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General Information
Nickname: Cornhusker State
State bird: Western Meadowlark
State flower: Goldenrod
Capital: Lincoln
Date of admission to the Union: 1st Mar 1867
Population: 1,711,263 (2000)
Population density: 8.5/sq km
2000 total overseas arrivals: Under 50,000
Time: Central (GMT - 6) in the greater part of the State; Mountain (GMT - 7) in the west. Daylight Saving Time is observed.
The State: Nebraska rises from the Missouri prairie lands to the Great Plains and foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Omaha, its largest city, is one of the State’s major tourist destinations. Girls and Boys Town, the famous homeless boys’ community, is situated nearby. Originally founded as ‘Boys Town’ by Father Edward Flanagan, the home for unwanted and distressed boys is still thriving, and today girls also enjoy the care and protection it offers. The attraction which draws the most visitors through its gates, however, is the Henry Doorly Zoo, which contains the largest indoor jungle in the world. In contrast to the zoo’s popular Kingdom of the Seas Aquarium, where brown sharks swim ominously close to onlookers, the Desert Dome houses three distinct desert climates in one biosphere. Omaha’s varied nightlife ranges from punk to opera, while theatre lovers can take advantage of the free Shakespeare on the Green festival, which takes place in late June and early July at the Joslyn Art Museum.
Lincoln is one of the most stunning State capitals in the USA. The State Capitol Building, known as the ‘Tower on the Plains’, is as impressive inside as it looks from the street; for an unsurpassed view of the city, take the elevator to the top floor. Other city sights include the Museum of Nebraska History, which has a moving exhibit on the history of the Plains Native Americans; Mueller Planetarium; Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, including a collection of Warhol Pop Art; and the University of Nebraska State Museum, which boasts the largest mounted mammoth in an American museum.
Nebraska is also home to Homestead National Monument; the pioneer landmarks of Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock; Fort Robinson, where Chief Crazy Horse surrendered; and the Buffalo Bill Historical Park.
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