Fort Robinson is the great stop near Crawford. The post began as a 19th-century military site tied to the Red Cloud Agency and the Indian Wars, later became a remount depot and World War II prisoner-of-war camp, and now serves as one of Nebraska's most interesting state parks.
You can tour historic buildings, ride or hike through the buttes, visit museums, and stay in restored officer quarters or cabins. It is worth more time than most travellers give it.