1. In 1872, the first Arbor Day was celebrated in Nebraska. J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska City resident, proposed the holiday as a way to encourage planting trees and improving the state's economy and environment.

2. On April 13, 1949, a massive blizzard hit western Nebraska with wind gusts of up to 75 mph and snow drifts up to 8 feet high. The storm caused numerous deaths and extensive damage.

3. In 1975, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the state's death penalty was unconstitutional, making Nebraska the first state to do so. However, the ruling was overturned in 1976.

4. On April 13, 1987, a tornado outbreak hit parts of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, causing widespread damage and killing three people.

5. In 2015, Nebraska became the first conservative state to abolish the death penalty since 1976. Governor Pete Ricketts vetoed the bill, but the state legislature overrode the veto. However, the death penalty was reinstated by referendum in 2016.