Omaha

Omaha was founded in 1854, when the Nebraska Territory was opened to settlement. The city rapidly grew and soon became an important supply point for westward migration. After the arrival of the railroad in 1869 it turned into a thriving transportation and industrial center. Omaha was the territorial capital from 1855 to 1867, when Lincoln took over that task. Nowadays Omaha is the largest city in Nebraska, as well as an important port of entry and a major transportation center. The city sits on the west bank of the Missouri River.

It is also one of the largest livestock markets and meat-processing centers in the world and a market for agricultural products. Much of the city's industry is devoted to food processing. Among its many manufactures are farm machinery, fertilizers, electronic components, insecticides, chemicals and paint. Omaha is the home of many insurance companies and a center for medical treatment and research. In 1898 the Trans-Mississippi and International Exhibition, a world fair, was held there.

Omaha has noted park and school systems and is the seat of Creighton University, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the College of St. Mary. There are several places of interest in Omaha, including the Joslyn Art Museum, an aerospace museum, a Mormon cemetery and Fontenelle Forest. Fort Omaha dates from 1868 and now serves as headquarters of the naval reserve training command. Offutt Air Force Base, not far south of the city, was the headquarters of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) from 1946 to 1992, when SAC was abolished. It is now home to the much smaller inter-service Strategic Command, also known as StratCom. Boys Town is to the west of the city.

There are several hotels and restaurants in Omaha. The city is 80 km northeast of Lincoln and 1650 km west of Washington D.C.