Omaha Nebraska

Omaha is located on the Missouri River in the Midwestern United States, approximately 20 miles north of the Platte River.  It is the largest city in the state of Nebraska.  Omaha is part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, which also contains Council Bluffs, Iowa, located just across the Missouri River.  Omaha is the county seat of Douglas County. 

According to the 2008 Census estimate, Omaha's population was 438,646, making it the 40th most populated city in the nation. 

Nicknamed "The Gateway to the West," Omaha offers an intriguing brand of adventure.  It contains museums, theaters, performance venues and the world's largest indoor rainforest.  Also, it is home to Minor League Baseball's Omaha Royals.

History

The land that is now Omaha was once home to various Indian tribes, including the Omaha and Ponca.  The word "omaha" (UmoNhoN or UmaNhaN) actually means "dwellers on the bluff."  The Lewis and Clark Expedition passed by the riverbanks in 1804.  Soon after, settlers built numerous fur trading outposts, including Fort Lisa in 1812, and Fort Atkinson in 1819. 

The city was founded by people from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1854, thus beginning Omaha's pioneer period.   Omaha earned its nickname, "Gateway to the West," because of a crossing called the Lone Tree Ferry, which transported people across the Missouri River.  The city's prime location at the center of the U.S. has caused it to become an important transportation hub.  Transportation (including railroads) became important throughout the rest of the 19th century.

In the 20th century, Omaha stockyards and meatpacking plants gained international prominence.  The stockyards were once the largest in the world.

A historic preservation movement has led to the designation of several Omaha Landmarks.

Facts About Modern Omaha

Today, five Fortune 500 companies call Omaha home: Mutual of Omaha, Peter Kiewit and Sons, Inc., Berkshire Hathaway, ConAgra Foods and Union Pacific Corporation.  Warren Buffett, the richest person in the world according to Forbes 2008, is the head of Berkshire Hathaway. 

Omaha's modern economy is diverse, built on skilled knowledge jobs.  Omaha was listed as the nation's number one "Best Bang-for-the-Buck City," by Forbes Magazine in 2009, and number one on "America's Fastest-Recovering Cities."  In 2008, Omaha hosted the Olympic swim trials, and is scheduled to again in 2012.