NEBRASKA FROM A TO Z

C IS FOR CAPITAL, COMMUNICATION, & COUNTIES

• The Territorial Capital was Omaha but was moved to Lancaster and renamed Lincoln.

• All forms of COMMUNICATION is available throughout Nebraska including newspapers, magazines, radio, television, telephone, and Internet. The state has 2 telephone area codes - 308 & 402. There are many Web Cams , and Internet service is available throughout the state.

• Nebraska has 93 COUNTIES and each county has its own license plate prefix. Douglas County has the largest population and Arthur has the smallest population. The largest county is Cherry County and the smallest is Sarpy.The term county is the level of local government below the state itself.

• Nebraska has many DAMS . Some dams are hydroelectric. The Gavins Point Dam is the most downstream dam on the Missouri River. The United States Society on Dams is involved in the maintenance, construction, operation, and safety of dams. The US Department of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers have Dam projects in the state, and the state has a Dam Safety Program. Alternate forms of energy are being investigated including Solar Power and Wind Power.

• The State Dance is the Square Dance. This type of dance is performed by groups of four couples. Dancers follow the directions of a "caller" and most of the music is provided by fiddles, banjos, and guitars. The State Song is Beautiful Nebraska.

• Although there are few DINOSAUR fossils in the state, Nebraska is viewed as one of the best places to learn about proboscidean fossils (animals with trunks) including mammoths and mastodons. These fossils have been found in most of the counties in the state. The Mammoth is the State Fossil. Agate Fossils Beds is a National Monument. Nebraska has an interesting paleontology history.

• Information about earthquakes in Nebraska is provided by USGS. The 1st recorded quake occurred in 1867. The largest quakes occurred in 1877 and 1964. The most recent quake was in 2007. FEMA provides information about EARTHQUAKES.

• The Nebraska Department of EDUCATION oversees public education. It is provided free and is compulsory for any child age 7 to 16. The State also has private schools that are required to comply with state standards and regulations.

• A variety of EVENTS occure throughout the year including festivals & celebrations are held throughout Nebraska during the year. There are also other events Events. Arbor Day began in Nebraska. The state observes State & Federal Holidays.

• More than 100 species of FISH are found in lakes, rivers & streams of Nebraska, and fishing is a popular activity. The State Fish is the Catfish. Nebraska has 4 Fish Hatcheries and one cold water rearing station. The Gretna State Fish Hatchery is the oldest fish hatchery in the State.

• The Nebraska State FLAG is blue with the State Seal in the center. There are also municipal and county flags. Some Native American Tribes have a flag. The State Motto is "Equality Before the Law".

• In 1804 the Lewis and Clark Expedition inventoried the FOOD resources in Nebraska. Kool-Aid was invented in Nebraska and is the official State Soft Drink. A Kool-Aid Days is held in August. Famous name brand foods are Omaha Steaks and Runza Sandwiches.

• Nebraska has 2 National FORESTS - Nebraska National Forest and the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest. Another area in the state that is under the management of the National Forest Service is the Oglala National Grassland. The State Tree is the Cottonwood.Nebraska has a Champion Tree Program.

• The GEOLOGY of Nebraska is old in the east and young in the west. The US Geological Survey has programs in Nebraska and provides information about geology in the state. Several minerals are found in the state including oil. The State gem is the Blue Agate and the State Rock is the Prairie Agate.

• Nebraska has many GHOST TOWNS. The town of Akron has 2 residents and a cemetary. Amboy has a schoohouse, mill, deport/warehouse, and barn. Lamar has an old school house, gas station, general store, church, several old homes, and a few residents.

• The GLOBAL POSITION of Nebraska is approximately 40-43 degrees north and 95-104 degrees west. The geographic center is Custer County. The highest place is Panorama Point and the lowest place is the Missouri River. NOAA provides information about the topography of the state. Geocaching is a popular game using a global positioning finder, and there are many geocaches in Nebraska.

• Nebraska has many HISTORIC SITES and most of them are on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Trust helps protect historic places in the state.

• The HISTORY of Nebraska dates back 10,000 years. Recorded history began in the 1600s. Nebraska participates in National History Day.

• Nebraska has a variety of INDUSTRIES including agriculture, food processing, freight transport, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, and insurance. The production of oil contributes to the economy. Trade Shows are held throughout the year.

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  A wide variety of INSECTS are found in Nebraska including many species of butterflies. The State insect is the European Honey Bee.

• Nebraska has 5 ISLANDS. Four islands are in rivers and 1 is on a lake. Cedar Island may only be an island during high water. Platte Island is under a bridge. Grand Island is named for the nearby Le Grand Island.

• JAZZ Festivals and other festivals are held in several places throughout Nebraska. Many other musical events are held each year. Many cities have Opera Companies and Bands & Orchestras.

Nebraska has KARST and has had 2 caves. Indian Caves and Robbers Cave which is no longer in existence. The Karst Waters Institute provides information about karst water systems. The National Speleological Society provides information about caving. The National Park Service has a Cave and Karst Program.
• Many aspects of life in Nebraska focus on KIDS, and the State Legislature has a Web site for Kids. The Nebraska Historical Society has Coloring Pages for Kids. The Department of Fish & Wildlife has Special programs for kids. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture has a Kids Page. NOAA has a Kids Page about the weather. AG in the Classroom has a Kids Page about agriculture in the state. The National Agriculture Statistic Service has a Kids Page about agriculture.

• Nebraska has many LAKES and reservoirs. The major lakes are Lewis and Clark Lake, Harlan County Lake, and Lake C.W. McConaughty.

• Public, Academic, & Special LIBRARIES are located throughout Nebraska. Most of them have internet access & special programs, and some have bookmobiles. The State Library is in Lincoln and is the oldest library in the state. The Poet Laureat is John G. Neihardt. The Nebraska Library Commission provides links to information.

• There are 2 LIGHTHOUSES in landlocked Nebraska. There is a mockup of a lighthouse in Linoma. There is also a historic "Lighthouse without a light" on Lake Minatare.

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  Nebraska has 2 MILITARY installations - Lincoln Air Force base and Offutt Air Force base. Camp Ashland is a National Guard facility. The Nebraska National Guard consists of the Nebraska Army National Guard and the Nebraska Air National Guard. The state has many Forts.

• Nebraska has MOUNTAINS and Mountain Peaks. The highest peak in Nebraska is Panorama Peak.

• MUSEUMS are located throughout Nebraska including Art Museums and Art Galleries. There are also Historical Museums. The Museuum of Nebraska is the official art museum of the state.

Nebraska is named after the Platte River from the French meaning "broad river." The Otoe Indians called the river Ni Brasge which also means "broad river". The state has several nicknames including Beef State, Cornhusker, Antelope State, Bug Eating state, Blackwater State, and Tree Planters.
• The first residents of Nebraska were NATIVE AMERICANS. Native American tribes in Nebraska have included the Iowas, Omahas, Missourias, Poncas, Pawnees, Otoes, and various branches of the Sioux. The state has several Reservations. Thurston county is made up entirely of the Omaha and Winnebago Tribes. A Powwow is held at Winnebago. The state has several Casinos.

• Nebraska has OBSERVATORIES and planetariums. Most offer classes as well as programs for the general public. Nebraska also has several astronomical societies. Many places observe Astronomy Day.

• Nebraska has a wide variety of PARKS including many State Parks and . The oldest State Park in Nebraska is Chadron. Several areas are under the management of the National Park Service Lincoln has an extensive park system, with over 100 individual parks that are connected by a system of recreational trails. The state also has Theme Parks and Amusement Parks.

• Nebraska has a POPULATION of nearly 2 million people. The center of population is the city of Shelby in Polk County. People are called Nebraskans. The state has the largest Czech-Americans in the country. Many well-known people have called Nebraska their home including Dick Cheney, U.S. Vice-President; Marlon Brando, Actor; Johnny Carson, Comedian; and Roger William, Pianist.

• A QUARTER was issued by the U.S. Mint for each state according to its admission date. Nebraska was admitted to the union in 1867 and a quarter was issued in its honor in 2006. The U.S. Mint has a special Kids Page

• QUILTING is popular in Nebraska and Quilt Guilds are located throughout the state. There are also Spinning Guilds.
• Take a QUIZ about Nebraska. 1. map quiz 2. Trivia quiz

• Nebraska is home to many species of REPTILES and amphibians including 4 types of poisonous snakes.

• Nebraska claims to have more RIVERS than any other state. The major rivers are the Missouri, Niobra, Republican, and Platt which is the State River. The Missouri Rivers forms the entire boundary between Nebraska and Missouri. The is a National Wild & Scenic River. American Rivers is an organization that protects and restores river systems in the country.

• Nebraska offers a wide variety of SPORTS and has many sports teams including college, high school, league, & professional. The state has private golf courses & public golf courses. It also has AutoRace Tracks and Horse Race Tracks. Several great sports figures have come from the state.

• Nebraska does not yet have a State TARTAN. The Scottish Society of Nebraska has special events.

• Nebraska has many types of TRAILS including Horse and Mule Trails and participates in National Trails Day. The Mopac Trail is a rail trail for bicycling, equestrians, and walking that was built on an abandoned Missouri Pacific Railroad coridor. The state has many Scenic Byways and Roadside Attractions.

• Nebraska has all forms of TRANSPORTATION. The State Department of Roads maintains highways, bridges, tunnels, and has an Adopt-A-Highway Program. The Federal Highway Administration has information about road closures in Nebraska. The Union Pacific Railroad, headquartered in Omaha, was incorporated on July 1, 1862. The route of the original transcontinental railroad runs through the state. Several other railroadsoperate in the state. A variety special license plates are available. To celebrates its 50th birthday, Matchbox cars issued a car for each state in the order in which it was admitted into the union. The car for Nebraska was the Ford Dump truck

• Nebraska has many public and private UNIVERSITIES and Colleges. It also has Technical Colleges.

• Nebraska was the name given to the never commissioned monitor Shakamaxon in 1869. The 1st USS Nebraska was a battleship. The 2nd USS Nebraska is an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine.

• Nebraska has a variety of VEGETATION. The National Parks has a Vegetation Characterization Program in the state. The State Flower is the Goldenrod and the State Grass is The little Bluestem. The Nature Conservancy helps preserve the land in Nebraska. The

• There are no VOLCANOES in Nebraska and probably never have been. However, In 1971 a paleontologist at the University of Nebraska State Museum uncovered the bones of 200 fossilized rhinos, together with the prehistoric skeletons of camels, lizards, horses, and turtles in northeastern Nebraska. The site is now known as Ashfall State Park. It was determined that the ash originated approximately 10 million years ago in an extremely explosive eruption of the Bruneau-Jarbridge volcano in southwestern Idaho. Federal Emergency Management Agency has information about volcanoes.

• Nebraska has many WATERFALLS. Over 90 of them are in the Valentine area. The tallest waterfall is Smith Falls and is part of Smith Falls State Park. Rock Falls is in Holt County. Cherry County has 3 waterfalls.

• The Farmers Almanac has the WEATHER history of Nebraska. The entire state experiences wide seasonal changes. Average temperatures are fairly uniform across the state, while average annual precipitation decreases east to west. Snowfall across the state is fairly even. Nebraska is located in Tornado Alley and thunderstorms are common in the spring and summer months. The Chinook Winds provide a temporary moderating effect on temperatures in western Nebraska during the winter months. The State Climate Office and NOAA provide information about the climate in the state. The Environmental Protection Agency provides information about Climate Change.

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  Nebraska has a great diversity of WILDLIFE. The state has Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers. The State Animal is the White-Tailed Deer. Some species of wildlife are endangered. The Nature Conservancy protects lands & water needed for plants & animals to survive. The state has Wildlife Viewing Areas. Nebraska participates in the Wildlife Protection Program.

• XMAS is the common abbreviation for Christmas and it is celebrated in Nebraska much like the rest of the country and around the world. The National Christmas Tree Association has information about Christmas trees.

• YMCAorganizations are located throughout Nebraska.

• There is a YOUTH HOSTEL in Lincoln, and there is a Senior Hostel in Minden

• The use of ZIP CODES began in 1963. in Nebraska all Zip Codes start with the numbers 68.

• The United states has 9 Time Zones Most of Nebraska is in the Central Time ZONE, but the panhandle is in the Mountain Time Zone. The state observes Daylight Savings Time. Nebraska has several plant hardiness zones.

• Nebraska has 2 ZOOS. The Henry Doorly Zoo has the largest nocturnal zoo in the world. Riverside Park Zoo has over 200 animals including a Red Panda. The Schramm Park Recreation Area has the Ak-Sar-Ben aquarium that features twelve viewing tanks with a variety of fish species.