Nestled in the heart of the Great Plains, Nebraska is a state brimming with fascinating diversity and unique charm. Known as the Cornhusker State, Nebraska boasts expansive prairies, fertile farmland, and a rich agricultural heritage. Beyond its iconic landscapes, the state surprises with cultural gems like the vibrant arts scene of Omaha and the historic trails that once guided pioneers westward. Nebraska is home to quirky attractions like Carhenge, a whimsical replica of Stonehenge made from vintage automobiles, and Chimney Rock, a towering natural monument along the Oregon Trail. With the welcoming spirit of its communities, a passion for college sports, and a commitment to preserving its pioneer legacy, Nebraska is a tapestry of history, innovation, and down-to-earth Midwestern hospitality. Explore this list of 51 awesome and interesting facts about Nebraska to unravel the layers of this dynamic state and appreciate its often underestimated allure.

What is Nebraska known for?

1. Corn! Nebraska is not called the Cornhusker State for nothing, as it’s been a significant agricultural center since the 19th century. The state’s identity with its agricultural heritage is reinforced with corn imagery throughout Nebraska, reflecting its corn-husking commitment to farming.

2. Omaha! Situated along the banks of the Missouri River, is a dynamic city that blends a rich history with modern vibrancy. As the largest city in Nebraska, Omaha is a cultural and economic hub known for its diverse neighborhoods, cultural attractions, and thriving arts scene.

3. The Great Plains! Nebraska is part of the Great Plains region that is characterized by vast expanses of flat prairies and farmland. The Great Plains take up a huge part of the American midwest in addition to Nebraska, including Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Early History of Nebraska Facts

4. Before white people came alone, indigenous peoples that lived in Nebraska included the Otoe, Omaha, and Sioux. In fact, Nebraska is actually an Otoe work that means “flat water.”

5. French explorers were the first white people to visit Nebraska in 1682 and René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed Nebraska land for France.

6. For nearly 40 years, France and Spain fought to have control over Nebraska until Spain withdrew its claim after being overthrown in 1720.

7. In 1762, France signed over ownership of Nebraska (as well as the rest of the Louisiana Territory) to Spain, where Nebraska was a part of New Spain for like the next 40 years.

8. The Louisiana Territory that included Nebraska went back to France in a trade deal with Spain in 1800.

9. In 1803, The United States bought the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon Bonaparte for a mere $15,000,000. 

10. Nebraska became part of the Missouri Territory in 1812.

11. After chasing an untold number of Native Americans off their land for much of the mid-1800s, the United States government ended up with a whole bunch of Nebraska land, which they allowed settlers to claim under the Homestead Act of 1862. 

12. After being part of Louisiana and Missouri and other territories, Nebraska finally established its present-day borders in 1866.

13. On February 8, 1867, Nebraska became the 37th state admitted to the Union. 

What are the State Symbols of Nebraska?

14. Nebraska has had four (4) Poet Laureates since 1921, including John G. Neihardt (1921-1973), William Kloefkorn (1982-2011), and Twyla M. Hansen (2013-2019). Matt Mason was most recently named Nebraska State Poet in 2019, but his tenure ended in 2023.

15. Way way way back in 1981, the Nebraska legislature elected the populous white-tailed deer the official state mammal. There are ten (10) other states that also have the white-tailed deer as a state symbol, including Michigan and Illinois and Arkansas.

16. Nebraksa has an official dance and it’s the square dance. It also happens to be the official dance of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, and Georgia, as well as Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Missouri. And North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Oregon, as well as Tennessee and Texas. And Utah. And Virginia. And also Washington state. It’s also the official folk dance of California, New Jersey, and South Carolina. Clearly, America needs to diversify its dance card.

17. In 1975, Nebraska designated the honeybee as the state’s official insect. These lil guys are absolutely crucial to our survival on the planet. Honeybees, as essential pollinators, play a pivotal role in the global ecosystem by facilitating the reproduction of countless plant species, ensuring biodiversity, and directly contributing to the production of a significant portion of the world’s food supply.

18. Hey, look at the Nebraska state flag! It took a long time for Nebraska to settle on a design for its state flag, finally officially designating it in 1963.

19. In 1929, Nebraska designated an official state bird: the western meadowlark. As far as state symbols go, it’s pretty popular, as they also represent Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming.

20. Milk is a state symbol for 20 states — including Nebraska, who made that official designation in 1998. As proud as the state is for their corn, milk symbolizes the importance of Nebraska’s relationship to dairy.

21. The official state fossil is the mammoth, designated in 1967. The massive mammoth roamed Nebraska land during the Ice Age, and they left their fossils all over the state.

22. The cottonwood tree is the Nebraska state tree, and has been since 1972. They grow all over Nebraska, and folks in the state culturally associate the cottonwood with pioneer (ahem, colonizing) times.

23. The channel catfish is the official fish of Nebraska, as well as Kansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. In 1997, a bunch of 4th-graders at a Lincoln elementary school pushed to lobby for the channel catfish to be officially designated — an excellent skill for a 10 year-old to learn!

What Famous People are from Nebraska?

24. Malcolm X was a charismatic and influential American civil rights leader and Muslim minister who advocated for Black empowerment, self-defense, and equality during the tumultuous era of the 1950s and 1960s, challenging mainstream civil rights activism and later evolving his views towards a more inclusive stance before his assassination in 1965. He was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska.

25. Nebraska has produced several baseball Hall-of-Famers, including Wade Boggs (Omaha), Bob Gibson (Omaha), Grover Cleveland Alexander (Elba), and Richie Ashburn (Tilden).

26. Elliott Smith was one of the most distinctive singer-songwriters of the 1990s that rose to recognition when his song “Miss Misery” from the film Good Will Hunting was nominated for the 1998 Academy Award for Best Original Song. He was born Steven Paul Smith in Omaha, Nebraska on August 6, 1969.

27. Megan Hunt, who identifies as bisexual, became the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to state legislature in 2019. She was born in Blair, Nebraska in 1986.

28. Frederick Austerlitz — more popularly known as Fred Astaire — was one of the most popular performers of the 20th century, dancing and singing and acting his way into a 75-year career that included multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards and a lifetime achievement Oscar. Freddy was born in Omaha on May 10, 1899.

29. Marlon Brando was perhaps the most dynamic actor in the history of American film and theater, winning a Best Actor Oscar for On the Waterfront (1955) and The Godfather (1973). He was born in Omaha, Nebraska on April 3, 1924.

30. Sandy Dennis won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her devastating performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), and the Broadway star also won two Tony Awards. She was born Sandra Dale Dennis in Hastings, Nebraska on April 27, 1937.

31. The writer, editor, and publisher Roxane Gay whose collection of essays Bad Feminist (2014) elevated her to one of the most astute social commenters in America today, was born in Omaha in 1974.

Topography & Geography of Nebraska

32. There are 93 counties in Nebraska. 93! That’s a lot! You should visit all of them and report back to us.

33. Omaha is the most famous and populous city in Nebraska but the capital is Lincoln.

34. More than 70,000 miles of rivers flow through Nebraska, including the Missouri River.

35. Nebraska borders six (6) states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

36. Nebraska is about 77,220 square miles of land and water, making it the 16th largest state.

37. The highest point in Nebraska is Panorama Point, which is 5,424 feet above sea level.

38. The lowest point in the state of Nebraska would be the Missouri River at the border of Kansas, at a mere 840 feet above sea level.

39. If you were to drive across Nebraska, it would be 430 miles from east to west and 210 miles from north to south.

Where should I visit in Nebraska?

40. Animal enthusiasts may want to check out Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, known for the largest indoor rainforest in the United States. The Lied Jungle combines rainforests fauna and flora from Asia, Africa, and South America into an unexpected oasis in the American midwest.

41. Anyone who loves the randomness of roadside attractions will certainly be amused by Carhenge. Situated just north of Alliance, Nebraska, Carhenge is a quirky homage to the historic English Stonehenge, featuring 38 vintage automobiles arranged to mimic the proportions and shape of the original Stonehenge.

42. The Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha has an impressive collection of paintings, including works from big names like Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, Henri Matisse, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Winslow Homer, and tons of other names art history students will recognize.

43. Hipsters who enjoy ironically posing next to weird attractions for Instagram likes will absolutely love the Chef Boyardee statue located in Omaha, Nebraska, near the headquarters of the parent brand that once owned the brand. Chef Boyardee was actually a real person named. Ettore Boiardi — and the phonetic spelling of his last name caught on.

44. Great outdoor lovers will love the Chimney Rock National Historic Site located in Morrill County in western Nebraska. The prominent sandstone spire soaring 300 feet above the Nebraska prairie holds historical significance as a landmark along the Oregon Trail, serving as a vital navigational point for pioneers during westward expansion in the 19th century.

45. There is a roller skating museum in Lincoln, Nebraska! Visitors are welcome to explore the National Museum of Roller Skating, which holds the largest collection of roller skating memorabilia in the world, and shares a building with USA Roller Sports, which is the official governing body for organized roller sports.

Fun, Cool, Interesting & Weird Nebraska Facts

46. Ranch dressing inventor Steven Henson was born in Nebraska. In 1950 or so, the plumber was working in Alaska when he came up with the recipe by combining buttermilk and dried milk and after opening the Hidden Valley guest ranch in Santa Barbara, California and serving it to his guests, ranch dressing took off to become the beloved condiment we know today.

47. The history of Arbor Day begins in Nebraska, where J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska City originated the idea of dedicated one day a year to planting a bunch of trees to the Nebraska State board of agriculture. It caught on, and everyone is encouraged to plant trees on the last Friday of April every year.

48. Kool-Aid was developed by this dude named Edwin Perkins in 1927 in Hastings, Nebraska. In his mother’s kitchen, he created the powdered drink mix and packaged it in envelopes and distributed it to grocery stores for 10 cents apiece. Before long, Perkins was a rich man, and the Kool-Aid brand has been a symbol and staple of American childhoods since the 1950s.

49. Many enjoy a delicious Reuben sandwich, which typically has corned beef, Swiss cheese, some sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing on grilled rye bread. Although the true inventor of the Midwestern classic is in dispute, it originated in Omaha and March 14th is considered Reuben Sandwich Day in Nebraska.

50. Nebraska is totally landlocked and nowhere near an ocean, but has two lighthouses anyway: Lake Minatare and Linoma Beach.

51. The largest ball of stamps in the world can be found in Boys Town, Nebraska. Back in 1953, the Boys Town Stamp Collecting Club started stamping their lesser stamps onto a golf ball until the thing reached 32 inches in diameter and weighed 600 pounds, where it can be found in the town’s visitors center.

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