Nebraska
gets its name from a Native American (Oto) waord
maeaning "flat water", after the Platte
River that
flows through the state.
Nebraskans
are sometimes colloquially referred to as "Cornhuskers"
(which is derived from the state nickname.)
The
USS Nebraska was named in honor of this state.
The
American Institute of Architects declared Nebraska's
State Capitol to be one of the modern architectural
wonders
of the world.
The
U.S. Strategic Command, which manages the nation's
nuclear forces in order to deter military attacks
on the
United States, has its headquarters at Offutt Air
Force Base near Bellevue.
Nebraska
has the western hemisphere's largest area of sandhill
grasslands, one of the most productive cattle-raising
areas in the United States.
Nebraska
was the home or birthplace of William Jennings Bryan,
Goerge Norris, Willa Cather, Mari Sandoz, John
Neihardt, John L. Pershing, Edward J. Flanagan,
William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, Henry Fonda,
Johnny Carson, Dick
Cavett, Darryl F. Zanuck, Marlon Brando, Fred Astaire,
Malcolm X and Gerald Ford.
Many
pioneer and cattle trails crossed Nebraska, with
people using such landmarks as Scotts Bluff (now
a national
monument) and Chimney Rock, both in western Nebraska.
Chimney Rock was the landmark mentioned most
frequent in journal entries by travelers on the
Oregon Trail..
Nebraska
is divided in two time zones: Central Time
Zone and Mountain Time Zone. Mountain Time
is observed by
18 of 93 counties, primarily located in the western
panhandle of the state. Most of Nebraska Counties
is in the Central
Time Zone in the United States. Central Time
(CST) is 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-6).
There
was a gasoline war in 1923, gas prices in
Nebraska were 16 cents per gallon.
Kool-Aid
was created in 1927 by Edwin Perkins in the city
of Hastings.
The
worlds largest train yard, Union Pacific's Bailey
Yard, is located in North Platte.
In
the town of Blue Hill, Nebraska, there is a law
which states that no female wearing a "hat
that would scare a
timid person" cam be seen eating onions in
public.
The
Vise-Grip was invented and is still manufactured
in De Witt.
Arbor
Day was founded by J. Sterling Morton. The
National Arbor Day Foundation has its headquarters
near his
home in Nebraska City.
A
ranch situated just west of Kearney is located exactly
halfway between Boston and San Francisco.
The
swing in the Hebron, Nebraska park at 5th and Jefferson
streets is claimed to be the world's largest porch
swing, long enough to fit 18 adults or 24 children.
During the Indian uprising of 1864 and 1865 many Platte Valley settlers fled
but the Grand Island settlers remained. They fortified the O.K. Store with a sod
stockade which sheltered 68 men and 100 women. To give shelter to 35 more
persons, William Stolley built "Fort Independence" about two miles west.
On August 22, 1865, General S. R. Curtis and his troops visited "Fort O.K."
Impressed by the settlers' preparations for defense Curtis left a six-pounder
cannon, which is still preserved in Hall County. Because
of the fortifications
"Fort O.K." and Grand Island escaped Indian attacks.