Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
The city of Sidney traces its roots to a small town of 500 residents, although it is better known for its “Sinful Sidney” reputation.
Its rambunctious age came with the gold rush of 1875. The town grew from 500 in 1875, to 1,000 the following year, with as many as 1,500 people passing through the bustling center of the Panhandle each day. Before long, it was known for the number of saloons, brothels and gambling establishments. The US Army also sent a detachment here and in time the city grew to 5,000.
Much of the community’s past can still be found in Sidney, if a person knows where to look, and what he or she is looking at.
About a year ago, the Historic Preservation Board in Sidney was awarded a Certified Local Government Grant to develop and launch a mobile app-based tour of Sidney’s historic features. The program would offer photos, scripts and an audio guide of Sidney’s history.
Melissa Norgard, Sidney’s economic development director and member of the Historic Preservation Board, updated the Sidney City Council on the program. According to her memo to city council, the TravelStorys app is designed to increase exposure of the city’s history to residents and visitors alike. The tour is a podcast-style audio tour. Stories play automatically using a mobile phone’s GPS; no network is necessary, according to the City of Sidney website.
The GPS program connects the location with a audio explanation of the site’s historical significance.
Norgard said TravelStorys has about 35,000 downloads. Locally, the program will be promoted the media, Visitor Center, the Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce and social media.
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