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All About Nebraska

Nebraska is in the middle of the United States.  We cover two time zones, with the split made with approximately two thirds in Central Time and one third in Mountain Time.

Nebraska's History

Calling all Françophobias and Françophiles to unite.

Nebraska is one of the states from the Great Plains area of the Midwest claimed by both France and Spain*.  After beating Spain at war, France claimed all lands drained by the Mississippi.  Nebraska became U.S. property as part of the Louisiana Purchase from the French for $15 million on April 30, 1803.  Even though it was now owned by the United States, it was not part of the United States as a state, nor was it known as Nebraska. Read More*

Nebraska has three National Monuments 1) The Agate Fossil Beds (with 3,055 acres), 2) Homestead National Monument of America (195 acres), and 3) Scotts Bluff National Monument (3,003 acres).  We have a National River (the Niobrara), and the Missouri River is a National Wild and Scenic River.  Read More*

Nebraska is Famous  

Nebraska is famous for several things.  Arbor Day started in Nebraska, actually Nebraska City to be exact.  Marlon Brando, Johnny Carson, Willa Cather, Henry Fonda, Robert Taylor, all come from Nebraska.

Rodeos started in Nebraska with Buffalo Bill at North Platte.  Several Nebraska cities compete to have the greatest rodeo.

Nebraska could be considered the "Mastodon State" since the largest Mastodon was found in Nebraska.  You can see the rare find in the Nebraska State Museum of Natural History in Lincoln.  There are several excavation sites that are being worked on constantly, so if you like seeing them still in the ground, you should visit the Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park just south of the notch at Lewis and Clark Lake (Northwest of the intersection of Highway 14 and Highway 20).  If you get out in the northwest corner of the state, near Ft. Robinson State Historical Park and Museum and the Pine Ridge Recreation Area, you can visit the Hudson-Meng Bison Bonebed for some easier to dig fossils.  We also have the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument just south of there.

Nebraska, rich in fertile soils as most of the Midwest, has become a major agricultural center now feeding much of the U.S.  As they say, "Don't complain about Nebraska with your mouth full."  It is hard to find any fault with the statement.

Nebraska raises the best beef and corn.  Our corn fed beef produces the filet of filets when it comes to great tasting beef.  Anyone returning to Nebraska is anxious to sink their teeth into the steak they have been dreaming about since leaving.  We keep the best for ourselves so you can't even get it as export.  Besides, it is so much better when you eat it in Nebraska.

Nebraska is proud of its "Cornhusker" nickname and flaunts it with the best college football team in the U.S.  No matter where you are from, if you know football, you know about the Cornhuskers.

Famous Nebraskans*

   Philip Abbot
   Grace Abbott
   Bess Streeter Aldrich
   William Baird
   George Wells Beadle
   Gordon Binker
   Ward Bond
   William J. Bryan
   Leslie Brooks
   Bob Cain
   Crystal Carson
   Willa Cather
   Dick Cavett
   Richard B. Cheney
   Red Cloud
   James Coburn
   William F. Cody
   Bruce Crawford
   Sam Crawford

   Kenneth Darby
   Sandy Dennis
   Anthony Dexter
   David Doyle
   Mary Doyle
   Christopher Duncan
   Leslie Easterbrook
   Constance Eberhart
   Mignon Good Eberhart
   Nelle R. Eberhart
   Harold Edgerton
   Loren Corey Eiseley
   George F. Erwin
   Ruth Etting
   John P. Falter
   Val L. Fitch
   Joe Feeney
   Henry Fonda
   Edmund "Hoot" Gibson
   Chuck Glaser
   Jim Glaser
   Tompall Glaser
   Rodney Grant
   Coleen Gray
   Howard Greer
   Joyce Hall
   Howard H. Hanson
   Leland Hayward
   Neil Hefti
   Marg Helgenberger
   Barbara Hendricks
   Lewis ("Lew") R. Hunter
   David Janssen
   John Dennis Johnston
   Leland Hayward
   Andrew Higgins
   Katie Kelly
   Richard Kelton
   Hazel G. Kinscella
   Rollin Kirby
   Don Kirschner
   Harley Jane Kozak
   Swoozie Kurtz
   Warren Littlefield
   Harold Lloyd
   Charles F. Lowe
   Pierce Lyden
   Margaret F. Lynch
   Gordon MacRae
   Jo Ann Marlowe
   Holt McCallany
   Randy Meisner
   Alton Glenn Miller
   Howard B. Mitchell
   Richard A. Moores
   Wright Morris
   J. Sterling Morton
   J. G. Neihardt
   Fred Niblo
   Lucille Norman
   Margaret O'Brien
   Diane Ogden
   Harry R. Owens
   John J. Pershing
   Lori Petty
   Roscoe Pound
   Louise Pound
   Anne Ramsey
   Thurl Revenscroft
   Paul Revere Dick
   Sharon Kay Ritchie
   Mari Sandoz
   Standing Bear
   Paul Girard Smith
   Lillian "Red Wing" St. Cyr
   Julie Sommars
   Jeri Southern
   Robert Stewart
   Orville Wayne Stoeber
   Matthew Sweet
   Lyle Talbot
   Robert Taylor
   Janine Turner
   Leon Varkas
   Lucky Vanous
   Sandy Veneziano
   George Wagner
   Glenn Wallichs
   Charles Weidman
   Mary K. Wells
   Roger Welsh
   Donald H. Wilson
   Julie Wilson
   Irene Worth
   Darryl F. Zanuck

Oceans of Water  

It is easy to imagine that Nebraska was once under water as much of the state is flatlands.  We still have an ocean under Nebraska that if it were above ground would cover the entire state with 34 feet of water.  Actually, the ocean is only under a portion of the state, the middle northern portion known as the Sand Hills.  The ocean is known as the Ogallala Aquifer, so large that it stretches all the way to Texas, underground of course.  It is our main source for irrigation.

The Sand Hills gets it name from the sand dunes, our very own "outback."  The Sand Hills takes up nearly a quarter of the state, but is isn't all sand.  The land is largely used as Nebraska beef grazing lands and cattle don't eat sand.  The area is also covered with lakes and wooded areas, which makes for great camping, hiking, and wildlife excursions.  The area is not very populated; it has on the average only two persons per square mile so if you see someone say, "hi."  You can never tell when you will need a friend.

Rivers, Streams, and Lakes  

Nebraska has nearly 23,000 miles of rivers.  Try topping that.  You can't.  All of the rivers feed back into the Missouri River.  The majority comes through either the Platte River, or through Lewis and Clark Lake (between Nebraska and South Dakota).  Only the state's southern part has rivers that travel through Kansas on their way to the Missouri River.  If you get lost, from just about anywhere in the state you can get in a raft and wind up back around Omaha, . . . eventually.  If you end up in Lewis and Clark Lake on your way, keep in mind that the dam has a big drop down to the level of the Missouri.

Nebraska's Neighbors  

Nebraska has six neighbor states.  Check out the links for more information.

Nebraska's Communities  

Nebraska's towns and cities were settled starting from the east to the west.  The state's rivers and Indian paths were used to explore and therefore expand into the interior.  Since the Indian population traveled by the streams and rivers, you can understand why the early settlements are on or near the rivers and streams.  Those settlements had the greatest advantage to grow, and as a general rule are still the larger communities.

Enjoy reading about some of Nebraska's finest communities.  Two versions of the same information is available; one is listed alphabetically, the other is sorted by distance from Omaha.  We also have a larger list of Nebraska Communities that have Chamber of Commerce or City websites.  The list has zip code information, population counts, county location, and a web link.