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|  | == Trivia == |  | == Trivia == | 
|  | + | * Nebraska was once called "The Great American Desert".  | 
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|  | + | * In 1927, Edwin E. Perkins of Hastings invented the powered soft drink Kool-Aid.  | 
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|  | + | * J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day in Nebraska City in 1872.  | 
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|  | + | * The state nickname used to be the "Tree Planter's State", but was changed in 1945 to the "Cornhusker State".  | 
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|  | + | * State insect is the honeybee.  | 
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|  | + | * State motto: Equality before the law.  | 
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|  | + | * The goldenrod was declared the state flower on April 4, 1895.  | 
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|  | + | * The Naval Ammunition Depot located in Hastings was the largest U.S. ammunition plant providing 40% of WWII's ammunition.  | 
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|  | + | * The Lied Jungle located in Omaha is the world's largest indoor rain forest.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska  is the birthplace of the Reuben sandwich.  | 
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|  | + | * Spam (canned meat) is produced in Fremont.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska has the U.S.'s largest aquifer (underground lake/water supply), the Ogalala aquifer.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska has more miles of river than any other state.  | 
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|  | + | * The Union Pacific's Bailey Yards, in North Platte, is the largest rail classification complex in the world.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska is the only state in the union with a unicameral (one house) legislature.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska was the first state to complete its segment of the nations mainline interstate system, a 455 mile stretch of four lane highway.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska is both the nation's largest producer and user of center pivot irrigation.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska's Chimney rock was the most often mentioned landmark in journal entries by travelers on the Oregon Trail.   | 
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|  | + | * The 911 system of emergency communications, now used nationwide, was developed and first used in Lincoln, Nebraska.  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska has more underground water reserves than any other state in the continental U.S.   | 
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|  | + | * Marlon Brando's mother gave Henry Fonda acting lessons at the Omaha Community Playhouse.   | 
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|  | + | * Lincoln County is the origin of the world's largest "Wolly Mammoth" elephant fossil.  | 
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|  | + | * Weeping Water is the nations largest limestone deposit and producer.  | 
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|  | + | * Mutual of Omaha Corporate headquarters is a public building built with 7 floors underground.  | 
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|  | + | * The Nebraska Cornhuskers have been to a record 27 consecutive bowl games and 27 consecutive winning seasons  | 
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|  | + | * The University of Nebraska Cornhusker football team has produced more Academic All-Americans than any other Division I school.  | 
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|  | + | * In Blue Hill, Nebraska, no female wearing a 'hat that would scare a timid person' can be seen eating onions in public.  | 
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|  | + | * The world's first college course about radio personality Rush Limbaugh is taught at Bellevue University in Nebraska.  | 
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|  | + | * Origin of Nebraska's Name: From an Oto Indian word meaning flat water  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska's Motto: Equality Before the Law  | 
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|  | + | * Nebraska's State Gem is the Blue Agate  | 
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|  | + | * The largest porch swing in the world is located in Hebron, Nebraska and it can sit 25 adults.  | 
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|  | + | * The world's largest hand-planted forest is Halsey National Forrest near Thedford, Nebraska  | 
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|  | + | * The world's only museum dedicated to Fur Trading is located at Fort Atkinson near Blair.  | 
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|  | + | * The famous architect, Edward Durrell Stone, designed the Stuhr Museum near Grand Island, Nebraska.  | 
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|  | + | * The University of Nebraska-Lincoln weight room is the largest in the country. It covers three-fourths of an acre  | 
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|  | + | * Chevyland USA near Elm Creek, Nebraska is the only museum dedicated to a single line of cars.  | 
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|  | + | * The largest Kolache Festival in the world is located in Prague, Nebraska  | 
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|  | + | * Cozad, Nebraska is located on the 100th Meridian where the humid east meets the arid west.  | 
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|  | + | * In Nebraska in 1986 for the first time ever two women ran against each other for governorship of a state.  | 
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|  | + | * The cost of the Nebraska Capitol building was $ 9,800,440.07 in 1932. The construction job came in under budget and the building was paid for by the time it was completed.  | 
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|  | + | * Union Pacific Railroad's museum is headquartered in Nebraska.  | 
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|  | + | * Buffalo Bill Cody held his first rodeo in North Platte, Nebraska July 4, 1882.  | 
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|  | + | * In 1950, Omaha became the home of the College World Series.  | 
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|  | + | * There are five army forts open to the public in Nebraska: Atkinson, Kearny, Hartsuff, Sidney, and Robinson.  | 
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|  | + | * Sidney, Nebraska was the starting point of the Black Hills Gold Rush.  | 
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|  | + | * Antelope and Buffalo are counties in Nebraska named after animals.  | 
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|  | + | * Dr. Harold Edgerton of Aurora, Nebraska is the inventor of the strobe light.  | 
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|  | + | * Kearney, Nebraska is located exactly between Boston and San Francisco.  | 
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|  | + | * Father Edward Flanagan founded Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska in 1917. | 
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|  | == External links == |  | == External links == | 
|  | *[http://www.nebraska.gov/ Nebraska.gov] - Official website. |  | *[http://www.nebraska.gov/ Nebraska.gov] - Official website. |