U.S.A. - Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, Nebraska
View from the Tower of the Nebraska State Capitol

Sent by Charlene from Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.

Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the state of Nebraska, after Omaha. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's population in 2012 was estimated at 265,404.

Lincoln was founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster, and became the county seat of the newly created Lancaster County in 1859. The capital of Nebraska Territory had been Omaha since the creation of the territory in 1854; however, most of the territory's population lived south of the Platte River. After much of the territory south of the Platte considered annexation to Kansas, the legislature voted to move the capital south of the river and as far west as possible. The village of Lancaster was chosen, in part due to the salt flats andmarshes. (read further)

U.S.A - Nebraska - State Capitol

THE NEBRASKA STATE CAPITOL
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
The Nebraska State Capitol, with its 400-foot tower, is topped by the 32-foot bronze statue of "The Sower".

Sent by Charlene, from Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Nebraska State Capitol, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, houses the primary executive, judicial, and legislative offices of the U.S. State of Nebraska.

The structure is anchored by a three-story, 437-foot (133 m) square base. This square base houses offices most frequently visited by the public. The second floor (main floor) is home to the Nebraska Supreme Court, the Nebraska Court of Appeals, and the Nebraska Legislature.

From the center of the base, a tower rises 362 feet (110 m), crowned by a gold-tiled dome. The spire—The Sower and its pedestal—add an additional 32 feet (9.8 m) to the building’s height. Common measurements list the capitol at 400 feet (120 m), making it the second-tallest U.S statehouse, surpassed only by the 450-foot (140 m) Louisiana State Capitol.

As the tower was intended for expansion of the Nebraska State Library, the 17-foot (5.2 m) tower floors were originally designed to include loft-like stacks for book storage. By 1925, with government increasing in size, the State of Nebraska decided to redesign the tower to house offices. Tower floors continue to house various offices today.

In total, there are 15 full floor stories in the capitol (three mezzanines also exist within the tower). The 14th floor, Memorial Chamber, is the highest publicly accessible level. At this level, four observatory decks offer views of Lincoln from 245 feet (75 m) above the ground.

Chapter 27.56 of the Lincoln Municipal Code places height restrictions on structures within the designated Capitol Environs District. This code helps to maintain the capitol’s title as the tallest building in Lincoln. The capitol held the title of tallest building in Nebraska until 1969 with the completion of the 478-foot (146 m) Woodmen Tower in downtown Omaha. With the completion of Omaha’s 634-foot (193 m) First National Bank Tower in 2002, the capitol became the third-tallest building in Nebraska.

The building was designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, who drew upon Classical and Gothic architectural traditions. It was constructed between 1922 and 1932, of Indiana limestone. (Source)

U.S.A. - Nebraska - Mapcard

Nebraska became the 37th state admitted to the Union on March 1, 1867. Known as the "Cornhusker State," Nebraska ranks 15th in size among all 50 states, and supports a great diversity of industry and agriculture.

Sent by Mallory from Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Nebraska /nəˈbræskə/ is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States. Its state capital is Lincoln. Its largest city is Omaha, which is on the Missouri River.

The state is crossed by many historic trails, but it was the California Gold Rush that first brought large numbers of non-indigenous settlers to the area. Nebraska became a state in 1867. (read further)

USA - Nebraska - Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park

BUFFALO BILL RANCH STATE HISTORICAL PARK
NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA
In 1886 Cody contracted Patrick Walsh to build two-story, nine room house at a cost of $3,900. In 1909 the Cody's remodeled the house, adding nine rooms, electric lights, indoor plumbing and a furnace. Cody entertained friends from all across America at his ranch house.

Sent by Cherie, a WiP partner from USA.

This is from Wikipedia : Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, also known as Scout's Rest Ranch, is a living history park located west of North Platte, Nebraska.

The property includes a home owned by Buffalo Bill, as well as many other historical exhibits. The park can be found along U.S. Route 30 two miles west of North Platte.

It includes a Second Empire architecture building built in 1886. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

During flooding on the Platte River in the summer of 2011 it was closed, the exhibits moved and berms were built around the buildings. The flooding came close to the compound but was not as severe as expected.

USA - Nebraska - Welcome To Nebraskaland ... Where The West Begins

Welcome to Nebraska!
Conestoga wagon and oxen - the official symbol of Nebraska land.

Sent by Cherie from Nebraska.

USA - Nebraska - Platte River

Sent by Cherie, a parner in WiP. This one shows a sanctuary for migrating Whooping Cranes in Nebraska's Platte River.

This is from Wikipedia : The Platte River is a river in the Western United States, approximately 310 mi (500 km) long. It is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River. The Platte is one of the most significant river systems in the watershed of the Missouri, draining a large portion of the central Great Plains in Nebraska and the eastern Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming. The river played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States, providing the route for several major westward trails, including the Oregon Trail and the Mormon Trail. It was explored in the 18th century by French fur trappers, who also knew it as the Nebraska River.

USA - Nebraska - Generals Row

Built of limestone and brick, these homes of Generals' Row have housed the officers of old Fort Crook (now OFFUTT Air Force Base) since the 1890's.

Sent by Cherie. She added, "... it was here where the first two bombers to drop atomic bombs were made. Also during 9/11 it was where they brought the President to keep him safe."

This is from Wikipedia : Offutt Air Force Base (Offutt AFB) is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), the Air Force Weather Agency, and the 55th Wing (55 WG) of the Air Combat Command (ACC), the latter serving as the host unit.

Aviation use at Offutt began in September 1918 during World War I as a Army Air Service balloon field. It was renamed in honor of World War I pilot and Omaha native 1st Lt. Jarvis Offutt in 1924.

Offutt AFB's legacy includes the construction of the first two bombers to drop atomic bombs and over 40 years as the headquarters for the former Strategic Air Command (SAC) and home for its associated ground and aerial command centers for the U.S. in case of nuclear war during the Cold War. The population was 8,901 at the 2000 census.

USA - Nebraska - Chimney Rock

A landmark along the Oregon Trail. Sent by Cherie, one of the partners in yahoogroups swap.

This is from Wikipedia : Chimney Rock is a famous, prominent geological formation in Morrill County in western Nebraska. Rising nearly 300 feet (91 m) above the surrounding North Platte River valley, the peak of Chimney Rock is 4,226 feet (1,288 m) above sea level. During the middle 19th century it served as a landmark along the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Mormon Trail, which ran along the north side of the rock. It is visible for many miles from the east along U.S. Route 26.