Nebraska, one of the so-called “flyover states” in the middle of the U.S., is often considered boring, and full of nothing but corn. Nebraska itself knows this: their official tourism slogan is “Nebraska. Honestly, It’s Not For Everyone.”
This tongue-in-cheek irony is actually spot-on: I’m here to tell you that most of your preconceptions about Nebraska are probably wrong. (Except for the corn thing. There’s a whole lot of corn).
Besides being known as a flat and boring state (which I’m about to debunk), what is Nebraska known for? What is Nebraska famous for, if anything?
Nebraska is famous for, yes, corn, but also the Runza sandwich, Chimney Rock, and Carhenge. Nebraska is known as the Cornhusker State and is also known for the Reuben sandwich, the Cowboy Trail, the Lied Jungle, Kool-Aid, and as the origin of both ski lifts and TV dinners.
I know you’re hooked! Before you make your visit to Nebraska: Where the West Begins, here are some facts about Nebraska’s history, things to do in Nebraska, and what to see in Nebraska. I give you: 28 Things Nebraska is known and famous for!
Table of Contents
1. Agricultural production
Okay, I just told you Nebraska is not just flat and boring farmland—and it’s not! However, 92% of the state is farmland or ranchland. These vast swatches of agricultural production provide us all with wheat, beef, and that sweet, sweet Nebraska corn.
2. The Cornhusker State
Nebraska is known as the Cornhusker State, for both the corn and the football team.
Which came first, though? The corn or the football? I’ll leave that philosophical debate for another day, but the football team was inspired by Nebraska’s number one crop.
Nebraska produces more acres of corn crops than any other state (and also, more popcorn is made in Nebraska than in any other state).
The traditional way of harvesting corn was to husk it by hand, hence, cornhuskers. Although nowadays there are machines to help with this, some corn is still husked by hand (fun fact: corn husking was my mom’s first job, back when she was a youngun on the prairie).
3. Cornhuskers Stadium
Football is not just a pastime in Nebraska—it’s a way of life!
On game day at the University of Nebraska, the Memorial Stadium (where the Cornhuskers play) swells to 90,000 people, making it the third largest city in the state for that day (after Omaha and Lincoln).
Of course, the Cornhuskers got their name for the biggest state crop, but the name also pays tribute to the tenacity of Nebraskans over the years, a hardy group that saw dry prairie and harnessed it to one of the bread baskets of the U.S.
4. Runza
Runza is a uniquely Nebraskan phenomenon. Runza, a fast food chain, first opened its doors in Lincoln in 1949 and has expanded to over 80 restaurants.
Still mostly in Nebraska, you can also find Runzas in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, and Wyoming.
Runza is named after its most famous menu item: the Runza sandwich. The Runza sandwich is a mix of beef, cabbage, and onions all wrapped in a bun, and is a true Nebraskan specialty (inspired by immigrants from eastern Europe).
The menu has expanded since 1949, but this OG Runza is still the best—especially with cheese!
5. Reuben sandwich
Nebraska is famous for another sandwich, too: the Reuben sandwich!
Although the true invention of the Reuben is hotly debated, one account places its origin right in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Blackstone Hotel is credited with the first Reuben, named after a local who would order a sandwich made with corned beef and sauerkraut. The chef at the hotel added Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing, and history was made.
6. Raisin pie
You wouldn’t think that a pie crust stuffed with raisins would be that popular, but it is! At least in Nebraska. With origins in Amish communities, the Nebraskans simplified the raisin pie to a mix of brown sugar and raisins, all wrapped up in a simple pie crust.
7. Chimney Rock
If anyone else thought Chimney Rock was just a part of the Oregon Trail (as in, the computer game), well, you aren’t alone! But it does exist, and you can still see it today in Nebraska.
Chimney Rocks remains one of the most well-known landmarks in the American West, and is an enduring symbol of the (real) Oregon Trail.
Chimney Rock is unfortunately eroding and has lost approximately 30 feet in the past 150 years. It still stands tall and proud in the middle of the prairie—for now!
8. Carhenge
Why go to Stonehenge when you can see Carhenge, right in Nebraska?
Yep, near the town of Alliance, you can find a replica of Stonehenge but made out of… cars. Cars painted gray. The creator of Carhenge, when asked why he made a replica from cars, replied “why not?”
Carhenge may sound strange, but it’s a fun, quirky icon that, from a distance, really does look like Stonehenge! Trust me. Or don’t, and go see it for yourself.
9. Cowboy Trail
The Cowboy Trail in Nebraska, spanning over 300 miles between Norfolk and Chadron, is one of the biggest Rails-to-Trails projects in the United States.
Rails-to-Trails is a program that turns abandoned railroad tracks into walking trails.
The Cowboy Trail, named for its large swathes of ranchland and Western history, is full of old railroad relics, like signposts and bridges.
10. The Lied Jungle
On the plains of Nebraska, you can find America’s largest indoor rainforest at the Omaha Zoo. The exhibit showcases rainforests and wildlife from South America, Asia, and Africa.
Who knew in Nebraska you could also see an American bison, as well as clouded leopards, pygmy hippos, monkeys, and tapirs?
11. Largest mammoth fossil in the world
Something else you might not expect to find in the middle of Nebraska? A giant mammoth!
Well, a mammoth fossil, that is. Archie the mammoth fossil, found at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is the largest mammoth fossil in the world.
Archie is such an icon that a bronze sculpture of the mammoth was commissioned for the campus, and for good luck, students will slap his front leg.
12. Kool-Aid
The great state of Nebraska is responsible for bringing us the sweet, neon nectar that is Kool-Aid.
In 1927, a man named Edwin Perkins, to expedite shipping for his liquid concentrate “Fruit Smack,” was able to reduce it to a powder. Kool-Aid took off and is now Nebraska’s official soft drink.
Hastings, Nebraska, where Perkins invented Kool-Aid, holds annual Kool-Aid Days every August.
13. Cheeseburger pizza
Let’s be real: Nebraskans are kind of geniuses. Who else would combine two of the world’s best foods into one unique specialty?? Cheeseburger meets pizza in one of Nebraska’s signature dishes.
Also called Omaha-style pizza, cheeseburger pizza is made with a red-sauce base, topped with ground beef, cheese, onions, and of course, pickles.
14. Sunken Gardens
In the 1930s, a neighborhood dump site in Lincoln (Nebraska’s capital) was transformed into the most beautiful garden in the state: the Sunken Gardens.
The Sunken Gardens, which are free to enter, cover over one acre and feature a new theme every year—2022 was “Wonderland.” The gardens, in addition to hundreds of flowers, have koi ponds, waterfalls, stone elements, and lovely paths.
15. “Flat Water”
Nebraska’s name comes from the Omaha tribe which means “flat water.” This was the local Native Americans’ name for the Platte River, which flows through the state, and is known for its wide, flat waters.
Nebraska also has more miles of river than any other state (who knew?), which is another reason the founders chose the name “flat water.”
16. Oracle of Omaha
One of the most successful investors in history hails from Omaha. Warren Buffet is known as the “Oracle of Omaha” (or sometimes the “Wizard of Omaha”), was born in Omaha and still lives there, even though he’s one of the richest men in the world.
17. Omaha steaks
Nebraska is known for its beef, so you gotta try a steak in Omaha! It’s also the home of Omaha Steaks, founded in 1917, a.k.a. “America’s Original Butcher.”
Omaha Steaks is a mail-order service for gourmet food, primarily steaks (of course).
18. Nebraska Star Party
One of the perks of being on the Great Plains is the stargazing. Without excessive light pollution and with a lot of open rural areas, the stars in Nebraska are out of this world (no pun intended).
To really experience the Nebraska stars, attend the annual Nebraska Star Party outside of Valentine, on the shores of Merritt Reservoir.
The Star Party takes place every July, and visitors stay overnight in campgrounds to get the full experience.
19. Buffalo Bill Ranch
Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park in North Platte, Nebraska of William F. Cody, the Western icon known as “Buffalo Bill.”
Buffalo Bill traveled all over the West as a Pony Express rider, an army scout, a buffalo hunter, and as a showman.
In the mid-1800s, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show was touring all over the United States and Europe. Thanks to the success of his show, Buffalo Bill was able to purchase his “Mansion on the Prairie” in 1886.
Nowadays, his ranch is open to visitors and filled with Buffalo Bill relics.
20. Sandhill cranes
One of the greatest migrations of the world includes a pit stop at the Platte River Valley in Nebraska.
Approximately one million sandhill cranes converge on the banks of the river every March to fuel up before continuing their journey north.
Around 80% of all of the sandhill cranes in the world end up in this 80-mile stretch of Nebraska, which is quite a sight. A sight that you can see with a sunrise or sunset tour from the nearby Rowe Sanctuary.
21. Arbor Day
The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872, in Nebraska. First proposed by a Nebraskan newspaper man, who missed the trees of his hometown back East, around one million trees were planted on that first Arbor Day in Nebraska alone.
By 1885, Arbor Day was an official state holiday in Nebraska, and now is celebrated by all 50 states, generally during the last week of April.
22. Triple landlocked
There are a lot of landlocked states in the U.S., but Nebraska has the distinction of being the only triple-landlocked state. This means that, between Nebraska and the ocean, there are at least three states (or, two states and a Canadian province).
23. Fort Robinson State Park & indigenous heritage
Fort Robinson, a U.S. army fort until after World War II and now a state park, is an integral piece of Nebraska’s history. Now part museum and part recreational area, Fort Robinson was once one of the most important forts in the West.
Fort Robinson is also a symbol of the brutal treatment of the local Native American tribes at the hands of the settlers and the U.S. Government.
Fort Robinson was the site of the 1879 Cheyenne Massacre, the Red Cloud Indian Agency (where local tribes were often imprisoned), and the death of Crazy Horse, the famed leader of the Sioux tribe.
Fort Robinson also showcases the long and proud history of the Native Americans of Nebraska, who still make up part of the state’s population, primarily residing on reservations.
24. Unicameral legislature
Yet another unique fact about Nebraska (they’re rackin’ up!) is that it’s the only state to have a unicameral legislature, as well as a nonpartisan legislature.
A unicameral legislature means a one-chambered house, where all of the governing is decided by one body, instead of two (the federal gov, for example, is bicameral, with the House and the Senate).
Nebraska’s senators also are the only ones in the country to not declare their party affiliation on the ballot, which I admit, I find intriguing!
25. College World Series
Those Nebraskans are pretty serious about their sports! Every year, Omaha hosts the NCAA Men’s College World Series (which is baseball for those not in the know).
The tournament usually takes place in June and has been held there since the 1950s (except for 2020, because, well, what didn’t get canceled in 2020?).
26. The Great Navy of the State of Nebraska
Nebraska, you just keep getting more interesting! (And weirder. But they’re kind of the same thing, am I right?).
Even though Nebraska is triply-landlocked, it has a Navy. The Great Navy of the State of Nebraska doesn’t even have anything to do with Nebraska’s miles of riverfront and is in fact, purely symbolic.
Nebraska’s Navy was started by an acting governor looking for a way to honor his pals. The tradition has continued, and many notable Nebraskans have been appointed as Admirals over the years.
27. Ski lifts
We’ve got some peak irony here: Nebraska, a state decidedly lacking in ski hills or snowy mountains, was where the first ski lift was invented.
The Union Pacific Railroad, to inspire tourism in the West, created the first ski resort in the U.S. (Sun Valley, Idaho) in the 1930s.
An engineer by the name of Jim Curran was tasked with a way to get skiers up the mountain. Taking inspiration from the mechanism for loading bananas on boats, he came up with the chairlift.
The chairlift revolutionized skiing, enabling skiers to get easier access to higher terrain and incredible powder.
28. TV dinners
The great people of Nebraska bought us the microwave dinner, originally known as the “TV dinner.” Invented in the late 1950s as a way to use a bunch of leftover frozen turkeys by the Swanson company, TV dinners started as a faster Thanksgiving dinner: corn, peas, and turkey on an aluminum tray.
TV dinners took off thanks to the time of their introduction. Many (white) women were beginning to work outside the home, but the bulk of the household responsibilities still fell on them, such as cooking.
When TV dinners were introduced, American households latched onto an easy way to provide families with a balanced meal.
Conclusion
They say Nebraska isn’t for everyone, but after compiling this list, I’m inclined to disagree!
Nebraska has not only invented quite a few things, like ski lifts, Arbor Day and Kool-Aid, but also provides some super unique experiences, such as Carhenge, the Cowboy Trail, and Chimney Rock.
And, for what is known as a terrain-less state with little to see and do, the natural sights are awesome: from the sandhill crane migration, the Platte River, and various state parks.
What do you think? Do you think Nebraska might be for you? If you’ve been, what would you add to this list?
Frank Zybach from Columbus, NE invented the center pivot irrigation sprinkler system that you see on the farms.
Very interesting and entertaining.
Dorothy Lynch dressing condiment was created in Nebraska as well!