Nebraska Local Business Directory

Originally the home of numerous Native American tribes, Nebraska was first explored by French-Canadian traders en route to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition mapped much of the region surrounding the Missouri River, including what is now the Omaha metropolitan area. The Platte River was also surveyed by the explorers during their westward trek. During the journey, Lewis and Clark encountered many friendly and hostile Indian tribes but escaped direct confrontation with hostiles and received much-needed help from the friendly Native American tribes during their journey. Nebraska became a state in 1867.

Western Nebraska is located in the Great Plains region and is mostly flat prairie land. Farming and ranching activities account for a good percentage of the state's economy. Although much of Nebraska remains rural, the Omaha metropolitan area offers numerous employment opportunities and is the home of Con-Agra, Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha Insurance and Union Pacific. Omaha and Lincoln are the largest cities in Nebraska; other notable cities include North Platte, Beatrice, Bellevue, Grand Island and Hastings. Although the city itself is located outside the Nebraska border, the Sioux City, Iowa, metropolitan area accounts for a large center of population within the state of Nebraska.