Nebraska the beautiful
Interesting Facts
‘Nebraska’ came from an Otoe Indian word for ‘flat water’ referring to the Platte River (50 States)
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In 1927, Edwin Perkins of Hastings, Nebraska invented Kool-Aid (50 States)
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The Nebraska state insect is the honeybee (50 States)
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Nebraska was once called “The Great American Desert” (50 States)
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Arbor Day was started in Nebraska City in 1872 by J. Sterling Morton (Legends of America)
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Nebraska is the birthplace of the Reuben sandwich (50 States)
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Nebraska has more miles of river than any other state and also had the U.S.’s largest aquifer, the Ogalala aquifer (50 States)
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The Nebraska state American Folk dance is the square dance (Legends of America)
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The University of Nebraska football team has produced more Academic All-Americans than any other Division 1 school (50 States)
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Celebrities and important American figures such as Fred Astaire, Johnny Carson, Gerald Ford, Buffalo Bill, Malcolm X and William Jennings Bryan originated from Nebraska (Legends of America)
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In Waterloo, barbers are forbidden from eating onions between 7 am and 7 pm (Legends of America)
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The Niobrara is one of the top canoeing rivers in the country. It has more than 90 waterfalls (Legends of America)
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The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha has the world’s largest indoor rain forest exhibit (Legends of America)
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Fort Robinson, Nebraska City, and Weeping Water, Nebraska were once homes to WWII German Prisoner of War camps (Nebraska State Historical Society)
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Official Facts
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Statehood: March 1, 1867 (number 37)
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Area: 77,358 square miles (16th largest state)
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Population: (as of 2010)
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Number of counties: 93
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Highest Point: 5,426 feet (Panorama Point)
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State motto: Equality Before the Law
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State song: Beautiful Nebraska
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State bird: Western Meadowlark
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State mammal: White-tailed deer
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State fish: Catfish
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State fossil: Allen Beermann
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State insect: Honeybee
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State flower: Goldenrod
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State tree: Cottonwood
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State grass: Little bluestem
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State beverage: Milk
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State soft drink: Kool-Aid
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State river: Platte
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State dance: Square dance