1. Huskers Games Shut Down The State
Nebraska Cornhuskers football is basically a state religion. On game day, Memorial Stadium becomes the third largest city in Nebraska, with over 90,000 screaming fans. With more than 320 consecutive sold out games, the Cornhuskers have been one of the most dedicated fan bases for over 50 years. It’s no surprise that a baby Cornhusker’s first words are usually “Go Big Red!”
2. Everything’s Red In Nebraska, Even Their Beer
While most of the world is off drinking Bloody Mary’s to nurse their hangovers, Nebraskans are enjoying some red beer.
How’s it made? Take any cheap American lager and mix it with some V8 juice. Another weird combo unique to Nebraska, but don’t knock this one either until you try it for yourself.
3. Nebraskans Love Their Green Beer, Too.
The “Irish capital of Nebraska,” O’Neill hosts one of the best St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States. With music, dancers, and a horse that’s painted green and paraded around town. The beer and Irish whiskey also flows freely on St. Patrick’s Day in O’Neill, so you can bet there are shenanigans afoot. Even though there’s normally only 3,000 people in the town, Irish folk flock from all around the state annually, to celebrate their heritage.
4. Nebraskans Would Live On A Diet Of Runzas Only If They Could
Perhaps the world’s greatest sandwich, Nebraskans can eat a Runza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A chewy bread pocket stuffed with beef, onion, and cabbage (and sometimes other things), this delicious treat has become an unforgettable staple of the Nebraskan diet.
Tales range from people trading their automobile, lucky jock strap, and even a newborn baby for a taste of one of these bad boys.
5. Learn To Catch The One Finger Wave
It’s a very common sight to pass someone driving down the road and see them lift a single finger from the steering wheel, sometimes accompanied by a tilt of the head. Before you get all road-ragey know this: It just means they’re saying hi. This is a regional thing that isn’t seen in too many other states.
6. Nebraskans Do Talk To Strangers
In most places around the world, people find it a bit strange if someone on the street or at the store strikes up a conversation with them while they’re going about their daily business. In Nebraska, this isn’t the case.
The epitome of Midwestern friendliness, a Nebraskan can walk into a room and instantly become friends with everyone. So don’t be shocked if you’re trying to pick out your favorite orange juice in the drink aisle when someone comes up to you and strikes up a conversation about how the “Huskers got cheated out of that game last Saturday.”
7. Nebraskans Are A Bunch Of Tree Huggers
On April 10, 1872, J. Sterling Morton spearheaded the planting of one million trees in Nebraska, holding the first Arbor Day in America. ONE MILLION TREES. Ever since, the huskers have taken their Arbor Days very seriously.
The holiday is even celebrated year round at the Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure, located outside of Nebraska City, Neb. Visitors can explore 260 acres, including an awesome treehouse.
8. Nebraskans Are Humble And Down To Earth
There’s a lack of materialism that exists in Nebraskan that’s rarely found in America. It’s not about how new your clothes are or how expensive your house is. Nebraskans are far more interested in the quality of your character than of your car.
9. Watch Out For “Der Viener Schlinger”
If you’re moving to Nebraska, I hope you like hot dogs. And really, who doesn’t?
Known for their close association with Memorial Stadium and Huskers games, Fairbury hot dogs are the best in the state. In 1995, they famously unveiled “Der Viener Schlinger,” a pressurized cannon that launches hot dogs into the stands at games.
Voted as one of the best stadium foods in the country, Husker fans will not tolerate having them absent from their game experience.
10. Thank Nebraska For Everyone’s Favorite Flavored Sugar Water
Next time a giant punch bowl bursts through the wall of your living room, you can blame Nebraska native, Edwin Perkins.
In 1927, he discovered how to take the liquid out of flavor syrup, giving America the delicious Kool-Aid powder that kids love today. Beginning with the six original flavors, Kool-Aid has since expanded to 91 flavors available world-wide. Oh yeahhhh!
11. To Folks In Nebraska Chili And Cinnamon Rolls Make The Perfect Culinary Combo
It may sound strange, but try it and you’ll like it. Traditionally a regular on public school lunch menus around the state, the sweetness of the cinnamon rolls coupled with the spicy chili is an unbeatable combo that will leave you wanting more.
It’s not the healthiest meal and it sure shocks out-of-towners, but this is a Nebraska combo that can’t be missed.
12. Once You’ve Had Nebraska Steak You’ll Never Settle For Less Again
Everyone’s heard of Omaha Steaks and how delicious they are, but any Nebraskan native will tell you that the best steak in town is from the local butcher shop.
Staying true to the state’s obsession with the color red, Nebraskan red meat is so fresh it will melt in your mouth, making it the best place to get a steak in the world.
13. Lots Of Awesome Steaks Means Lots Of Awesome Cows
Cows are everywhere in Nebraska. It’s even been said that the number of cows in the state outnumber the residents 3.5 to 1. That being said, a lot of Nebraska smells like cows, but people get over it pretty quickly though when they realize how good they taste.
14. With So Much Meat, It’s No Surprise That Hamburger Pizza Is Kind Of A Big Deal Here
It’s really a simple concept: Take the ingredients of a hamburger and put them on a pizza. Valentino’s is one of the best with their “bacon cheeseburger pizza” rendition of the local favorite.
Sure, putting pickles on pizza may seem a little strange at first, but when you’re combining two of the best foods known to mankind, you can’t go wrong.
15. Nebraska Is The Customer Service Capital Of The Country
Whenever you get put on hold with a company, there’s a good chance your call is headed straight for Omaha. Nebraska is the home to a lot of call centers.
During World War II, the government relocated their Strategic Air Command center to Omaha. As a result, Omaha’s telecommunications infrastructure was developed into one of the fastest and most secure in the nation.
Realizing this, a lot of call centers have chosen to call Nebraska home, with companies like the Marriot, PayPal, Greyhound, and Aflac setting up camp in the Cornhusker State.
16. Nebraskans Know How To Say Nebraska Backwards
And it’s pronounced “exARbun”…or “ughZarbun.” It depends on where you’re at. Roots of the word can be traced back to the Omaha philanthropic organization, the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Foundation, when Dudley Smith proposed they simply reverse the name of their state when picking a name.
Today it’s used in a ton of places across the state, whether it’s a movie theater or a sports team. It’s a good idea to practice saying it a few times before you move to Nebraska.
17. One Of The Wealthiest People In The World Calls Nebraska Home
Maybe he just loves great steak, but Warren Buffett aka one of the richest men in the entire world, lives in The Cornhusker State. The man could literally live anywhere in the entire world, or even in several places around the world, but instead he’d rather rest his head in a humble house in Omaha. If that’s not proof of how awesome the state is, I’m not sure what is.
18. Nebraskans Are Obsessed With Dorothy Lynch Dressing
Made exclusively in Duncan, Neb., a town of around 350 people, Dorothy Lynch Dressing is the all-purpose condiment in the Cornhusker State. The unique blend of spices and odd orange coloring keeps Nebraskans begging for more. Not only a great salad dressing, Dorothy Lynch is also used for dip, marinades, and a sandwich topping.
If a Nebraskan leaves the state, they’ll probably miss this more than anything else. Well… except maybe Runza.
19. The Real Oregon Trail Is In Nebraska
Everyone remembers the joy of dying of dysentery on the popular ’90s game, “The Oregon Trail,” but in Nebraska, that was real life. In several places across the state, it’s still possible to see the ruts from the wagon wheels as travelers sought a new life out West.
20. The Ground Touches The Sky Here
Stretching 300 feet into the sky, Chimney Rock has served as a landmark for travelers throughout the history of America. Not only did Oregon Trail travelers use it, but those on the California Trail and Mormon Trail did as well. In recent years, people have noticed it shrinking due to erosion and lightning strikes.
21. The Reuben, Yet Another Awesome Food From Nebraska
Don’t listen to New Yorkers, the Reuben was created by a Husker. Yep, you read that right.
Back in the 1920s, Lithuanian grocer and Omaha resident, Reuben Kulakofsky put corned beef, swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and sauerkraut on rye bread and grilled it. This was quickly made famous when it was put on the lunch menu at the Blackstone Hotel, eventually winning a contest and getting national acclaim.
Now a staple on lunch menus across the country, if you want a real Reuben, Nebraska is the place to have it.
22. Nebraskans Can Git-R-Done
Famous for being a funny southerner, Larry the Cable Guy actually hails from Pawnee, Neb. Before adopting his stage character, Daniel Whiney grew up on a pig farm.
Despite being from the Midwest, he claims he was able to perfect his imitation of his Southern accent thanks to his roommates at University of Nebraska who were from Georgia and Texas. His state pride is always apparent, as he often dons the big red “N” during his standup performances.
23. Nebraskans Know That Sun Today Means Snow Tomorrow
The weather can get a little crazy in Nebraska. Of course the winters are harsh, but Nebraska also suffers from the bipolar version of Mother Nature that a lot of the Midwest has to deal with.
Not only does the weather change drastically depending on what season it is, but by what hour of the day it is. It can be 75 degrees and sunny one day of the week and a foot of snow on the ground a few days later.
24. There’s A Stonehenge Made Out Of Cars In Nebraska
There’s a lot of flat land in Nebraska that seems to stretch for endless miles. That just means there are a lot of places to do some weird things.
One of those weird things is Carhenge. Carhenge is made of 38 old cars buried partially in the ground, reminding viewers of the mysterious Stonehedge found in England.
However, Carhenge isn’t surrounded by the same level of mystery, people know exactly how it was made. In 1987, Jim Reinders imagined up the idea as a tribute to his late father and then made it a reality. On sale in 2011 for only $300,000, Carhenge is on several lists for the “top things to see in America before you die.”
25. Nebraskans Accept That Road Trips Are Pretty Much Mandatory
Known for its huge stretches of highway, Huskers rarely have the luxury of saying things like “just drive up the road a couple miles” or “after about 10 miles you’ll see the exit.” Instead, you’ll hear things measured in the number of hours it takes to get there.
Small towns tend to be pretty spread out and getting from one to another tends to take a lot longer than it does in most other states.
26. So Yeah, Expect Lots Of Corn In The Cornhusker State
While Nebraska does produce a lot of corn, the nickname actually originates from early sports teams in the state. That doesn’t stop the state from embracing their nickname though, as sweet corn is practically a Nebraskans lifeblood.
For some unique corn treats, stop by Ted and Wally’s in Omaha for corn based ice cream flavors.
27. Broadway Dancing Was Practically Invented In Nebraska
At least Omaha is where dancing extraordinaire Fred Astaire spent his boyhood. Famous for his performances in musicals on Broadway and in Hollywood films, Astaire was voted to be the “5th Greatest Male Star Of All Time” by the America Film institute.
He is also credited for bringing us many popular songs like “The Way You Look Tonight” and “This Heart Of Mine.”
28. This Nebraskan Will Be Remembered For Years To Come
Seward, Neb. is home to the world’s largest time capsule, buried by Keith Davisson, a man who vowed not to be forgotten.
Weighing 45 tons, the capsule was buried in front of a store he owned in 1975 and was marked with a huge pyramid. Set to be opened in 2025, it contains over 5,000 items including a bomb, a pair of bikini-style panties, and even a brand new car.
29. There’s No Sky Quite Like The One In Nebraska
While the Omaha skyline surprises visitors with its big city feel, the real beauty of Nebraska lies in the sunsets that spread across the rolling plains. The vast openness of the scenery is overwhelming at first, as every color of the rainbow seems to blend together in perfect harmony.
No matter how many times you see the sun creep below the horizon, it never gets old. It’s no surprise why huskers love this state
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