COUNCIL BLUFFS HISTORY TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Law and Order on the Railroad: A Classroom Detective Program at the Union Pacific Museum
A 90-minute, curriculum-aligned museum program in Council Bluffs that casts 4th–12th grade students as ‘History Detectives’ learning about Union Pacific’s Railroad Police and using primary sources to investigate a staged train robbery.
Law and Order on the Railroad: A Classroom Detective Program at the Union Pacific Museum.
All aboard: students step into a museum classroom to take on the role of History Detective, learning how historians use primary sources and the story of Union Pacific’s Railroad Police to piece together a past crime. The program combines instructor-led primary-source training with an active investigation in which students analyze clues and work to identify the culprits.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Play History Detective
Students undertake 'Primary Source Special Agent Training' and apply those skills to investigate a staged train robbery, using original documents and clues to reconstruct events.
Railroad Police Through Time
The program introduces learners to the history of Union Pacific’s Railroad Police Force and how law enforcement shaped railroad operations and communities.
Museum Classroom Investigation
Run by the Union Pacific Railroad Museum Association in Council Bluffs, the experience is delivered in a museum setting designed for hands-on, primary-source learning.
What the day feels like
What it feels like
The program unfolds as a focused, 90-minute session in which students receive training on reading and interpreting primary sources, then put that training to work in an investigative exercise: collecting evidence, weighing sources, and determining who committed the mock robbery.
THE MISSION
Play History Detective
Students undertake 'Primary Source Special Agent Training' and apply those skills to investigate a staged train robbery, using original documents and clues to reconstruct events.
THE HISTORY
Railroad Police Through Time
The program introduces learners to the history of Union Pacific’s Railroad Police Force and how law enforcement shaped railroad operations and communities.
THE SETTING
Museum Classroom Investigation
Run by the Union Pacific Railroad Museum Association in Council Bluffs, the experience is delivered in a museum setting designed for hands-on, primary-source learning.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who gets the most from this visit.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The program runs 90 minutes and is offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Visits meet at 200 Pearl St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503.
$5 per student and $5 per chaperone; minimum of 10 students required; maximum of one classroom or 40 people. For groups larger than the maximum, contact [email protected].
No specific gear or materials were specified for participants in the provided program information.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the program?
The program is 90 minutes long.
Where do we meet for the visit?
Groups meet at 200 Pearl St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503.
What grade levels is this appropriate for?
The program is designed for students in grades 4th–12th.
What are the group size requirements?
A minimum of 10 students is required; the maximum is one classroom or 40 people.
On which days is the program offered?
The program is available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
How much does the program cost?
The published rate is $5 per student and $5 per chaperone.