1. In 1872, the city of Lincoln was officially designated as the new capital of Nebraska. Prior to this, Omaha had been the capital since the state's admission to the Union in 1867.

2. In 1934, a major dust storm swept across Nebraska, bringing with it high winds and thick clouds of dirt and debris. The storm lasted for several days and caused extensive damage to crops and property across the state.

3. In 1959, the state of Nebraska established Arbor Day as an official state holiday. The holiday, which encourages people to plant and care for trees, is celebrated on the last Friday in April each year.

4. In 1974, the state's first female lieutenant governor, Helen Boosalis, was sworn into office. Boosalis served as lieutenant governor under Governor J. James Exon and went on to become the first female mayor of Lincoln in 1981.

5. In 2012, the Nebraska legislature passed a law abolishing the state's death penalty. However, the law was later vetoed by Governor Pete Ricketts and a statewide referendum in 2016 reinstated the death penalty in the state.