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Copyright 2001. The Lazy 'C' - All rights reserved.
history
In 1925, Nebraska Rep. J. Lloyd McMaster of Lancaster County introduced House Roll 62, which designated an official flag or banner for the state of Nebraska.
After the bill was signed by the governour on March 28, 1925, Nebraska had a state flag with the following description: "There is hereby designated a banner for the State of Nebraska which shall consist of reproduction of the great seal of the state, charged on the centre in gold and silver on a field of national blue."
The bill also states that no part of the state flag is to be used in a business advertisement or trademark. Insulting the flag is forbidden, and penalties for violation of the bill's provisions are named. As passed, the bill appropriated $100 to the secretary of state to reproduce and publish the banner. After this, representation of the flag could be used and sold by individuals, partnerships, voluntary associations and corporations. State law requires that the flag be displayed on or near the state capital, the governor's mansion, all courthouses, city or village halls, schoolhouses and other public administration buildings under or to the left of the United States' flag.
The state flag was first displayed at a 1926 New Year's Day reception attended by more than 4,000 people at the new state capital. The original flag is displayed in the secretary of state's office in the capital.
After the bill was signed by the governour on March 28, 1925, Nebraska had a state flag with the following description: "There is hereby designated a banner for the State of Nebraska which shall consist of reproduction of the great seal of the state, charged on the centre in gold and silver on a field of national blue."
The bill also states that no part of the state flag is to be used in a business advertisement or trademark. Insulting the flag is forbidden, and penalties for violation of the bill's provisions are named. As passed, the bill appropriated $100 to the secretary of state to reproduce and publish the banner. After this, representation of the flag could be used and sold by individuals, partnerships, voluntary associations and corporations. State law requires that the flag be displayed on or near the state capital, the governor's mansion, all courthouses, city or village halls, schoolhouses and other public administration buildings under or to the left of the United States' flag.
The state flag was first displayed at a 1926 New Year's Day reception attended by more than 4,000 people at the new state capital. The original flag is displayed in the secretary of state's office in the capital.
Nickname: The Cornhusker State.
Capital: Lincoln.
Constitution: The 37th State.
Statehood: March 1st 1867.
Motto: Equality before the law
History:
European explorers encountered several Indian tribes in the Nebraska region. More tribes moved there as whites drove them from their homes in the East.
In 1682, France claimed a large region that included present-day Nebraska. The United States purchased this region in 1803. Beginning in 1862, settlers poured into the territory to claim small farms called homesteads.
In 1934, Nebraska became the only U.S. state to adopt a unicameral (one-house) state legislature. Many farms in Nebraska went out of business during a national farm crisis in the 1980's.
Bird:
Western Meadowlark - There are few song birds on the Great Plains whose melodic call can evocate such delight and joy as the Western Meadowlark. Undoubtedly that's why it was selected as the State Bird. At the request of the N.F.W.C., Rep. F. C. Rundle of Hamilton County introduced a joint and concurrent resolutation declaring the western meadowlark the state bird. Then-governor Adam McMullen signed the bill on March 22, 1929.
Economy:
Agriculture: Cattle, corn, hogs, soybeans, wheat, sorghum.
Industry:Food processing, machinery, electric equipment, printing and publishing.
Flower:
The goldenrod (Soldiago gigantea) was declared the state flower in 1895. A concurrent resolution giving the state a floral emblem was introduced by Rep. L. P. Judd of Boone County. The measure was supported by University botanist Dr. Charles Bessey. Undoubtedly, the article written by Miss Brockman, who was the daughter of Rep. John M. Brockman of Stella, had some part in seeing the resolution signed into law by then-governor Silas A. Holcomb on April 4, 1895.
Nickname:
Nebraska has had two official state names: the "Tree Planters' State" and the "Cornhusker State." On April 4, 1895, a bill called for a joint resolution to designate Nebraska as "The Tree Planters" state.
Origin of state's name:
Name based on an Oto Indian word that means "flat water," referring to the Platte River.
Seal:
To provide for the original seal, Isaac Wiles of Cass County introduced a bill in the House of Representatives on May 31, 1867, to obtain a seal for Nebraska. Signed by then-governor David Butler on June 15, 1867, the bill read:
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Nebraska:
Sec. 1. That the Secretary of State shall be, and he is hereby authorized and required to procure, at the cost and expense of the state, and as soon after the passage of this act as practicable, a seal for the state, to be designed and known as the great seal of the state of Nebraska, and of the design and device following, that is to say: The eastern part of the circle to be represented by a steamboat ascending the Missouri river; the mechanic arts to be represented by a smith with hammer and anvil; in the foreground, agriculture to be represented by a settler's cabin, sheaves of wheat, and stalks of growing corn; in the background a train of cars heading toward the Rocky Mountains, and on the extreme west, the Rocky Mountains to be plainly in view; around the top of this circle, to be in capital letters, the motto: "Equality Before the Law," and the circle to be surrounded with the words, "Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, March 1, 1867."
Sec. 2. The sum of twenty-five dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any fund in the treasury not otherwise appropriated by law, to enable the Secretary of State to carry into effect the provisions of this act.
Tree:
The cottonwood is the largest of the poplar family, often reaching heights of 200 feet or 80m. It is famous for its annual profusion of downy, cottonlike seeds which are carried miles by the wind. But, the cottonwood was not Nebraska's first state tree. That honour originally went to another species.
The American Elm (Ulmus Americana L.) was named as Nebraska's first state tree on Feb. 15, 1937, when a resolution introduced by Sen. Alois Slepika of Wilber was passed. It was chosen because it was "known throughout Nebraska for its beauty, and because of its historical background, it being the tree under which George Washington sat while signing a treaty."
The 1972 Legislature named the cottonwood (Populus deltoides marsh) as the state tree. The bill, introduced by Sen. Calvin Carsten of Avoca, originally called for the green ash to be the state tree, but was amended in favour of the cottonwood. The cottonwood was chosen because many Nebraska elm trees had been killed by Dutch elm disease and because the cottonwood often is associated with pioneer Nebraska. Several famous early landmarks were cottonwood trees and their shoots were often collected by settlers who planted them on their claims.
European explorers encountered several Indian tribes in the Nebraska region. More tribes moved there as whites drove them from their homes in the East.
In 1682, France claimed a large region that included present-day Nebraska. The United States purchased this region in 1803. Beginning in 1862, settlers poured into the territory to claim small farms called homesteads.
In 1934, Nebraska became the only U.S. state to adopt a unicameral (one-house) state legislature. Many farms in Nebraska went out of business during a national farm crisis in the 1980's.
Bird:
Western Meadowlark - There are few song birds on the Great Plains whose melodic call can evocate such delight and joy as the Western Meadowlark. Undoubtedly that's why it was selected as the State Bird. At the request of the N.F.W.C., Rep. F. C. Rundle of Hamilton County introduced a joint and concurrent resolutation declaring the western meadowlark the state bird. Then-governor Adam McMullen signed the bill on March 22, 1929.
Economy:
Agriculture: Cattle, corn, hogs, soybeans, wheat, sorghum.
Industry:Food processing, machinery, electric equipment, printing and publishing.
Flower:
The goldenrod (Soldiago gigantea) was declared the state flower in 1895. A concurrent resolution giving the state a floral emblem was introduced by Rep. L. P. Judd of Boone County. The measure was supported by University botanist Dr. Charles Bessey. Undoubtedly, the article written by Miss Brockman, who was the daughter of Rep. John M. Brockman of Stella, had some part in seeing the resolution signed into law by then-governor Silas A. Holcomb on April 4, 1895.
Nickname:
Nebraska has had two official state names: the "Tree Planters' State" and the "Cornhusker State." On April 4, 1895, a bill called for a joint resolution to designate Nebraska as "The Tree Planters" state.
Origin of state's name:
Name based on an Oto Indian word that means "flat water," referring to the Platte River.
Seal:
To provide for the original seal, Isaac Wiles of Cass County introduced a bill in the House of Representatives on May 31, 1867, to obtain a seal for Nebraska. Signed by then-governor David Butler on June 15, 1867, the bill read:
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Nebraska:
Sec. 1. That the Secretary of State shall be, and he is hereby authorized and required to procure, at the cost and expense of the state, and as soon after the passage of this act as practicable, a seal for the state, to be designed and known as the great seal of the state of Nebraska, and of the design and device following, that is to say: The eastern part of the circle to be represented by a steamboat ascending the Missouri river; the mechanic arts to be represented by a smith with hammer and anvil; in the foreground, agriculture to be represented by a settler's cabin, sheaves of wheat, and stalks of growing corn; in the background a train of cars heading toward the Rocky Mountains, and on the extreme west, the Rocky Mountains to be plainly in view; around the top of this circle, to be in capital letters, the motto: "Equality Before the Law," and the circle to be surrounded with the words, "Great Seal of the State of Nebraska, March 1, 1867."
Sec. 2. The sum of twenty-five dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any fund in the treasury not otherwise appropriated by law, to enable the Secretary of State to carry into effect the provisions of this act.
Tree:
The cottonwood is the largest of the poplar family, often reaching heights of 200 feet or 80m. It is famous for its annual profusion of downy, cottonlike seeds which are carried miles by the wind. But, the cottonwood was not Nebraska's first state tree. That honour originally went to another species.
The American Elm (Ulmus Americana L.) was named as Nebraska's first state tree on Feb. 15, 1937, when a resolution introduced by Sen. Alois Slepika of Wilber was passed. It was chosen because it was "known throughout Nebraska for its beauty, and because of its historical background, it being the tree under which George Washington sat while signing a treaty."
The 1972 Legislature named the cottonwood (Populus deltoides marsh) as the state tree. The bill, introduced by Sen. Calvin Carsten of Avoca, originally called for the green ash to be the state tree, but was amended in favour of the cottonwood. The cottonwood was chosen because many Nebraska elm trees had been killed by Dutch elm disease and because the cottonwood often is associated with pioneer Nebraska. Several famous early landmarks were cottonwood trees and their shoots were often collected by settlers who planted them on their claims.