| Census Bureau Report |
| Time Zone: Central |
| Capital: Lincoln |
| Statehood Date: 3/1/1867 |
| Statehood Order: 37 |
| Flower: Goldenrod |
| Bird: Western Meadowlark |
| Land: 76878 Sq. Miles |
| Water: 481 Sq. Miles |
| Rank In Area Size: 16 |
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| Nebraska gets its name from an Indian word meaning "flat water" after the Platte River that flows through the state. The Nebraska Territory was formed in 1854 at the same time as the Kansas Territory. Its nickname, "Cornhusker State," refers to the way that corn (a leading product of the state) was commonly harvested, "husking" it by hand, before the invention of husking machinery. Another nickname, the "Beef State," refers to one of Nebraska's main industries, cattle. Omaha has been a major meatpacking center since the 1880s. |
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