Nebraska

From 1874-1877, clouds of grasshoppers ate even turnips and carrots growing underground.

By 1900, almost half of Nebraska's population were immigrants.

In 1986, for the first time in US history, both the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor were women.

Nebraska was originally the floor of a shallow sea formed by melting glaciers.

Nebraska has the largest area of sand dunes in North America and the 3rd largest in the world, after the Sahara and Arabian Deserts.

Nebraska's Sandhills region

80% of Nebraska is covered by the Great Plains.

The Nebraska National Forest is the US's largest planted forest.  In 1902, thousands of Ponderosa pine seedlings were planted, hoping an easy supply of timber would encourage settlements.

Ashfall Fossil Beds

Agate Fossil Beds in NW Neb. and Ashfall Fossil Beds in NE Neb. are two of the richest fossil areas in the US.  They include rhinos, 3-toed horses, human-sized beavers, saber-toothed tigers and crocodiles.  One of the US's largest fossil collections is in the University of Nebraska State Museum in Morrill Hall.

Nebraska is the only state to lie entirely in the drainage area of the Missouri River.

Butler County is one of 2 US counties with a Czech-American plurality.  Nebraska has the largest Czech-American population (by percentage) in the US.

Nebraska has the only unicameral legislature and the only non-partisan legislature in the US. 

Beef cattle are Nebraska's #1 agricultural product and, not surprisingly, Nebraska's meat-packing industry is one of the world's largest.

Nebraska has the US's highest percentage of soccer players per capita.

From February to April, Nebraska has the world's largest gathering of sandhill cranes.

Nebraska has an official state soft drink: Kool-Aid.

Sandhill cranes