NEBRASKA
State Information
Nickname(s): Cornhusker State
Motto(s): Equality before the Law
State song(s): Beautiful Nebraska
Capital Lincoln
Largest city Omaha
Admitted to US 3/1/1867 37th State
Brief History
Here are a few interesting facts about Nebraska:
Nebraska is the only state that has a single-house legislature.
They claim to be the birthplace of the Ruben sandwich.
Arbor Day was first started here in 1872.
Nebraska is the largest producer and user of pivot irrigation, with water supplied by the largest underground aquifer in the Nation.
Famous people include Gerald Ford (president), Richard Cheney (vice president), Wade Boggs (baseball), Fred Astaire (actor), Marlon Brando (actor), Henry Fonda (actor), Robert Taylor (actor), Hilary Swank (actress), and many others.
Interesting Stories
Pony Express is a classic American business decision that arose out of the necessity to solve a communication problem. Formerly, a stagecoach was necessary to deliver mail between Missouri and California. The process took 25 days. Then three entrepreneurs put their heads together and proposed delivering mail by horseback. Their idea incorporated posting fresh horses every 10 miles and new riders every 75 miles. They initially charged $5 per half an ounce. Starting at St Joseph, Missouri, and riding across four states to California, the mail could be delivered in 10 days. As ingenious as the idea was, it turned out to be a financial bust, mainly because the government refused to give them a mail contract. The Pony Express lost $200,000 and folded in 18 months, but it is still a name synonymous with speedy mail delivery.
Warren Buffett was born in Omaha, NE. He wanted to skip college and go into business, but his parents convinced him otherwise. He bought a pinball machine and placed it in a local barbershop. A few months later, he had several machines in different barber shops. He entered the Warton School at the University of Pennsylvania and learned how to multiply his investment strategies. His business went from a few thousand to many billions of dollars. In 2008, he was the wealthiest person in the world. He said that the cigarette business is a classic model. You make it for a penny, sell it for a dollar, and it’s addictive. And still, despite his overwhelming success, he reminds us, “The most important investment you can make is in yourself.”
Johnny Carson was born in Iowa but grew up in Nebraska. He developed his talent for entertaining at 12 with magic tricks. His first gig was when he was 14, as The Great Carsoni, raking in $3 a seat. He jumped into drama at the University of Nebraska, writing a thesis on “How to Write Comedian Jokes.” He then went on to host the Tonight Show for 38 years. He tolerated the media and avoided several gotcha topics like politics, religion, sex, race, crime, ethics, children, marriages, and the law. He often handed out a card with 11 answers to all questions whenever he approached for an interview.
Dave Hutchinson has been an environmentalist outside of Rose, Nebraska, all his life. But being an environmentalist is far more complex than people in cities realize. It involves digging into the soil with your hands and checking its color, texture, and life. It involves participating in the birth of animals, raising and feeding them, and protecting them from disease and death. Dave has operated a large ranch with cattle, goats, horses, and a herd of 200 buffaloes. He believes in organic ranching without growth hormones to increase animal size. Helping him with the ranch are his children, grandchildren, and extended family. At about midnight, you can go outside and see the spectacular Milky Way Galaxy unimpeded by city lights and urban smog. Life is good in Rose, Nebraska.