Lincoln is the second most populous city in the state of Nebraska with current estimates showing a population of over 250,000 people. The city is also proud to be the capital city for the state. Originally founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster, the city was renamed in 1867 and at the same time also became the state's capital city. Lincoln is unlike many cities in that it does not contain several suburbs in its metropolitan area. Much of this is due to the face that land suitable for development has been annexed by the city of Lincoln. Being located in the flat area known as the Great Plains with no large bodies of water nearby means the city has cold but very dry winters and warm humid summers.
The University of Nebraska Lincoln and Nebraska's state government make up large portions of the city's economic climate. The local economy also features many call centers, insurance companies and freight companies. The city's largest private employer is BryanLGH Medical Center which is made up of two main hospitals and several smaller branch locations.
The city features a diverse and interesting collection of museums on a wide variety of topics. The Lincoln Children's Museum allows children to learn through play and features hands on displays throughout its three floors. A unique and popular museum is the Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum which shows how the telephone helped make communication instantly possible across the county. The museum features replicas of the very first phones and old operator switchboards. The Larsen Tractor Museum is located in a tractor test laboratory from 1920 and includes original equipment and over 25 tractors. The International Quilt Study center located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is home to the largest quit collection in the world. The city also houses the National Museum of Roller Skating. This unusual museum features the largest collection of roller skates and related items in the world. The University of Nebraska State Museum features what you expect to see at your more traditional natural history museum it also features the Mueller Planetarium.
Written by Lyndsey Morgan
