Introduction - Nebraska
Nebraska became the 37th U.S. state on March 1st of 1867. This state located in the Midwest region of the U.S. is an important U.S. agriculture and farming state; it is a major producer of corn, soybeans, pork, and beef. On this page are list of interesting facts written for kids and adults. The information on this page includes what important historical events took place in Nebraska, where the state capital is, and how Nebraska got its name.Click here for a great selection of Amazon.com books about Nebraska.
Nebraska Quick Facts
- The total area of this Midwest state is 77,354 square miles (200,520 square kilometers) making it the 16th largest U.S. state.
- With a population of 1,881,503 (2014 U.S. Census Bureau estimate) Nebraska is ranked 37th among U.S. states in total population.
- The state abbreviation is NE.
- The state capital of Nebraska is Lincoln.
- The largest city in Nebraska is Omaha.
- Residents of this state are called Nebraskans.
- The state motto is "Equality before the Law".
- The state flower of Nebraska is the goldenrod (Soldiago gigantea).
Interesting Nebraska Facts
- Nebraska's name is derived from the words of the Native American Indian tribe that lived in what is today Nebraska for "flat water"; the Indians were referring to the Platte River that is located in the state.
- Nebraska is bordered by six states; Wyoming (west), Kansas (south), Colorado (southwest), Iowa (east), Missouri (southeast, separated by the Missouri River), South Dakota (North).
- On April 10th of 1872 the first American Arbor Day took place in Nebraska City, Nebraska. It is estimated that one million trees were planted in Nebraska that day.
- Major rivers in this state include the Platte River, the Niobrara River, and the Republican River.
- The biggest cities in Nebraska are Omaha, Lincoln (the capital), Bellevue, Grand Island, and Kearney.
- The 38th President of the United States of America, Gerald Ford, was born in Omaha Nebraska.
- Major lakes in this state include Lewis and Clark Lake, Harlan County Lake, and Lake C.W. McConaughty.
- The highest Point in Nebraska is Panorama Point; which is 5,426 feet (1,654 meters) above sea level.
- The state song is "Beautiful Nebraska".
Nebraska History Facts
- Native American tribes indigenous to the region that is now Nebraska include the Omaha, Pawnee, Missouria, Ponca, Otoe, and the Lakota.
- Spain and France both desired to control the region that is now Nebraska causing tension between the two countries. In 1720 a Spanish expedition, led by General Pedro de Villasur, that was checking on the French influence in the Great Plains was massacred by warriors from the Pawnee and Otoe tribes. These two tribes were allies of the French.
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition, which began in 1804, passed through Nebraska.
- The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 established the territories of both Kansas and Nebraska. The Nebraska Territory not only include the land that would be the future state of Nebraska but also included parts of what would later become the states of Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming.
- In the 1860s, the US government forced many of the Native American tribes living in what is now Nebraska to cede their lands and settle on reservations.
- Starting in the 1860s settlers flocked to the area that is now Nebraska. The vast majority of these settlers moved there in order to claim free land made available under the U.S. Homestead Act.