Living in Lincoln, Nebraska means more than just healthy living and football (although you will get plenty of both). The city also boasts a rich cultural past and vibrant community that influences the lives of all who are moving to Lincoln. Having come a long way from its 19th-century origins as a salt mine, Lincoln is now the capitol city of Nebraska and one of the major cities of the mid-western Plains. If you are looking to relocate to a town that combines the ease of a small town with the excitement of a big city, Lincoln just may be the place for you.
Economy:
The early founders of Lincoln envisioned the area first as a salt-mining town and later as an agricultural center. Today, the majority of Lincoln inhabitants work in the service industry, government, education and banking. As the Nebraskan state capitol, Lincoln is home to many state government offices and the state legislature. Major employers in Lincoln include the University of Nebraska, the BryanLGH Medical Center and Liberty Benefit Life Insurance.
Tourism:
Lincoln's position as a state capitol makes it a significant regional tourist destination. The two most-visited sites are the Nebraska State Capitol building (also the tallest building in the city) and the University of Nebraska State Museum. Another major historical attraction is the Haymarket area. The site of a modern Farmer's Market on Saturdays between April and October, the Haymarket has evolved from its original roots as a farming-supply market into a destination for antiques, art galleries, restaurants and night life. During the college football season, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers play at Memorial Stadium, where they have sold out all 81,000 seats regularly since 1962. Travelers can fly into Lincoln's Municipal Airport and can take the train to Amtrak's Lincoln Station. Once in the city, the Star Tran company provides bus service.
History:
Salt mining prospectors founded a town they called Lancaster in 1859 and saw the area quickly become a major agricultural center for the Nebraska territory. Due to a higher population south of the Platte River, the town stole Omaha's position as the capitol upon statehood in 1867. In that same year, the name of the town changed to Lincoln to honor the recently-assassinated President. The local population swelled with immigration through the late 19th century, notably including many ethnically-German immigrants from Russia. Both the population and economics of Lincoln remained steady throughout the 20th century, with the city showing a one percent annual population growth during this time. During this time, moving companies experienced a large growth with the expansion of Lincoln's outlying towns and suburbs. However, now there are virtually no independent suburbs of Lincoln.