Thank you Ryan, this was an excellent video. I feel honored to have been given the opportunity to explore this lake first hand for you! Looking forward to the next adventure!
my mom came from North Platte, Nebraska and she was born in 1939 one of the last children born to my grandparents and they had 13 kids. We went there in 1969 to visit and my grandfather was a farmer during that time my mom shared with me many stories. I have family there to this day. thank you for sharing this very important story 🕊️
This is awesome! As a Nebraskan, it's always cool to hear someone highlighting our state. Harlan County lake is one of my favorite places to fish and you're spot on about its history.
Nebraska is also home to the National Arbor Day Foundation. An organization dedicated to saving trees. Which kind of makes sense when you think about it.
The founder of Arbor Day, J. Sterling Morton, was a governor of the Nebraska Territory before it became a state. His son later founded the Morton Salt Company. Morton's mansion in Nebraska City, Arbor Lodge, is now a museum.
Nebraska has a lot of trees on the eastern 10% of the state and near bodies of water. But, around 90% of the state isn't suitable for massive amounts of trees.
@ , I did some digging on this and apparently the state had a lot more at one time but as the state was settled, what available good timber there was was quickly harvested. The state has been pretty active at conservation and restoration efforts for a long time. Which is pretty neat.
Random fact about Nebraska... the world's largest freight rail yard is located in North Platte Nebraska. Look up Union Pacific's Bailey yard if you're interested
When my (late) son was considering a career in railroading (1990's), we drove up from Kansas for an interview and quick tour of Bailey Yard. Very impressive.
Been there! Lincoln NE is largest hub for both freight and pleasure trips and tours. - response to random fact, from a taxi service assistant for railroad service crews. Still a hopeful return to the work, right here. 😊❤
If it weren't for the frigid weather in the winter, Nebraska (along with other Great Plains states) would be hotbeds for transplants. Good thing people from California, Oregon, and Washington barely make it beyond the Rockies haha
Bravo! Love this as a former Nebraskan. We do have a lot of reservoirs and also a lot of groundwater and even a few natural lakes in the Sandhills or oxbow lakes near the Missouri River. We even have lighthouses at Lake McConaughy and Lake Minatare. It’s nice we have them as we weren’t blessed with a lot of lakes but lots of rivers.
An amazing story for Nebraska, and the North Platte region in particular is the North Platte Canteen during World War 2. Kind of fitting I'm writing this on December 7th. Anyway, troop trains would stop on North Platte for about 10 minutes. The troops had just moments to get off the train and stretch their legs. Here they were greated by hundreds of volunteers who brought food, drinks, playing cards, played music, birthday cakes and so much more. There are even a few instances of girls putting their addresses in popcorn balls given to the soldiers. Many wrote letters back and forth during the war. There were even a couple marriages that came from the popcorn balls. It's such a wonderful and heartwarming story about people coming together to support the war effort.
This is a wonderful story that I was going to bring up but you beat me to it. It highlights the great character of Nebraskans who willingly gave up so much of their time and resources at a time of hardship to show their gratitude to the soldiers who were giving their lives for our country. It certainly is a story worth telling.
Neat video but there are a couple of additions that should be mentioned. Linoma Beach lighthouse is in the EASTERN part of the state. As mentioned in the video, located on the south side of US Highway 6, it is about halfway between Lincoln (Lin) and Omaha (oma). There is a 2nd lighthouse in Nebraska at Lake Minatare State Recreation Area, near Scottsbluff. This lighthouse is in the western part of the state. Many people think of Nebraska as flat. Most travelers only judge the I-80 corridor of Nebraska. I-80 follows the Platte River valley and it is flat. For that reason, Native Americans and later, white settlers used the Platte Valley. The Union Pacific Railroad and later, The Lincoln Highway (US 30) followed the Platte. To really see Nebraska, take Highway 2 through the Sandhills. You’ll soon realize that Nebraska is NOT flat. Thanks again for an interesting video.
Definitely, travelers should get north or south out of the Platte River Valley, and they would be surprised at the hills and valleys. Highway 91 has plenty of hills. Follow along the tributaries of the Loupe River, and there is much rolling hills. And if course, the Sandhills. The Dismal and Niobrara Rivers also hold much scenic rolling land. The Platte River Valley definitely does not define what most of the state looks like.
My maternal grandparents lived in Lincoln. When I was a kid in the 1980s and 90s, they would take my cousins and me on camping trips to various parts of Nebraska every summer. Fort Robinson and Chadron in the northwest, Ponca and Niobrara State Parks in the northeast, Nebraska City and Brownville in the southeast, North Platte and Scottsbluff in the southwest, and Kearney and the sandhills in the middle. Those camping trips are some of my favorite memories.
I've only been to Nebraska once. I thought it was beautiful. I forget where we camped but I remember the people were very nice. I have always wanted to go back and just relax there. I just remember it being really relaxing and chill. Someday..
So I just finished this and if you are wanting to know more about Nebraska there’s a lot I know. We not only created dams but also have the largest hand planted forest in the world (it might be second now) and also have more miles of river (supposedly) than any other state. Also we have the highest percentage of Czech Americans in the US which is a pretty unique group and also much like Kansas and the Dakotas have a lot of German Russians who not only were good farmers but also invented the famous Runza sandwich. Anymore just ask me.
The town of Wilbur, Nebraska, is the "Czech Capital of Nebraska" due to the Czech heritage of most of its residents. They send a lot of participants wearing traditional Czech clothing to the 4th of July Parade in the city of Seward, Nebraska, where I live. Kansas has a "Runza" tradition of its own, but they call them "Bierocks" there. As a kid, that name confused me as it gave me the impression that they got beer out of rocks...
You should do a video on the history of the Omaha zoo! Lots of cool history there and the ballpark that use dto be next door. Omaha has a TON of history as well, the south omaha stockyards used to be the largest in the world, union pacific was headquartered here, there was a massive lead smelting site that was one of the largest epa cleanup projects.
Nebraska is known as “The Public Power State.” With the exception of some wind farms and solar arrays, power generation, transmission, and distribution is controlled by quasi governmental entities called public power districts, along with some municipalities. Early in the 20th Century investor owned utilities were slow in developing power infrastructure in Nebraska. The exception being Omaha. Sam Insull gained control of the Central Power Company, while Cyrus S. Eaton consolidated several utilities to form the Iowa-Nebraska Light & Power Company. Wilbur Burton Foshay bought several small utilities in Northern Nebraska and then sold them to the Interstate Power Company, along with a lot of ill will. In 1935 the Nebraska Unicameral passed the Enabling Act, which allowed for the creation of irrigation and power districts. These became the Platte Valley Public Power & Irrigation District, the Central Public Power & Irrigation District, and the Loup River Public Power District. The Consumer’s Public Power District was formed to buy and consolidate the distribution properties of the Investor owned utilities, while the Nebraska Public Power System controlled the power plants and transmission lines. In the mid to late 1960s PVPP&ID, CPPD, and NPPS were merged to form NPPD. Sources: Public Power in Nebraska by Firth; The Only State, by Schallenberger (Former head of NPPD).
@ MUD bought both the Minnelusa treatment and pumping station, and then the gas works along 20th Street from United Gas Improvement Company. The gas works were laid out along the CB&Q and UP tracks diagonally between 20th street and Martha Street in Omaha. I think two of the large gas holders lasted into the 1960s. I think they remediated the gas works west of 20th sometime in the late 1990s, early 2000s. I thought I had seen some buildings that had housed carbureted gas plants on the property in the late 1990s.
I think one of the most interesting things about Nebraska were the Army Air Bases established around the state during world war II for training pilots. During that time frame there were 250? Servicemen that lost their lives. My dad who grew up near Harvard Nebraska told me about watching the B-17s taking off and landing from the air base there. Another interesting tidbit about Nebraska during world war II was the prisoner of war camp near Fort Robinson used to hold German POW's. If you live around Hastings, Nebraska you will see miles and miles a bunkers use to store ammunition which was manufactured there.
There are multiple other lighthouses in Nebraska, including one on Lake McConaughy that actually has a light in it... A simple google search would have revealed that.
to be clear--farming did not "cause" the dust bowl. The government did. The backstory--the federal government knew that the natural environment was much drier normally than the period of 1860-1915. But they encouraged over farming and opened land to such. When the abnormal wet period of the late 19th century reverted to long term norms, the disaster was as predictable as it was devastating. Remember, at the heart of every great disaster, you will find a Harvard graduate working for the feds.
Two months ago, I retired and moved from California to Nebraska. I absolutely love it. The people are great and I look forward to recreating at these lakes (when the weather permits). In the meantime, I’m feeding cattle every morning in temperatures not so common in California. Obviously, a retirement dream come true 😮!!!
i grew up in nebraska. merritt reservoir in the sandhills is my favorite. calamus revervoir is the second largest after lake mac. the ogallala aquifer provides irrigation for much of the farming in the state. the reservoirs are primarily for flood control from the rivers
@@justadudeffs If I'm not mistaken, it starts way out in western Nebraska as a little trickle of water called Frenchman's creek Cross it several times on Highway 6 coming from Colorado
1:20 "Meanwhile, on the EASTERN side of the state..." I lived in Nebraska a total of ten years over two tours in the Air Force. I wrote my senior college paper on McConoughey Lake and the then-present effects on the Platte River. Now do a video on the country's largest rail hump yard, the Union Pacific's Bailey Yard in North Platte! 😀
Fairbury to Lincoln to Hickman to Waverly to Bennet but now Mapleton, Oregon. I miss Nebraska with each breath. Can’t wait to get done with this part of my life and move back home to Nebraska.
Everyone says there’s nothing in Nebraska. True to a point. But if you live here, there’s no place like Nebraska! It’s got good fishing in those waters. The walleye run is incredible at lake McConaughey. Good to see someone make a video about our state.
Nebraska has a 3rd lighthouse which is located in Kearney. (And no, it is not located at Cottonmill Lake!) The Lighthouse is located in the middle of Harmon Park. It was constructed as a WPA project back in the 1930s.
It's a great swimming, sunbathing and fishing lake. My family and I enjoy going there and eating in Ogalala on historic Front Street, where there's an active theater group that puts on plays. It's a strange, world class, destination. The only caveat is that there aren't any fancy hotels or restaurants. This is the "farmer's resort".
I grew up not far from Harlan, and we spent many Sunday afternoons boating there. FWIW, the LINOMA lighthouse is visible from I-80, when crossing the Platt West of Omaha.
I have lived a big share of my life in Nebraska. Was born in Colorado. My parents and older siblings lived in Nebraska before I was born. Since I moved back here I and my family have spent a lot of time on the various lakes and ponds of Nebraska. It was always enjoyable to us. Nebraska has quite a source of water compared to NE Colorado where I grew up
5:39 My dad is an expert on irrigation sprayers; during the more than 27 years that he worked at Diers Farm Store in Fremont, he would teach classes to employees at other farm stores in the area. He had to train someone before he retired. Also, Fremont has its own “State Lakes” Park, southwest of town along the Platte River. Since the house I grew up in (& that my parents still own) is in the southwest part of town, the lakes were close enough for me to ride my bicycle there, & I didn't need to pay for admission to the State Park since I was on my bike.
The sandhills (stabilized sand dunes that cover a third of the state) are mostly unique in the world and create geographic features you can't find anywhere else. The rivers in the state tend to be very shallow and sandy; you can often walk across the largest river in the state (the Platte) and not get your knees wet. For recreation, people get in large livestock tanks and float down the rivers (tanking). In the settlers' times, there were no trees, and people would often have severe mental breakdowns because there was nothing vertical for the brain to process. Over time, as the land was settled and prairie fires and bison stampedes became less common, trees began spreading. Nebraska also has the largest planted forest in the country to help spur tree growth. It's a weird state, but interesting. The motto "It's not for everyone" was certainly apt.
I live in Nebraska and live near Lake McConaughy and big into water sports. Have visited Harlan many times. There as so many Great Lakes in the state to mention. There is a lot to offer in the state, but you bypass most of it on interstate 80.
Go to Lake Minatare in Western Nebraska. There is a lighthouse there too. It is in an area that was called Bon's Point. After the man who lived and ran a store/restaurant there. Anyone else remember Bon?
Striped bass fishing in this lake in the late 80s was the greatest in the world. Wish I had a Time Machine. I’d go right back there with a bucket full of shad
Hey great video! We have some cool stuff here. The Sandhills are beautiful especially if you are a stargazer. The Verdegre/Center/Niobrara area is absolutely stunning to drive and hike. We also have the largest man planted forest in the states (if I remember correctly it’s the fourth largest in the world but I might be misremembering). Just a couple more big ones but there are tons of smaller less known things like Ashfalls, Toadstool Park, the Golden Spike in North Platte which over looks one of the largest rail yards in the word, and of course the Sandhills cranes migration near Kearney!
Sandhills are a gem of Nebraska with long history. Provide for unique golf, sandhills, dismal river, wild horse, prairie club courses, and the snake and Niobrara have Nebraska largest but small and pretty waterfalls. Niobrara and dismal rivers provide recreation. Niobrara is a national scenic river and there is a Valentine national wildlife refuge in the sandhills that is a great recreation site. So visit again and if you golf stay at the prairie club or sandhills golf club.
I enjoyed you video about Nebraska, Some other interesting places in Nebraska are Carhenge in by Alliance, also at Alliance there is a green house that is submerged in the ground that they can grow trees that bear oranges, grapefruit, etc. At North Platte there is the largest railroad yard for switching train cars going east and west, and a repair shop for locomotives. At Hastings and Grand Island, there were huge Ammunition Depots that built ammunition for WW2. The Hastings depot is east of Hastings and the ammunition bunkers that stored the components for the ammo and also the bunkers that had the finished products until it could ship it out. There was and explosion on the east end of the depot, a railroad car exploded, vaporizing everyone in the area of the explosion, broke windows in Hastings and was heard in Omaha. Also Central Community College and several business business are using buildings and bunkers that are still standing. The depot by Grand Island was west of town. They now have the largest working farm show in the country in September, also has one of the largest outdoor shooting ranges. They hold State 4-H shooting competitions Regional competitions and now the Cornhusker games are moving to GI gun range
The citizens of Haburg, Iowa and farmers north of omaha would definitely argue how "well" Gavins point dam has prevented flooding in their areas over the last 10 years....
One I'd like you to shed light on, and it'll probably be the only thing I ask of you, is to cover the story of Grand Island, Nebraska's Tornado Hill and the infamous event that it is tied to it The Night of The Seven Twisters, which has been made into a historical fiction book and a historical fiction movie of the same titles as the event. The funny thing is not many people know the story of the Seven Twisters or Tornado Hill except for those that were alive when it happened or those who care about the history of Grand Island or the history of tornadoes in Nebraska.
I went sledding on Tornado Hill so many times as a kid! There was so much debris left over from the tornados that they burnt anything that wasn't scrap metal in a Kmart parking lot on S Locust (before it turned into Skagway South). The ashes were then trucked over to a park, thrown in a hole, and covered with dirt. Occasionally the ashes would catch back on fire on the way over. Today it's basically the only hill in town, because GI is literally as flat as a pool table. One of the victims of that night was Starr Elementary school at its old site. The building had its roof ripped off but still stood. GIPS wanted the school reopened before the fall semester, and quickly rebuilt it. They were so quick that there's actually bits of mud and plants on the walls above the ceiling tiles. That mud is leftover from the tornado picking up and slamming debris into the building. Another victim was Marv's Bowling Alley, which would later become Super Bowl. This building wasn't as lucky, and got flattened. Despite this, there were still bowling pins stood in their spot after the storm passed.
Fort Robinson state park is very interesting in Nebraska it should be a National park. So much history from Crazy Horse to a German POW camp in beautiful landscape.
It's cool to go see the bald eagles at Gavin's Point dam in the fall/winter. One year I saw like 17 of them out there. Also check out carhenge. It's some guy's art project by Alliance, NE, built in the 80s.
Harlan couny is one of 4 major dams built after the 35 flood. 2 on the Republican, one on the Medicine, one on the Red Willow. The flood pretty well wiped out the entire Republican valley across Nebraska. We got another rain in 07 or 08 that was on par with 35, but, luckily, dams and terraces.
The stories of those who survived was one of horror. A wall of water sweeping down the valley floor, taking most everything in it's path. Shows our dam systems in the Midwest and Plains states to be worth their cost. But several years back, we found that they are not immune from calamity. The boom cyclone storm in early spring overcame the dam south of Spencer, Nebraska killing one human and destroying many head of cattle during calving time. We can control nature to a certain point, but we still have to live with the extremes.
We were shocked to find McConaughey several years ago on a road trip so we camped there a couple times. It's beautiful. Unfortunately, aside from swimming at the lake there isn't really much to do in the area.
I drive by the lake McConaughey at least twice a year. In my opinion, only the sand hills of nebraska, rival, its beauty. No question, the west part of Nebraska is the best part of Nebraska.
Ryan, now do the Dust Bowl itself. Let Americans see the temperatures that the entire USA experienced in the 1930s coupled with the economic force of "The Depression."
The people who survived that time period, up to the economic boom in the fifties were a hearty people. Life was a struggle every day. Little wonder that they seemed to really enjoy life from the fifties on.
I live about 6 miles away from Linoma, we used to eat out there when they had a restaurant. Another cool story to do would be Job Ed’s Canyon which was torn down or the Storz Brewery which was torn down here in Nebraska.
Ah, Lake McConaughy. The storage and regulating reservoir for the three big power and irrigation projects built during the 1930s. It supplemented Lake Helen (Gothenburg) and the Kearney Canal. H.E. Babcock had proposed a power project earlier in the 20th Century that became the basis for the Loup River Public Power District’s Monroe and Columbus operations.
This video is dedicated to my brother Eric
@@ITSHISTORY I have a brother Eric too that lives in Lincoln!
Thank you Ryan, this was an excellent video. I feel honored to have been given the opportunity to explore this lake first hand for you! Looking forward to the next adventure!
A video about Nebraska! Never thought I’d see the day. Hello to fellow Nebraskans
Nebraska Cornhuskers!!! Go Big Red! 🏈
Hello, my friends! Nebraska love!
I was going to say I used to go to this lake in high school haha
Hey from Omaha
Damn we collected all 6 of you
Life long resident of Nebraska and Nebraska has two lighthouses. The other is Lake Minatare Lighthouse
@@davesloggett6884 I came here to say the same thing. Thought it was going to be about the Lake Minatare one.
Ditto! I didn't even know there was another light house on the east end of the state. I avoid the urban, liberal Lincoln and Omaha end of our state
This is a weird coincidence. I just watched a video about Lake McConaughy and Linoma Beach a few minutes ago. I searched this video.
@@davesloggett6884 facts. Lesser known fact is that Nebraska is the best state in the land! 😁
Minatare's is actually a lot cooler though, full stone structure.
I’m from Nebraska and live in Omaha! I’m from near Linoma. Neat video!
Also we say Lake mcconaughy
as “MI-con-a-hey”
I was about to say this too 😂
my mom came from North Platte, Nebraska and she was born in 1939 one of the last children born to my grandparents and they had 13 kids. We went there in 1969 to visit and my grandfather was a farmer during that time my mom shared with me many stories. I have family there to this day.
thank you for sharing this very important story 🕊️
One of the last? As in like triplets?
@
children born in her family 🕊️
@@caninekathy7740 lol sry was just enjoying the English language there can only be one person as the last child
This is awesome! As a Nebraskan, it's always cool to hear someone highlighting our state. Harlan County lake is one of my favorite places to fish and you're spot on about its history.
Nebraska is also home to the National Arbor Day Foundation. An organization dedicated to saving trees. Which kind of makes sense when you think about it.
The founder of Arbor Day, J. Sterling Morton, was a governor of the Nebraska Territory before it became a state. His son later founded the Morton Salt Company. Morton's mansion in Nebraska City, Arbor Lodge, is now a museum.
Yeah, cause there's like no trees in Nebraska.
Nebraska has a lot of trees on the eastern 10% of the state and near bodies of water. But, around 90% of the state isn't suitable for massive amounts of trees.
@ , I did some digging on this and apparently the state had a lot more at one time but as the state was settled, what available good timber there was was quickly harvested. The state has been pretty active at conservation and restoration efforts for a long time. Which is pretty neat.
Random fact about Nebraska... the world's largest freight rail yard is located in North Platte Nebraska. Look up Union Pacific's Bailey yard if you're interested
I thought to myself "can't be that big its a rail yard, lets have a look"..... Yup its massive LOL
@@justadudeffs No I'm really not
There is a Bailey yard in Virginia....
When my (late) son was considering a career in railroading (1990's), we drove up from Kansas for an interview and quick tour of Bailey Yard. Very impressive.
Been there! Lincoln NE is largest hub for both freight and pleasure trips and tours. - response to random fact, from a taxi service assistant for railroad service crews. Still a hopeful return to the work, right here. 😊❤
Thanks for doing this video! Most probably don’t realize the beauty Nebraska has. I’ve lived in Nebraska my whole life, and I learned a lot.
If it weren't for the frigid weather in the winter, Nebraska (along with other Great Plains states) would be hotbeds for transplants. Good thing people from California, Oregon, and Washington barely make it beyond the Rockies haha
There is also a lighthouse on Lake Minatare in Scotts Bluff County, this isn't the only one.
Bravo! Love this as a former Nebraskan. We do have a lot of reservoirs and also a lot of groundwater and even a few natural lakes in the Sandhills or oxbow lakes near the Missouri River. We even have lighthouses at Lake McConaughy and Lake Minatare. It’s nice we have them as we weren’t blessed with a lot of lakes but lots of rivers.
An amazing story for Nebraska, and the North Platte region in particular is the North Platte Canteen during World War 2. Kind of fitting I'm writing this on December 7th. Anyway, troop trains would stop on North Platte for about 10 minutes. The troops had just moments to get off the train and stretch their legs. Here they were greated by hundreds of volunteers who brought food, drinks, playing cards, played music, birthday cakes and so much more. There are even a few instances of girls putting their addresses in popcorn balls given to the soldiers. Many wrote letters back and forth during the war. There were even a couple marriages that came from the popcorn balls. It's such a wonderful and heartwarming story about people coming together to support the war effort.
"Once Upon A Town" by Bob Greene is a wonderful collection of stories about this.
This is a wonderful story that I was going to bring up but you beat me to it. It highlights the great character of Nebraskans who willingly gave up so much of their time and resources at a time of hardship to show their gratitude to the soldiers who were giving their lives for our country. It certainly is a story worth telling.
Not from Nebraska, but been through the Sand Hills area several times. It's gorgeous there!
@@bradleymcwilliams6348 it looks like a wasteland
We also have a massive aquifer, The Ogallala Aquifer.
The Ogallala Aquifer isn't limited to Nebraska. It stretches from South Dakota to Texas.
@@teebob21 but it's ours
Ogallala is also a town in Nebraska 🐂
@@Rippinlips it absolutely belongs to Nebraska
It isn't limited to Nebraska, but a vast portion of it is, more than the other states I believe.
Neat video but there are a couple of additions that should be mentioned.
Linoma Beach lighthouse is in the EASTERN part of the state. As mentioned in the video, located on the south side of US Highway 6, it is about halfway between Lincoln (Lin) and Omaha (oma).
There is a 2nd lighthouse in Nebraska at Lake Minatare State Recreation Area, near Scottsbluff. This lighthouse is in the western part of the state.
Many people think of Nebraska as flat. Most travelers only judge the I-80 corridor of Nebraska. I-80 follows the Platte River valley and it is flat. For that reason, Native Americans and later, white settlers used the Platte Valley. The Union Pacific Railroad and later, The Lincoln Highway (US 30) followed the Platte.
To really see Nebraska, take Highway 2 through the Sandhills. You’ll soon realize that Nebraska is NOT flat.
Thanks again for an interesting video.
@@robertbenson9797 ope, you beat me to that point. Lots of fun around Linoma Beach and listening to the Linoma Mashers
Definitely, travelers should get north or south out of the Platte River Valley, and they would be surprised at the hills and valleys. Highway 91 has plenty of hills. Follow along the tributaries of the Loupe River, and there is much rolling hills. And if course, the Sandhills. The Dismal and Niobrara Rivers also hold much scenic rolling land. The Platte River Valley definitely does not define what most of the state looks like.
My maternal grandparents lived in Lincoln. When I was a kid in the 1980s and 90s, they would take my cousins and me on camping trips to various parts of Nebraska every summer. Fort Robinson and Chadron in the northwest, Ponca and Niobrara State Parks in the northeast, Nebraska City and Brownville in the southeast, North Platte and Scottsbluff in the southwest, and Kearney and the sandhills in the middle. Those camping trips are some of my favorite memories.
I80 hiway 30. Same route of the Oregon and Mormon trails. Ogallala, was a wild trail end town during the great cattle drives of the 1800s.
@@robertbenson9797 those that are interested should also look up toadstool park and the scottsbluff monument. I know there are videos of both.
Nebraska also has massive amounts of groundwater. All major irrigation pivot manufacturers are based in Nebraska.
I've only been to Nebraska once. I thought it was beautiful. I forget where we camped but I remember the people were very nice. I have always wanted to go back and just relax there. I just remember it being really relaxing and chill. Someday..
So I just finished this and if you are wanting to know more about Nebraska there’s a lot I know. We not only created dams but also have the largest hand planted forest in the world (it might be second now) and also have more miles of river (supposedly) than any other state. Also we have the highest percentage of Czech Americans in the US which is a pretty unique group and also much like Kansas and the Dakotas have a lot of German Russians who not only were good farmers but also invented the famous Runza sandwich. Anymore just ask me.
Great reply
Mmmmmm runzas...
The town of Wilbur, Nebraska, is the "Czech Capital of Nebraska" due to the Czech heritage of most of its residents. They send a lot of participants wearing traditional Czech clothing to the 4th of July Parade in the city of Seward, Nebraska, where I live. Kansas has a "Runza" tradition of its own, but they call them "Bierocks" there. As a kid, that name confused me as it gave me the impression that they got beer out of rocks...
A fellow proud and knowledgeable Nebraskan! Happy to see it!
You should do a video on the history of the Omaha zoo! Lots of cool history there and the ballpark that use dto be next door.
Omaha has a TON of history as well, the south omaha stockyards used to be the largest in the world, union pacific was headquartered here, there was a massive lead smelting site that was one of the largest epa cleanup projects.
Nebraska is known as “The Public Power State.” With the exception of some wind farms and solar arrays, power generation, transmission, and distribution is controlled by quasi governmental entities called public power districts, along with some municipalities.
Early in the 20th Century investor owned utilities were slow in developing power infrastructure in Nebraska. The exception being Omaha. Sam Insull gained control of the Central Power Company, while Cyrus S. Eaton consolidated several utilities to form the Iowa-Nebraska Light & Power Company. Wilbur Burton Foshay bought several small utilities in Northern Nebraska and then sold them to the Interstate Power Company, along with a lot of ill will.
In 1935 the Nebraska Unicameral passed the Enabling Act, which allowed for the creation of irrigation and power districts. These became the Platte Valley Public Power & Irrigation District, the Central Public Power & Irrigation District, and the Loup River Public Power District. The Consumer’s Public Power District was formed to buy and consolidate the distribution properties of the Investor owned utilities, while the Nebraska Public Power System controlled the power plants and transmission lines. In the mid to late 1960s PVPP&ID, CPPD, and NPPS were merged to form NPPD. Sources: Public Power in Nebraska by Firth; The Only State, by Schallenberger (Former head of NPPD).
My dad worked at MUD .
THE METROPOLITAN UTILITIES DISTRICT . tourism was low they say .
@ MUD bought both the Minnelusa treatment and pumping station, and then the gas works along 20th Street from United Gas Improvement Company. The gas works were laid out along the CB&Q and UP tracks diagonally between 20th street and Martha Street in Omaha. I think two of the large gas holders lasted into the 1960s. I think they remediated the gas works west of 20th sometime in the late 1990s, early 2000s. I thought I had seen some buildings that had housed carbureted gas plants on the property in the late 1990s.
I think one of the most interesting things about Nebraska were the Army Air Bases established around the state during world war II for training pilots. During that time frame there were 250? Servicemen that lost their lives. My dad who grew up near Harvard Nebraska told me about watching the B-17s taking off and landing from the air base there. Another interesting tidbit about Nebraska during world war II was the prisoner of war camp near Fort Robinson used to hold German POW's. If you live around Hastings, Nebraska you will see miles and miles a bunkers use to store ammunition which was manufactured there.
Many of the bunkers have been converted to homes now. Some of them are super cool.
There are multiple other lighthouses in Nebraska, including one on Lake McConaughy that actually has a light in it... A simple google search would have revealed that.
Crazy
But cool
Lake minatare has a light house and it's looks like a puddle compared to mcConaughy
Lake Mac is still my backyard, great times and adventures thru the years.
to be clear--farming did not "cause" the dust bowl. The government did. The backstory--the federal government knew that the natural environment was much drier normally than the period of 1860-1915. But they encouraged over farming and opened land to such. When the abnormal wet period of the late 19th century reverted to long term norms, the disaster was as predictable as it was devastating.
Remember, at the heart of every great disaster, you will find a Harvard graduate working for the feds.
💯
Two months ago, I retired and moved from California to Nebraska. I absolutely love it. The people are great and I look forward to recreating at these lakes (when the weather permits). In the meantime, I’m feeding cattle every morning in temperatures not so common in California. Obviously, a retirement dream come true 😮!!!
I was born in Nebraska and grew up in Yankton South Dakota where Gavins point dam is on the border, it's amazing
i grew up in nebraska. merritt reservoir in the sandhills is my favorite. calamus revervoir is the second largest after lake mac. the ogallala aquifer provides irrigation for much of the farming in the state. the reservoirs are primarily for flood control from the rivers
I’m from Kansan so I’m
Pretty partial to Kansas but Nebraska has the niambra river, not sure on the spelling but that river seems pretty majestic.
You were close... it's Niobrara. But you're 100% correct that it's pretty beautiful.
@@justadudeffs If I'm not mistaken, it starts way out in western Nebraska as a little trickle of water called Frenchman's creek Cross it several times on Highway 6 coming from Colorado
1:20 "Meanwhile, on the EASTERN side of the state..." I lived in Nebraska a total of ten years over two tours in the Air Force. I wrote my senior college paper on McConoughey Lake and the then-present effects on the Platte River.
Now do a video on the country's largest rail hump yard, the Union Pacific's Bailey Yard in North Platte! 😀
Fairbury to Lincoln to Hickman to Waverly to Bennet but now Mapleton, Oregon. I miss Nebraska with each breath. Can’t wait to get done with this part of my life and move back home to Nebraska.
Everyone says there’s nothing in Nebraska. True to a point. But if you live here, there’s no place like Nebraska! It’s got good fishing in those waters. The walleye run is incredible at lake McConaughey. Good to see someone make a video about our state.
I grew up in Harlan county and was able to go on a tour of inside the damn when I was a kid
Wow. Socash is the only name n local who would find out about a lighthouse in Nebraska.
Nebraska has a 3rd lighthouse which is located in Kearney. (And no, it is not located at Cottonmill Lake!) The Lighthouse is located in the middle of Harmon Park. It was constructed as a WPA project back in the 1930s.
We went to Linoma many times as a kid. Great place in the summer
I loved the summers in Nebraska. The winters not so much.
It's a great swimming, sunbathing and fishing lake. My family and I enjoy going there and eating in Ogalala on historic Front Street, where there's an active theater group that puts on plays. It's a strange, world class, destination. The only caveat is that there aren't any fancy hotels or restaurants. This is the "farmer's resort".
I grew up not far from Harlan, and we spent many Sunday afternoons boating there.
FWIW, the LINOMA lighthouse is visible from I-80, when crossing the Platt West of Omaha.
I have lived a big share of my life in Nebraska. Was born in Colorado. My parents and older siblings lived in Nebraska before I was born. Since I moved back here I and my family have spent a lot of time on the various lakes and ponds of Nebraska. It was always enjoyable to us. Nebraska has quite a source of water compared to NE Colorado where I grew up
Glad to see so many have pointed out minatare. Appreciate all the great info, great channel!
Always enjoy your presentations, and since I've only lived in Nebraska since 1996, this was very informative.
5:39 My dad is an expert on irrigation sprayers; during the more than 27 years that he worked at Diers Farm Store in Fremont, he would teach classes to employees at other farm stores in the area. He had to train someone before he retired.
Also, Fremont has its own “State Lakes” Park, southwest of town along the Platte River. Since the house I grew up in (& that my parents still own) is in the southwest part of town, the lakes were close enough for me to ride my bicycle there, & I didn't need to pay for admission to the State Park since I was on my bike.
Love your video! Always learning something new that I probably wouldn't have known about otherwise.
Niobara in my opinion is the most beautiful part of the state.
Thank you for the documentary on Nebraska & the Lakes of Nebraska. Not forgetting the Lighthouse.
The sandhills (stabilized sand dunes that cover a third of the state) are mostly unique in the world and create geographic features you can't find anywhere else. The rivers in the state tend to be very shallow and sandy; you can often walk across the largest river in the state (the Platte) and not get your knees wet. For recreation, people get in large livestock tanks and float down the rivers (tanking).
In the settlers' times, there were no trees, and people would often have severe mental breakdowns because there was nothing vertical for the brain to process. Over time, as the land was settled and prairie fires and bison stampedes became less common, trees began spreading. Nebraska also has the largest planted forest in the country to help spur tree growth.
It's a weird state, but interesting. The motto "It's not for everyone" was certainly apt.
I live in Nebraska and live near Lake McConaughy and big into water sports. Have visited Harlan many times. There as so many Great Lakes in the state to mention. There is a lot to offer in the state, but you bypass most of it on interstate 80.
Living on the Platte Valley along the Coloradan rockies, this video is significant news to me. I have a reason to travel into Nebraska now lol
Go to Lake Minatare in Western Nebraska. There is a lighthouse there too. It is in an area that was called Bon's Point. After the man who lived and ran a store/restaurant there. Anyone else remember Bon?
Great video. I didn't know about a couple of those reservoirs
Striped bass fishing in this lake in the late 80s was the greatest in the world. Wish I had a Time Machine. I’d go right back there with a bucket full of shad
Whoa Nellie! We’ve got us a barn burner here in Lincoln this afternoon!
Ayyy GBR baby!
Hey great video! We have some cool stuff here. The Sandhills are beautiful especially if you are a stargazer. The Verdegre/Center/Niobrara area is absolutely stunning to drive and hike. We also have the largest man planted forest in the states (if I remember correctly it’s the fourth largest in the world but I might be misremembering). Just a couple more big ones but there are tons of smaller less known things like Ashfalls, Toadstool Park, the Golden Spike in North Platte which over looks one of the largest rail yards in the word, and of course the Sandhills cranes migration near Kearney!
Check out the Ashfall fossil beds, never been there but it's on my list.
I've been there and it is well worth the visit!
Sandhills are a gem of Nebraska with long history. Provide for unique golf, sandhills, dismal river, wild horse, prairie club courses, and the snake and Niobrara have Nebraska largest but small and pretty waterfalls. Niobrara and dismal rivers provide recreation. Niobrara is a national scenic river and there is a Valentine national wildlife refuge in the sandhills that is a great recreation site. So visit again and if you golf stay at the prairie club or sandhills golf club.
That’s interesting I had never heard of it Thanks for the video
Lake Mchonahay. It's very beautiful.
I enjoyed you video about Nebraska, Some other interesting places in Nebraska are Carhenge in by Alliance, also at Alliance there is a green house that is submerged in the ground that they can grow trees that bear oranges, grapefruit, etc. At North Platte there is the largest railroad yard for switching train cars going east and west, and a repair shop for locomotives. At Hastings and Grand Island, there were huge Ammunition Depots that built ammunition for WW2. The Hastings depot is east of Hastings and the ammunition bunkers that stored the components for the ammo and also the bunkers that had the finished products until it could ship it out. There was and explosion on the east end of the depot, a railroad car exploded, vaporizing everyone in the area of the explosion, broke windows in Hastings and was heard in Omaha. Also Central Community College and several business business are using buildings and bunkers that are still standing. The depot by Grand Island was west of town. They now have the largest working farm show in the country in September, also has one of the largest outdoor shooting ranges. They hold State 4-H shooting competitions Regional competitions and now the Cornhusker games are moving to GI gun range
The citizens of Haburg, Iowa and farmers north of omaha would definitely argue how "well" Gavins point dam has prevented flooding in their areas over the last 10 years....
Very interesting!
And I thought Nebraska was just a fly over state
Ładna czapka Ryan! ⚪🔴
Congrats on 700K😊😊
Great and interesting channel, I've been binging past few weeks :)
Hello from Central Nebraska
I myself have criss crossed Nebraska many time, but never been near these lakes. I have crossed the Platte River.
I've lived here in Nebraska all my life, and for those 18 years, I have never heard of this lake.
One I'd like you to shed light on, and it'll probably be the only thing I ask of you, is to cover the story of Grand Island, Nebraska's Tornado Hill and the infamous event that it is tied to it The Night of The Seven Twisters, which has been made into a historical fiction book and a historical fiction movie of the same titles as the event. The funny thing is not many people know the story of the Seven Twisters or Tornado Hill except for those that were alive when it happened or those who care about the history of Grand Island or the history of tornadoes in Nebraska.
It was a miracle more didn't die that night. The map of all 7 tornado's is unreal.
I went sledding on Tornado Hill so many times as a kid! There was so much debris left over from the tornados that they burnt anything that wasn't scrap metal in a Kmart parking lot on S Locust (before it turned into Skagway South). The ashes were then trucked over to a park, thrown in a hole, and covered with dirt. Occasionally the ashes would catch back on fire on the way over. Today it's basically the only hill in town, because GI is literally as flat as a pool table.
One of the victims of that night was Starr Elementary school at its old site. The building had its roof ripped off but still stood. GIPS wanted the school reopened before the fall semester, and quickly rebuilt it. They were so quick that there's actually bits of mud and plants on the walls above the ceiling tiles. That mud is leftover from the tornado picking up and slamming debris into the building.
Another victim was Marv's Bowling Alley, which would later become Super Bowl. This building wasn't as lucky, and got flattened. Despite this, there were still bowling pins stood in their spot after the storm passed.
Fort Robinson state park is very interesting in Nebraska it should be a National park. So much history from Crazy Horse to a German POW camp in beautiful landscape.
had my first acid trip there a few years back and a crazy storm and tornado came through it was epic
Far out maan
There are link 6 nice reservoir lakes in Omaha alone. Nebraska is seriously underrated.
spent some of my childhood in the South central part of Nebraska Miller and Campbell
It's cool to go see the bald eagles at Gavin's Point dam in the fall/winter. One year I saw like 17 of them out there.
Also check out carhenge. It's some guy's art project by Alliance, NE, built in the 80s.
Anytime I’m going mountain biking in oxbow I drive by that lighthouse
I have a trailer like 100 ft from that light house. Pretty cool.
There is a lighthouse in western Nebraska as well, lake Minatare. Check it out.
Linoma, East is Linoma. West of Omaha and east of Lincoln. Awesome video!
There's a lighthouse outside of my hometown scottsbluff nebraska like 15 minutes away on lake minatare! This is not the "only one"
I drove through Nebraska ONCE
Harlan couny is one of 4 major dams built after the 35 flood. 2 on the Republican, one on the Medicine, one on the Red Willow.
The flood pretty well wiped out the entire Republican valley across Nebraska.
We got another rain in 07 or 08 that was on par with 35, but, luckily, dams and terraces.
The stories of those who survived was one of horror. A wall of water sweeping down the valley floor, taking most everything in it's path. Shows our dam systems in the Midwest and Plains states to be worth their cost. But several years back, we found that they are not immune from calamity. The boom cyclone storm in early spring overcame the dam south of Spencer, Nebraska killing one human and destroying many head of cattle during calving time. We can control nature to a certain point, but we still have to live with the extremes.
Lived in Nebraska my whole life pretty much…he nailed it when he said flat featureless lmao…its the prairie land bro
You need to travel north of the Platte Valley!
I grew up 15 minutes west of Harlan County Lake
We were shocked to find McConaughey several years ago on a road trip so we camped there a couple times. It's beautiful. Unfortunately, aside from swimming at the lake there isn't really much to do in the area.
I drive by the lake McConaughey at least twice a year. In my opinion, only the sand hills of nebraska, rival, its beauty. No question, the west part of Nebraska is the best part of Nebraska.
Beanie shout out to Poland!!
Ryan, now do the Dust Bowl itself. Let Americans see the temperatures that the entire USA experienced in the 1930s coupled with the economic force of "The Depression."
The people who survived that time period, up to the economic boom in the fifties were a hearty people. Life was a struggle every day. Little wonder that they seemed to really enjoy life from the fifties on.
A well kept secret for a reason. If visiting, respect the land, nature and people.
My aunt and uncle used to have land on the Harlan County Reservoir
I am, and Thank you!!!
lol I’ve been in that several times. It’s pretty wild
I live about 6 miles away from Linoma, we used to eat out there when they had a restaurant.
Another cool story to do would be Job Ed’s Canyon which was torn down or the Storz Brewery which was torn down here in Nebraska.
There is another lighthouse I think at “the point” on lake Minatare near Scottsbluff too, I am pretty sure it has a light that is in use still even.
Check out Wilber Nebraska, they have a Czechoslovakia festival every year
There is another one in Nebraska at Lake Minitare, outside of Scottsbluff
I think you meant to saw the Eastern part of the state. Linclon and Omaha are on our Easter side towards Iowa.
Lake Minatare lighthouse still exists I think.
Ah, Lake McConaughy. The storage and regulating reservoir for the three big power and irrigation projects built during the 1930s. It supplemented Lake Helen (Gothenburg) and the Kearney Canal. H.E. Babcock had proposed a power project earlier in the 20th Century that became the basis for the Loup River Public Power District’s Monroe and Columbus operations.
1:22 correction; LinOma beach is on the east side of Nebraska.
That's the Lake Minitare lighthouse, up river from Lake McConaughey, in western Nebraska.
Linoma is esstern Nebraska, between Lincoln and Omaha.
There is a lighthouse on Lake Buchanan in central Texas, more than 200 miles from the Gulf coast.
Awesome
The Nebraska sandhills render the flatland claim baseless.
A cornhusker knows. 😎
BTW. Just followed you. 👍
Besides the lakes,in the spring we have the largest Sandhills Crane migration in the world.