a short bus ride back to Omaha to finish off the tour

Our 2017 NUSA tour guests and guides pose for a group picture on the steps of the Dodge House. An historic occasion with our historic homes. Good times and great people. We are thrilled that we could share this little piece of Council Bluffs with folks from all across America.