I may be biased, but I believe you cannot tell the full story of America without telling the story of Nebraska.
Part five of this America at 250 series we explore Nebraska’s place in American history. Before going further I want to mention the importance of fathers in society. Last weekend we celebrated Father’s Day. As a father of three, I can say family has been the most important part of my life. Thank you to all the dads out there working hard to make their families and communities better.
Our state is not a footnote to westward expansion — it was the corridor through which the nation moved itself. Lewis and Clark explored the Missouri River on our eastern border. The Platte River Valley was America's great road west, providing a natural pathway for westward expansion across the continent during the nineteenth century. Here passed the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the Pony Express Trail. Beatrice is the location of the first homestead. Omaha was the eastern terminus of the transcontinental railroad, making Nebraska the literal launching point of the iron road that stitched the nation back together after the Civil War.
Long before any of that, Nebraska belonged to nations whose roots ran far deeper than any wagon rut or railroad tie. The Native tribal history is Nebraska's history — including the painful chapters. Chief Standing Bear's 1879 federal court victory — in which a judge in Omaha ruled for the first time that a Native American had rights under American law. The culture and resilience of our native tribes deserve a place in our American celebration.
What Nebraska has given this nation in terms of food and fiber is simply staggering. Nebraska is a national leader in all facets of beef production, with the industry generating approximately $7.2 billion in annual cash receipts. Nebraska farmers and ranchers export nearly $10 billion in agricultural products feeding families not just across America but around the world.
Nebraska's character has also left its mark on national defense in ways that are not always fully appreciated. Offutt Air Force Base became the headquarters of Strategic Air Command, whose main purpose was nuclear deterrence. USSTRATCOM is responsible for strategic nuclear deterrence, global strike, and operating the Defense Department's Global Information Grid. Offutt was an important piece in winning the Cold War and today its important mission to our national security continues on. Before the Cold War Nebraskan General John “Black Jack” Pershing captured Pancho Villa and led troops into battle in WWI.
Nebraska is also a state that knows how to welcome the world and has the receipts to prove it. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium has been rated the world's best zoo numerous times. It has more than a million visitors annually. By the time you read this the College World Series will have concluded. “The greatest show on dirt” has called Omaha home since 1950. That is Nebraska doing what Nebraska does, opening the door and putting on something worth coming to see. Speaking of sports, “Go Big Red” isn’t just a cheer, it’s a statement of pride. The chant makes me think of our legendary Tom Osborne who showed us what a champion looks like on and off the football field.
In District 17 we host visitors to Ponca State Park, Danish Alps State Park, and the PowWows put on by The Winnebago and Omaha tribes. Growing up in Pender, I knew from an early age that Nebraska's land was not a backdrop — it was the point.
As America turns 250, I remain convinced that this state, quiet and hardworking and often underestimated, has been one of the most important pieces of the whole American experiment. We have fed it, defended it, and kept faith with it. That is a legacy worth celebrating.
