Nebraska: Simplicity of Elegance

This Day in History: March 1, 1867
 

Nebraska, the Cornhusker State

The 1945 Legislature changed the official state name to the“Cornhusker State”. The name is derived from the nickname for the University of Nebraska athletic teams - the "Cornhuskers" - which was coined in 1900 by Charles S. "Cy" Sherman, a sportswriter for the Nebraska State Journal in Lincoln. "Cornhuskers" replaced earlier nicknames, such as "Golden Knights", "Antelopes", and "Bugeaters". The term "cornhusker" comes from the method of harvesting or "husking" corn by hand, which was common in Nebraska before the invention of husking machinery.

 Aerial America: Nebraska

This is a land of bold landscapes and brave history. It’s where uninhabitable desert plains have been transformed into cornfields and cattle ranges that feed America. Soar above this agricultural powerhouse as we explore the Cornhusker State’s vast farms, towering spires, desolate badlands, and gleaming cities. We also celebrate Johnny Carson, Warren Buffet, Carhenge, the College World Series, and other great figures, landmarks, and pastimes that call Nebraska home.

Nebraska became the 37th state on March 1, 1867, and the capital was moved from Omaha to the center at Lancaster, later renamed Lincoln after the recently assassinated President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Nebraska is composed of two major land regions: the Dissected Till Plains and the Great Plains. The Great Plains occupy the majority of western Nebraska. Nebraska is a triply landlocked state, as it does not border the ocean, nor do any of the states it borders, nor any that they border.

Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States.

Nebraska State Flag
Nebraska was one of the last states to adopt a state flag.
Representative J. Lloyd McMaster introduced a bill in 1925
to designate a state banner and the bill was passed.
The law describes the banner as:

"... a reproduction of the Great Seal of the State charged on the center in gold
and silver on a field of national blue."

Nebraska State Seal

 Western Meadowlark
Nebraska designated the Western Meadowlark as official state bird in 1929.
The Western Meadowlark is a familiar songbird of open country
across the western two-thirds of the continent.

Goldenrod

Goldenrod close-up photo by Moosicorn on Flickr;
noncommercial use permitted with attribution / no derivative works.

Goldenrod was designated the official state flower of Nebraska in 1895 to "foster a feeling of pride in our state, and stimulate an interest in the history and traditions of the commonwealth." It was later said by Ida Brockman (daughter of representative John M. Brockman) that the state flower "... has a long season, and nothing could better represents the hardy endurance of Nebraska's pioneers" (goldenrod flowers appear from July through October).

For the State Symbols of Nebraska click HERE! 

Jim Fras, a Russian refuge, arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1952. Eight years later, in 1960, he composed "Beautiful Nebraska". He is said to have composed the original piece in an hour. According to Mr. Fras, "I was lying in a pasture and words just came to me... Beautiful Nebraska, peaceful prairie land. Laced with many rivers and the hills of sand..." Though the song seemed to come from divine inspiration, it took seven years of campaigning to move the Nebraska Legislature to adopt "Beautiful Nebraska" as the official state song (June 21, 1967). Later accounts claimed Fras had help with the words from Nebraska native and poet Guy G. Miller. In 2008, legislature properly credited Guy D. Miller with the words and Jim Fras with the music for "Beautiful Nebraska." Simplicity of Elegance ***** Image Source: en.wikipedia.org   Clouds hang low over a country road  Announcing an impending storm Critters scramble seeking shelter Sensing atmosphere out of the norm Image Source: en.wikipedia.org Simplicity defines Nebraska's elegance Where the West claims its beginnings Sunrises, sunsets, landscapes Boast of homesteaders' imprintings Image Source: en.wikipedia.org In-laws, outlaws along scenic byways Adventured, explored, discovered  Rivers among natural wonders  Led to gold becoming uncovered   Image Source: en.wikipedia.org Bountiful cropland, beautifully wooded bluffs  Frame Lewis and Clark exploration Ready for road-tripping? Remember, that's how the West was won Crossing overland, dugouts for homes Prairie lands echo pioneer history Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Pawnee Resonate tales shrouded in mystery ©Awakenings Sharla Lee Shults Nebraska Facts and Trivia   Next state by month: #27 Florida - Mar 3, 1845