What Nebraska is known for

Nebraska is one of the fifty states in the United States of America. The state itself is located near the center of the United States, sitting in the middle of South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, and Wyoming. The topography of the state is relatively flat, providing the people in the state with many opportunities to farm and grow a variety of crops. Some of the crops grown are winter wheat, dryland corn, and soybeans. These crops, among others, constitute many of the things that are grown on Nebraska's many farms. Such farms are what the state is most known for, seeing as how the area has a limited number of large cities and attractions.[4]

There are many national monuments in Nebraska and several monumental trails that go through the area as well. A couple of the national monuments that have brought people to the state are the Agate Fossil Beds and Scott's Bluff. Agate Fossil Beds contains a variety of mammal skeletons that were discovered in the area and are open for people to view and learn about. Scott's Bluff is a naturally formed bluff 3,000 acres in size and 800 feet above the nearby river. People in the past, including Native Americans, emigrants on their way to Oregon, and those traveling on the Mormon Trail, used this bluff as a form of direction while they were traveling. People today are able to explore the bluff and have adventures of their own in the area.[2]

The most populated city in Nebraska is Omaha, containing approximately 486,000 people. This city's population has almost double that of the state's capital, Lincoln—around 291,000 people. Every other city in the region contains less than 70,000 people.[3] Over 95% of the population of Nebraska are citizens of the United States; only 18% of the same group of people were born outside of America. The two most common languages besides English in the region are Spanish and Vietnamese.[5]

Many visitors to Nebraska go to Omaha to participate in a variety of attractions that are there. The Old Market is one such attraction. At the Old Market, tourists will find themes reminiscent of olden times, including a couple of museums and horses walking down the streets. There are also some shops available for people to peruse. Lauritzen Gardens is another place that attracts visitors to enjoy Omaha's botanical gardens and learn about or view some flowers.[6] Another large attraction in the city of Omaha is Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. The attraction covers over 160 acres of land where guests can watch a wide variety of sea and land animals.[7]

Geography

The state of Nebraska is located near the center of the United States, sitting in the middle of South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, and Wyoming. Much of the state is used as farmland and till land, where many different crops are grown and harvested. The elevation of the state ranges from about 840 feet above sea level to 5,400 feet when approaching the Wyoming and Colorado borders.[8] A large part of Nebraska is covered by the Sand Hills, which consist of nearly 265 miles of grass-covered sand dunes. These hills were formed many years ago and have become somewhat of a scenic location for those looking for a unique landscape and recreational areas.[9]

The climate and weather in Nebraska are similar to much of what you would find in other Midwestern states. The region has all four seasons throughout the year, and they are usually relatively extreme; very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.[10] The average amount of precipitation that the state gets throughout the year is around 27 inches, including snowfall, though it does vary depending on the area of the state. In Omaha, the average precipitation per year is about 30 inches, while in Lincoln it is about 29 inches.[10] The best times to visit Nebraska are during the early summer before it gets too hot and during the fall season when the weather is generally temperate but not too cold. From the beginning of September, all through the month of October is when the weather cools off, averaging around 70 degrees. There isn't a large amount of rain during this season, and the leaves typically change colors around this time.[10]

There is a variety of wildlife and fauna in Nebraska. The state also hosts an abundance of bird species, perhaps adding to the appeal for any birdwatchers visiting the area. Some of these birds include the northern cardinal, the house sparrow, bald eagles, and red-bellied woodpeckers. There are also many plants in the area, including dandelions, eastern redcedar, great mullein, and hoary vervain. [11]

History

Nebraska became a part of the United States of America on March 1st in the year 1867. The area is the 37th state that was admitted into the country.[1] Before becoming a state, the land was claimed by both the country of France and the country of Spain. Spain eventually took over the whole of the area when they won the title to the trans-Mississippi region, which included Nebraska. However, due to international politics transferring the region, the territory was eventually given back to France.[12] 

Lewis and Clark were the first people to truly explore the area, leaving some historic parts of their trail throughout the land today.[2] Nebraska eventually became a place that people would travel through for fur-trapping, trading, and major migration to other territories, such as Oregon, California, and Utah.[12] The Nebraskan territory was fairly vacant for many years, only becoming more populated during the California Gold Rush. When the territory became a state, the main governmental area of the zone was moved to Lancaster, which has since been named Lincoln, after President Abraham Lincoln.[1]