Happy 143rd birthday, Nebraska.

Happy Birthday, Nebraska!

Nebraska became part of the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. We later became a territory and then on March 1, 1867, we became the 37th state. When the Homestead Act passed, Daniel Freeman was the first person to sign up for free land in Nebraska, near Beatrice. Everyone should go see the Homestead National Monument which was recently modernized to have an interesting museum and gift shop.

The land in our state is quite different as you drive from east to west. In the eastern part of our state, it is quite flat. You can see the rolling hills as you travel northeast. The sandhills are very different in appearance from the eastern part of the state. In the far west, we have some interesting bluffs, buttes, and Chimney Rock. Chimney Rock is what we see in the above photo. It was an important landmark for pioneers traveling west.

I will be posting more of my Nebraska photos in the following days. I hope you can all enjoy it.

The words to our state song are below. I hope you know the melody.

Nebraska Nellie

Beautiful Nebraska

Written by: Jim Fras

Beautiful Nebraska, peaceful prairieland,
Laced with many rivers, and the hills of sand;
Dark green valleys cradled in the earth,
Rain and sunshine bring abundant birth.

Beautiful Nebraska, as you look around,
You will find a rainbow reaching to the ground;
All these wonders by the Master's hand;
Beautiful Nebraska land.

We are so proud of this state where we live,
There is no place that has so much to give.

Beautiful Nebraska, as you look around,
You will find a rainbow reaching to the ground;
All these wonders by the Master's hand,
Beautiful Nebraska land.