Union Pacific Railroad Museum partners with the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County in ‘History on Track’ initiative
Revitalizing Council Bluffs' Iconic Museums Through Bold Partnership
The Union Pacific Museum Association (UPMA) and Historical Society of Pottawattamie County (HSPC) have announced the launch of the “History on Track” initiative in a first-of-its-kind partnership in Council Bluffs.
UPMA will partner with the HSPC to assist in managing operations at both the RailsWest Museum and the Historic Squirrel Cage Jail. The UPMA will oversee staff management, marketing, and programming. This partnership aims to help expand programmatic offerings and enhance the overall visitor experience at Council Bluffs attractions.
Made possible by a 3-year launch grant from the Iowa West Foundation, the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and Historical Society of Pottawattamie County are eager to work together and have taken the first steps towards relaunch by hiring two dedicated museum site managers. Each position will serve as the main point of contact for programming and visitor services, with both managers working in tandem with Union Pacific Museum staff to leverage multi-museum tours, programming, and event opportunities.
“The RailsWest Museum and Squirrel Cage Jail are truly unique architectural gems with strong cultural relevance to the history of our community,” said Vanessa Dobles, Director of Development at the Union Pacific Museum Association, “The Union Pacific Museum Association is excited to lean in and partner with the Historical Society, leveraging our experience and expertise to help them re-launch their museums so they can truly shine as premier Council Bluffs attractions.”
As part of the initiative, the Historic Squirrel Cage Jail and the RailsWest Museum will also increase operational hours, revitalize collaborative programs with online booking, and expand collections into robust databases.
Both RailsWest and Squirrel Cage Jail will celebrate their grand opening on Memorial Day weekend in Council Bluffs.
About Union Pacific Railroad Museum
The Union Pacific Railroad Museum is housed in a historic Carnegie Library building in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where visitors will discover an extensive compilation of artifacts, photographs, documents, and equipment from more than 150 years of our nation's most ambitious endeavors – including constructing the transcontinental railroad and settling the West. Among the most popular museum exhibits are "America Travels by Rail," which celebrates the height of passenger travel; the Lincoln Collection, featuring artifacts from President Abraham Lincoln's rail car and funeral; and an exhibit that features the technology and innovation that sustain Union Pacific as a railroad industry leader. Our mission is to share American History through the lens of the railroad; connecting generations who have been impacted by Union Pacific.
About the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County
The mission of the Historical Society is to kindle and keep alive an active interest in state and local history through collection and preservation of archival material and education and the operation of the RailsWest Railroad Museum and the Squirrel Cage Jail Museum.
History on Track Initiative contact:
Isabelle Kaeding
Communications Coordinator at the Union Pacific Museum Association
712.329.8307 ext. 5
[email protected]
