Nebraska

Nebraska is located in the Great Plains in Midwest United States. Its largest city is Omaha and its capital is Lincoln. Considered as farming and ranching state, it is also called the Beef State and the Cornhusker State. The name Nebraska came from the Oto Indian word that means flat water. Nebraska is an agricultural state that even the businesses in the cities cater to the agricultural industry. But although mainly an agricultural state, Nebraska has a lot to offer to visitors as well as those who want to settle in the state, especially its natural beauty and farmlands which other states do not have.

State Nickname

The official nickname of the State of Nebrask is Cornhusker State. In 1895, the legislators of the state decided that the state should be called Tree Planter State, hence it was its first official nickname. However, the Timber Culture Act was repealed in 1945 and the Cornhusker State became the official nickname of the state.

Climate Summary

The climate of the state is humid continental climate and semi-arid climate. The humid continental climate is experienced in the eastern part of the state while the semi-arid climate is experienced on the western part. All through out the year, the state experiences seasonal changes in precipitation, as well as in temperature.

State Tax situation

The state income tax ranges from 2.56% and 6.84%. Corporate tax is between 5.58% and 7.81%. Food and medicine is exempted fro sales tax. Local sales tax has a maximum of 1.5%. Excise tax is imposed by the state on various items, such as alcohol, tobacco, fuel, insurance premium and others.

Government Summary

The government of Nebraska is composed of the legislative, judicial and executive branches. The head of the executive branch is the governor of the state. The state has a unicameral legislature. This makes it the only state in the United States of America to have this type of legislature. The judicial branch is headed by the Nebraska Supreme Court.

State Seal

The Great Seal of the State of Nebraska was adopted in 1867. The seal has steam train and mountains on the background. There is also a steamboat running across Missouri River. There are also harvested wheat. Written above is the motto of the state Equality Before the Law, and on the outer circle is the date March 1, 1867.

Motto and Description

The official motto of the State of Nebraska is Equality Before the Law. The motto was officially adopted in 1867. It was to show the belief that all people of Nebraska regardless of color have the same rights and freedom under the law. The motto appears on the state flag of Nebraska.

State Flag

The state flag of Nebraska is actually its state banner. The state is one of the last states to have its own state flag. Although it was introduced in 1952, in a Bill by J. Lloyd McMaster, the bill simply described the banner as nothing more than reproduction of the state’s seal. Thus, in 1963, it was finally decided that the banner is also the flag of the state.

State Bird

The official State Bird of Nebraska is the western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). It was adapted in 1929 by a legislative action. The bird is quite common and many love its song. Its body is a combination of white, black and yellow.

State Flower

The official State Flower of the State of Nebraska is the goldenrod (Solidago serotina). The state is abundant with the goldenrod and different species of it is scattered around the state. The color of the flower is gold and the plan reaches up to three feet tall. 

State Animal

The official State Mammal of Nebraska is the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). It was adapted in 1981. It is common in many parts of the state. The official state fish of the state is the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), which was adapted in 1997 while the official insect is the honeybee (Apis mellifera) which was adapted in 1975. 

State Song and Description

The official state song of the state is Beautiful Nebraska. The song was composed in 1960 by Jim Fras and Guy G. Miller. The song was adopted in 1967, after Sen. Richard Marvel, Jerome Warner, Harrold Simpson and Eric Rasmussen, proposed it. The year when the bill was passed was also the year when the state celebrated its centennial statehood.  

State Colors 

The official website of the State of Nebraska, which is maintained by the government of Nebraska, did not include state color in its official state symbols.