Nebraska State Symbols

Nebraska state symbols: official state symbols include the western meadowlark, goldenrod, cottonwood, Cornhusker nickname, and Equality Before the Law motto.

Abbreviation

Lincoln

Capital

1867

Statehood

Symbols

Overview

Nebraska's western meadowlark and cottonwood are familiar official state symbols of the Great Plains, each chosen to reflect the state's prairie and river-valley character. The goldenrod, Equality Before the Law motto, Cornhusker nickname, and a Kool-Aid designation from Hastings complete a list grounded in agricultural identity and plains landscape.

Best-known symbol Cornhusker State

Oldest in this guide Equality Before the Law, 1867

Local invention Kool-Aid

Nebraska State Symbols — Complete List

Category	Official Symbol	Adopted
State Flag	Nebraska State Flag	1925
State Bird	Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta	1929
State Flower	Goldenrod Solidago gigantea	1895
State Tree	Cottonwood Populus deltoides	1972
State Motto	Equality Before the Law English	1867
State Nickname	The Cornhusker State	1945
State Mammal	White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus	1981
State Beverage	Milk	1998
State Soft Drink	Kool-Aid	1998
State Colors	Scarlet and Cream	—
License Plate Slogan	The Good Life	1967
State Seal	Great Seal of Nebraska	1867

What Does Nebraska Mean?

Nebraska became a state in 1867, entering as the 37th state. The name comes from an Indigenous name for the Platte River, commonly interpreted as flat water.

That river meaning suits a guide built around prairie, plains agriculture, and cottonwood-lined waterways. The goldenrod and western meadowlark feel like open-country symbols, while Kool-Aid gives the hub a very specific Hastings, Nebraska connection.

Nebraska's postal abbreviation is NE, and residents are Nebraskans. The Cornhusker State is the main nickname, tied to the state's agricultural identity.

Key Meaning and Background

Origin: Commonly connected with an Indigenous name for the Platte River meaning flat water.
Statehood: Nebraska became the 37th state in 1867.
Motto: Equality Before the Law appears in Nebraska's state seal tradition.

Usage Examples and Context

State: Refers to Nebraska, a Great Plains state shaped by the Platte River, agriculture, and prairie landscapes.
River setting: The name's water meaning points back to the Platte rather than to the later Cornhusker nickname.
People: People from Nebraska are called Nebraskans.

Nicknames and Short Forms

The Cornhusker State: Main nickname tied to corn agriculture and University of Nebraska identity.
Tree Planters State: Older identity connected with Arbor Day and plains tree planting.
Abbreviation: NE; older short form Neb.

Newest and Oldest Symbols

Oldest listed Equality Before the Law, 1867

Older symbols tend to anchor the state's public identity: flag, bird, flower, motto, or nickname.

Newest listed Milk (1998), Kool-Aid (1998)

Recent designations often show how states keep adding wildlife, foods, breeds, and cultural traditions.

What Nebraska's Symbols Say About the State

Nebraska's motto, Equality Before the Law, gives the state a civic symbol that feels more pointed than many mottoes. It reads less like scenery and more like a public principle.

The western meadowlark, goldenrod, and cottonwood make a plains trio. They are not flashy symbols, but they are accurate ones for grassland, river corridors, and farm country.

The beverage pages add a different kind of local texture. Milk reflects dairy agriculture, while Kool-Aid points to a specific Nebraska invention rather than a broad natural emblem.