Sunday, September 20, 2009

Chapter Four: Megalopolis

Nebraskais definitely outside the boundary of the region defined as Megalopolis; its two largest cities however are Lincoln and Omaha.
Lincoln, Nebraska is located in the southeast corner of the state. It is the state's capitol. My grandparents lived, for many years, at 1000 Twin Ridge Court in Lincoln.

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From Wikipedia:
The City of Lincoln (Umóⁿhoⁿ: Nískithe Tʰóⁿwoⁿgthoⁿ pronounced [ˈnĩskiðe ˌtʰãwãŋgðã], meaning "Salt Village", for Salt Creek, which was the historical center of the city) is the capital and the second most populous city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. The population was 225,581 at the 2000 census, however the 2008 estimate puts it at 251,624.
Lincoln started out as the village of Lancaster, which was founded in 1856, and became the county seat of the newly created Lancaster County in 1859. The capital of Nebraska Territory had been Omaha since the creation of the territory in 1854; however, most of the territory's population lived south of the Platte River. After much of the territory south of the Platte considered annexation to Kansas, the legislature voted to move the capital south of the river and as far west as possible. The village of Lancaster was chosen, in part due to the salt flats and marshes.
However, Omaha interests attempted to derail the move by having Lancaster renamed after the recently assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.[citation needed] At the time, many of the people south of the river had been sympathetic towards the Confederate cause and it was assumed that the legislature would not pass the measure if the future capital was named after Lincoln. The ploy did not work, as Lancaster was renamed Lincoln and became the state capital upon Nebraska's admission to the Union on March 1, 1867.
The city was recently named one of the healthiest cities in the United States as of 2008.[5]

Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 225,581 people, 90,485 households, and 53,567 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,166.9/km² (3,022.2/sq mi). There were 95,199 housing units at an average density of 492.5/km² (1,275.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 89.25% White, 3.12% Asian, 3.09% African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.81% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.61% of the population.
There were 90,485 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 16.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,605, and the median income for a family was $52,558. Males had a median income of $33,899 versus $25,402 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,984. About 5.8% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

University of Nebraska is located in Lincoln.




Lincoln Skyline

Omaha
Omaha is located north and east of Lincoln, near Iowa's border. It is the most populated city in Nebraska. I have flown into Omaha on several occasions. Its nickname is gateway to the west.

From Wikipedia:
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County.[4] It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles (30 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, with Council Bluffs, Iowa sitting adjacent to Omaha across the Missouri River. According to the 2008 estimate by the United States Census Bureau, Omaha's population was 438,646. The city is the nation's 40th-largest, according to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Along with its suburbs, Omaha formed the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2000, with an estimated population of 837,925 residing in eight counties. There are more than 1.2 million residents within a 50 mile (80 km) radius of the city's center, forming the Greater Omaha area.
Omaha's pioneer period began in 1854 when the city was founded by speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. The city was founded along the Missouri River, and a crossing called Lone Tree Ferry earned the city its nickname, the "Gateway to the West." During the 19th century, Omaha's central location in the United States caused the city to become an important national transportation hub. Throughout the rest of the 19th century, the transportation and jobbing sectors were important in the city, along with its railroads and breweries.
In the 20th century, the Omaha Stockyards, once the world's largest, and its meatpacking plants, gained international prominence. Today, the city is the home to five Fortune 500 companies: ConAgra Foods, Union Pacific Corporation, Peter Kiewit and Sons, Inc., Mutual of Omaha Companies, and Berkshire Hathaway, the company headed by the investor Warren Buffett, the richest person in the world according to Forbes Magazine in 2008.[5] Omaha is also the home to four Fortune 1000 businesses, TD Ameritrade, Valmont Industries, teleservices firm West Corporation and trucking concern Werner Enterprises. The First National Bank of Omaha is the largest privately held bank in the United States. Headquarters for the Leo A. Daly Co., HDR, Inc. and DLR Group, three of the world's top 30 architectural and engineering firms, are located in Omaha. The modern economy of Omaha is diverse and built on skilled knowledge jobs. In 2001, Newsweek identified Omaha as one of the Top 10 high-tech havens in the nation. Tourism in Omaha benefits the city's economy greatly, with the annual College World Series providing important revenue and the city's Henry Doorly Zoo serving as the top attraction in Nebraska. It also held the 2008 Olympic swim trials and is scheduled to host the 2012 Olympic swim trials.
A historic preservation movement in Omaha has led to a number of historic structures and districts being designated Omaha Landmarks or listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since its founding, ethnic groups in the city have clustered in enclaves in north, south and Downtown Omaha. The city's history has included a variety of crime such as illicit gambling, riots, lynchings, and recently, gang violence. Today, the diverse culture of Omaha includes a variety of performance venues, museums, and musical heritage, including the historically-significant jazz scene in North Omaha and the modern and influential "Omaha Sound." Sports have been important in Omaha for more than a century, and the city currently hosts three professional sports teams. Omaha also has a number of recreational trails and parks located throughout the city. It is 190 miles north of Kansas City, MO




Aerial photo of Omaha from the east


St. Cecilia's Cathedral



The NCAA College World Series in baseball is held in Omaha

Demographics of Omaha from Wikipedia
At the 2005-2007 American Community Survey Estimates the city's population was 78.7% White (71.0% non-Hispanic White alone), 11.8% Black or African American, 1.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 5.0% from some other race and 2.5% from two or more races. 11.0% of the total population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[106]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there are 390,007 people, 156,738 households, and 94,983 families residing within city limits. The population density is 3,370.7 people per square mile (1,301.5/km²). There are 165,731 housing units at an average density of 1,432.4/sq mi (553.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 78.39% White, 13.31% African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.74% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.91% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. 7.54% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.[107]
There are 156,738 households out of which 30.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% are married couples living together, 13.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% are non-families. 31.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.10. In the city the average age of the population is diverse with 25.6% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.2 males.[108]
The median income for a household in the city is $40,006, and the median income for a family is $50,821. Males have a median income of $34,301 versus $26,652 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,756. 11.3% of the population and 7.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 15.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.[109]

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