Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln, Nebraska
—  City  —
City of Lincoln
Lincoln skyline
Seal
Nickname(s): Star City
Location in Nebraska
Coordinates: 40°48′35″N 96°40′31″W
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
County	Lancaster
Demonym	Lincolnite
Founded   Renamed   Incorporated	1856   July 29, 1867   April 1, 1869
Government
• Mayor	Chris Beutler (D)
• Legislature	City Council List Doug Emery Jon Camp Jonathan Cook Carl Eskridge Leirion Gaylor Baird Roy Christensen Trent Fellers
• U.S. Congress	Jeff Fortenberry (R)
Area
• City	90.36 sq mi (234.03 km2)
• Land	89.11 sq mi (230.79 km2)
• Water	1.25 sq mi (3.24 km2)
Elevation	1,176 ft (358 m)
Population (2010)
• City	258,379 (72nd)
• Density	2,899.6/sq mi (1,119.5/km2)
• Metro	302,157
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	402, 531
FIPS code	31-28000
GNIS feature ID	0837279
Website	www.lincoln.ne.gov

The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Nebraska, after Omaha. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379.

Lincoln was founded in 1856 as the village of Lancaster, 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.

Omaha interests attempted to derail the move by having Lancaster renamed after the recently assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Many of the people south of the river had been sympathetic to the Confederate cause in the recently concluded Civil War, and it was assumed that the legislature would not pass the measure if the future capital were named after Abraham 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.^{[citation needed]} The choice to name the capital city "Lincoln" caused quite a stir among the constituents, whose sentiments were mixed regarding who should have won the Civil War.

In 2008 Lincoln topped the CDC list of healthiest U.S. cities.

Geography

Photograph of Lincoln taken from the International Space Station (ISS)

Lincoln is located at 40°48′35″N 96°40′31″W (40.809868, −96.675345). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 90.36 square miles (234.03 km²), of which, 89.11 square miles (230.79 km²) of it is land and 1.25 square miles (3.24 km²) is water.

Lincoln is one of the few large cities of Nebraska not located along either the Platte River or the Missouri River. The city was originally laid out near Salt Creek and among the nearly flat saline wetlands of northern Lancaster County. The city's growth over the years has led to development of the surrounding land, much of which is composed of gently rolling hills. In recent years, Lincoln's northward growth has encroached on the habitat of the endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle.

Metropolitan area

The Lincoln metropolitan area consists of Lancaster County and Seward County, which was added to the metropolitan area in 2003. Lincoln has very little development outside its city limits and has no contiguous suburbs (the largest town that can be considered a suburb of Lincoln is Waverly). This is due primarily to the fact that most land that would otherwise be developed as a suburban town has already been annexed by the city of Lincoln itself.

Neighborhoods

• Arnold Heights: Located in far northwest Lincoln, this neighborhood, also known as Airpark, began as base housing for the adjacent Lincoln Air Force Base during the Cold War. The area originally consisted of 1,000 housing units and was annexed by Lincoln in 1966, after the base closed. All 1,000 units were originally managed by the Lincoln Housing Authority, but about half of the homes in the neighborhood have been sold to private owners. The area was also formerly known as both "Capehart Housing" when completed in 1960 (north housing) and the "Military Construction Area" when built during 1956 (south housing). Additional housing subdivisions were built in the area in the 1980s and 1990s. More recent additions include a mix of duplexes and single-family homes of various sizes, an IGA grocery store, and a strip mall. As of May 2009, the area is continually being developed.
• Belmont: The Belmont neighborhood lies just north of Cornhusker Highway and south of Superior Street between Interstate 180 and 14th Street.
• Bethany: Bethany is located along Cotner Boulevard and Holdrege Street. Originally laid out as a separate village by the Disciples of Christ, it was annexed by Lincoln in the late 1920s.
• Capitol Beach: This area is north of West O Street, just west of Downtown, and North of BNSF's Hobson Yard. It is home to Capitol Beach Lake, and Lakeview Elementary School.
• Clinton: Located north of 27th and O Streets, Clinton is the target of ongoing revitalization efforts by the City.
• College View: College View is located along 48th Street and near Calvert Street, adjacent to and surrounding the Union College campus. Originally College View was a separate village. The area is anchored by Union College but has many buildings resembling those of a small town. This business area serves the college and surrounding neighborhood. It has an eclectic mix of mostly local businesses.
• Cripple Creek (Cripple Creek North) North of Pine Lake Boulevard, this neighborhood is a fairly new one, comprising several middle- to upper-class homes.

Downtown Lincoln

• Downtown: Lincoln's business district has a mix of offices, bars, restaurants and some retail. Events, housing, and other information about Downtown Lincoln can be found on the Downtown Lincoln Association's website at www.downtownlincoln.org.
• East Campus Located just south of the University of Nebraska East Campus, from Holdrege to Vine and from 33rd to 48th Street, this neighborhood includes a historic district, commonly referred to as "Professor Row", and McAdams Park, which borders the Mo-Pac bike trail.
• Eastridge Developed during the city's eastward expansion and development of the Gateway Mall as the nucleus of Lincoln's retail as the department stores were closing downtown and opening there. It contains mostly single-level, ranch-style homes with build on garages.
• Everett Located near downtown Lincoln, from 8th to 13th Streets between G Street and South Street. The area is known for its historic apartment buildings and converted houses.
• Fallbrook: New, developing community, located east of the airport and north of I-80; includes office parks, housing, and a town center.
• Fox Hollow: Located in southeast Lincoln, from 70th to 84th Streets between Van Dorn Street and Pioneers Boulevard. Middle- to upper-class neighborhoods near Holmes Lake. Fox Hollow is a planned subdivision and was constructed during the 1970s to present.
• Havelock: Havelock is located along Havelock Avenue, east of 56th Street in northeast Lincoln; originally a separate town. It has many shops and restaurants and its own farmers market on Tuesday afternoons.
• Hartley: One of Lincoln's earliest suburbs, Hartley is located east of the downtown proper, east of 27th Street and north of O Street. It is a mainly residential neighborhood of houses built 1890–1940.
• Hawley: Located directly east of UNL's downtown campus, the Hawley Historic District was largely built in the early 20th century.

H. P. Lau Building in Haymarket District

• Haymarket: One of Lincoln's oldest neighborhoods, the Haymarket is a historic warehouse and industrial district. In recent decades, it has become a dining, specialty shopping, and urban living district.
• Highlands: The Highlands is a newer residential neighborhood in northwest Lincoln, located north of I-80 and near Lincoln Airport.
• Historic Bungalow District The Historic Bungalow District is also known as the Woods Park neighborhood. It is bounded by 33rd Street to the east, 27th street to the west, A Street to the south, and O Street to the north. It includes a number of bungalows built around the 1910s and 1920s. The Lincoln Children's Zoo (formerly Folsom Children's Zoo) & Botanical Gardens is located in this neighborhood.

Lincoln Army Air Field chapel on NW 48th Street

• Huskerville: A now non-existent neighborhood built north of Arnold Heights. Constructed during World War II, Huskerville was once the Lincoln Army Air Field hospital area from 1942 until 1945. After the war the area was converted into college housing and was most noted for a polio outbreak in 1952. The area was either removed or demolished in the late 1960s. The chapel, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is all that remains of Huskerville.
• Indian Village: The Indian Village neighborhood is located from Van Dorn Street on the north to Highway 2 on the south, from 9th Street on the west to 20th Street on the east.
• Irvingdale: The Irvingdale neighborhood is located from South Street on the North, and Van Dorn on the South, from 9th Street from the west to 22nd Street on the east. The neighborhood has a mix of homes built in the early 1900s to more modern homes built in the 1950s, and is home to Irving Middle School, and the Stransky Park concert series.
• Meadowlane: 66th to 84th from O Street to Vine Street and 70th to 84th from Vine Street to Holdrege Street.

Sunken Gardens entrance in Lincoln

• Near South: located from G Street on the north to South Street on the south, and from 13th Street from the west to 27th on the east. The neighborhood is home to many of Lincoln's grand historic homes and is currently experiencing a revitalization effort by the neighborhood association and city officials. Many homeowners are reconverting properties that were once divided into apartments back into single-family homes. The area is spotted with various homes of significant historical and architectural value.
• North Bottoms/Russian Bottoms: Directly north of UNL's downtown campus, the North Bottoms is an area in the floodplain of Salt Creek that holds many smaller houses now rented by a large number of UNL students. It was originally the northern part of the "German" or "Russian" bottoms settled by Volga-German refugees from Russia.
• Sheridan: This neighborhood is located along and around Sheridan Boulevard in south-central Lincoln. It was the first addition to Lincoln that stepped away from the "grid pattern" into the winding side streets that characterize most modern residential areas. It is listed under the National Registrar of Historic Places as the "Boulevards" district.
• South Bottoms/Russian Bottoms: South of the Haymarket district, the South Bottoms, like the North Bottoms, was a neighborhood founded by Germans from Russia.
• Stone Bridge Creek: This neighborhood is located north of I-80 just east of N 14th Street.
• University Place: University Place is located along 48th Street between Leighton Ave. and Adams St., near Nebraska Wesleyan University and UNL's East Campus. It was an incorporated community before its annexation by Lincoln in 1926. The has its own historic shopping district and is characterized by homes with wrap around porches near the University's Old Main. The town has a population of more than 10,000 within the historic 68504 zip code.
• West Lincoln: Located along West Cornhusker Highway., the area was founded in 1887 and was an incorporated community before its annexation by Lincoln in 1966.

Parks

Main article: Parks in Lincoln, Nebraska

Lincoln has an extensive park system, with over 125 individual parks. The largest parks in Lincoln's park system are Wilderness Park, Pioneers Park and Pioneers Park Nature Center, Holmes Park, Oak Lake Park, Max E. Roper Park, Tierra Park, Antelope Park (which contains the Lincoln Children's Zoo, the Sunken Gardens, and the Bicentennial Cascade Fountain), and Mahoney Park. The parks are connected by a 128 mi (206 km) system of recreational trails. The MoPac Trail extends through Lincoln.

Climate

Located on the Great Plains far from the moderating influence of mountains or large bodies of water, Lincoln possesses a highly variable four-season humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa): winters are cold but relatively dry, summers are hot and occasionally humid. With little precipitation falling during winter, precipitation is concentrated in the warmer months, when thunderstorms frequently roll in, often producing tornadoes. Snow tends to fall in light amounts, though blizzards are possible. Snow cover is not very reliable due to both the low precipitation and the frequent thaws during winter.

The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 24.6 °F (−4.1 °C) in January to 77.6 °F (25.3 °C) in July. However, the city is subject both to episodes of bitter cold in winter and heat waves during summer, with 11.4 nights of sub-0 °F (−18 °C) lows, 41 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, and 4.6 days of 100 °F (38 °C)+ highs. The city straddles the boundary of USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 and 6, indicating an annual minimum temperature of around −10 °F (−23 °C). Temperature extremes have ranged from −33 °F (−36 °C) on January 12, 1974 up to 115 °F (46 °C) on July 25, 1936.

Climate data for Lincoln, Nebraska (Lincoln Airport), 1981–2010 normals
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	73 (23)	83 (28)	91 (33)	97 (36)	104 (40)	108 (42)	115 (46)	110 (43)	106 (41)	98 (37)	85 (29)	75 (24)	115 (46)
Average high °F (°C)	35.4 (1.9)	40.1 (4.5)	52.3 (11.3)	64.3 (17.9)	74.2 (23.4)	84.2 (29)	89.0 (31.7)	86.8 (30.4)	78.7 (25.9)	65.8 (18.8)	50.3 (10.2)	37.2 (2.9)	63.2 (17.3)
Average low °F (°C)	13.8 (−10.1)	17.9 (−7.8)	27.9 (−2.3)	38.8 (3.8)	50.4 (10.2)	60.9 (16.1)	66.1 (18.9)	63.7 (17.6)	53.3 (11.8)	40.6 (4.8)	27.5 (−2.5)	16.4 (−8.7)	39.8 (4.3)
Record low °F (°C)	−33 (−36)	−26 (−32)	−19 (−28)	3 (−16)	24 (−4)	39 (4)	45 (7)	39 (4)	26 (−3)	3 (−16)	−15 (−26)	−27 (−33)	−33 (−36)
Precipitation inches (mm)	0.64 (16.3)	0.77 (19.6)	1.93 (49)	2.71 (68.8)	4.29 (109)	4.34 (110.2)	3.40 (86.4)	3.48 (88.4)	3.02 (76.7)	1.97 (50)	1.43 (36.3)	0.95 (24.1)	28.93 (734.8)
Snowfall inches (cm)	6.1 (15.5)	5.9 (15)	4.7 (11.9)	1.3 (3.3)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.7 (1.8)	2.1 (5.3)	5.9 (15)	26.8 (68.1)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	5.4	5.7	8.1	9.5	11.8	10.4	9.1	8.7	7.4	6.9	5.9	6.3	95.2
Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	5.0	4.2	2.6	0.8	0	0	0	0	0	0.2	1.9	4.2	18.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours	176.7	169.5	210.8	237.0	272.8	315.0	328.6	294.5	237.0	217.0	156.0	145.7	2,760.6
Source #1: NOAA (extremes 1887–present)
Source #2: HKO (sun only, 1961–1990)

Law and government

A park in Lincoln, 1942

Lincoln has a mayor-council government. The mayor and a seven-member city council are selected in nonpartisan elections. Four members are elected from city council districts; the remaining three members are elected at-large. Lincoln's health, personnel, and planning departments are joint city/county agencies; most city and Lancaster County offices are located in the County/City Building.

Since Lincoln is the state capital, many Nebraska state agencies and offices are located in Lincoln, as are several United States Government agencies and offices. The city lies within the Lincoln Public Schools school district; the primary law enforcement agency for the city is the Lincoln Police Department. The Lincoln Fire and Rescue Department shoulders the city's fire fighting and ambulatory services while outlying areas of the city are supported by volunteer fire fighting units.

The city's public library system is Lincoln City Libraries, which has eight branches. Lincoln City Libraries circulates more than three million items per year to the residents of Lincoln and Lancaster County. Lincoln City Libraries is also home to Polley Music Library and the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska authors.

Economy

Amigos Restaurant on N 48th & Leighton in Lincoln, NE

Lincoln's economy is fairly typical of a mid-sized American city; most economic activity is derived from service industries. The state government and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are both large contributors to the local economy. Other prominent industries in Lincoln include medical, banking, information technology, education, call centers, insurance (such as Ameritas Life Insurance Company and Allstate Insurance subsidiary Lincoln Benefit Life), and rail and truck transport.

One of the largest employers is the Bryan Health System, which consists of two major hospitals and several large outpatient facilities located across the city. Healthcare and medical jobs account for a substantial portion of Lincoln's employment: as of 2009, full-time healthcare employees in the city included 9,010 healthcare practitioners in technical occupations, 4,610 workers in healthcare support positions, 780 licensed and vocational nurses, and 150 medical and clinical laboratory technicians.

Several national business were originally established in Lincoln; these include student lender Nelnet, Fort Western Stores, and HobbyTown USA. Several regional restaurant chains began in Lincoln, including Amigos/Kings Classic, Runza Restaurants, and Valentino's.

Top employers

According to the City's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	State of Nebraska	9,008
2	Lincoln Public Schools	7,524
3	University of Nebraska–Lincoln	6,024
4	Bryan Health	3,604
5	United States Government	2,867
6	City of Lincoln	2,581
7	St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center	2,259
8	BNSF Railway	1,800
9	State Farm Insurance	1,382
10	Kawasaki	1,351

Transportation

The Eagle Fruit Store and Capitol Hotel in downtown Lincoln during the 1940s.

Rail

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Lincoln, operating its California Zephyr daily in each direction between Chicago and Emeryville, California, across the bay from San Francisco.

Bus

A public bus transit system, StarTran, operates in Lincoln. StarTran's fleet consists of 60 full-sized buses and 9 Handi-Vans.

Air

The Lincoln Airport provides passengers with daily non-stop service to United Airlines hubs O'Hare International Airport and Denver International Airport as well as Delta Air Lines hub Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Regional jet service on Delta Air Lines to Salt Lake City and Atlanta was discontinued in 2009. In the past Allegiant Air departed Wednesdays and Saturdays to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas aboard their fleet of MD-80s. However, this service has ended in Lincoln and has been transferred to the Central Nebraska Regional Airport. The Lincoln Airport is also among the emergency landing sites for the NASA Space Shuttle.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	2,441		—
1880	13,003		432.7%
1890	55,164		324.2%
1900	40,169		−27.2%
1910	43,973		9.5%
1920	54,948		25.0%
1930	75,933		38.2%
1940	81,984		8.0%
1950	98,884		20.6%
1960	128,521		30.0%
1970	149,518		16.3%
1980	171,932		15.0%
1990	191,972		11.7%
2000	225,581		17.5%
2010	258,379		14.5%
source:

The U.S. Government designated Lincoln as a refugee-friendly city due to its stable economy, educational institutions, and size. Since then, refugees from Vietnam settled in Lincoln, and further waves came from other countries.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 258,379 people, 103,546 households, and 60,300 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,899.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,119.5 /km²). There were 110,546 housing units at an average density of 1,240.6 per square mile (479.0 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.0% White, 3.8% African American, 0.8% Native American, 3.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.5% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.3% of the population.

There were 103,546 households of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.8% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% 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 3.01.

The median age in the city was 31.8 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 15.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 225,581 people, 90,485 households, and 53,567 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,022.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,166.9/km²). There were 95,199 housing units at an average density of 1,275.4 per square mile (492.5/km²). 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.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $40,605, and the median income for a family was $52,558. Men had a median income of $33,899 versus $25,402 for women. 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.

Sites of interest

Nebraska State Capitol

The Capitol at night

• Nebraska State Capitol: designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue and constructed between 1922 and 1932. The capitol building is a skyscraper topped by a golden dome. The tower is crowned by a 6-meter (20 ft) statue of a farmer sowing grain on a pedestal of wheat and corn (sculptor: Lee Lawrie), to represent the state's agricultural heritage. City zoning rules prevent any other building from rivaling it in height, making it a landmark not only within the city but for the surrounding area. Inside, there are many paintings and iridescent murals depicting the Native American heritage and the history and culture of the early pioneers who settled Nebraska. It is the second tallest U.S. State Capitol building behind the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge.
• Alice Abel Arboretum
• American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Museum
• Lincoln Children's Museum
• Lincoln Children's Zoo
• Fairview, home of William Jennings Bryan
• Frank H. Woods Telephone Museum
• Governor's Mansion
• Haymarket Park
• Historic Haymarket
• Hyde Observatory
• Ice Box
• Iron Horse Park in the Haymarket
• James Arthur Vineyards
• Joshua C. Turner Arboretum
• Maxwell Arboretum
• Museum of American Speed
• National Museum of Roller Skating and the offices of USA Roller Sports
• Museum of Nebraska History
• Thomas P. Kennard House
• Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
• Pioneers Park Nature Center
• Schleich Red Wing Pottery Museum
• State Fair Park Arboretum
• Sunken Gardens (Nebraska)
• Downtown Lincoln (Nebraska)
• Veterans Memorial Garden
• Wyuka Cemetery

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

• Bob Devaney Sports Center
• Great Plains Art Museum
• International Quilt Study Center & Museum
• The Kruger Collection in the College of Architecture
• Lentz Center for Asian Culture
• Lester F. Larsen Tractor Test & Power Museum
• Lied Center for Performing Arts
• Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, aka The Ross
• Memorial Stadium: Home of the Cornhuskers football team, the stadium was built in 1923.
• The Robert Hillestad Textiles gallery
• Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery: built in the early 1960s; architect Philip Johnson.
• UNL Dairy Store
• University of Nebraska State Museum: home to an extensive collection of Nebraska fossils and Mueller Planetarium star theater

Education

Primary and secondary education

Lincoln Public Schools is the sole public school district in the city. There are six traditional high schools in the district: Lincoln High, East, Northeast, North Star, Southeast, and Southwest. Additionally, Lincoln Public Schools is home to special interest high schools including the Arts and Humanities Focus Program, the Zoo School, the Information Technology Focus Program, and the Entrepreneurship Focus Program.

There are several private parochial elementary and middle schools located throughout the community. These schools, like Lincoln Public Schools, are broken into districts, but most will allow attendance outside of boundary lines.

Private high schools located in Lincoln are College View Academy, Lincoln Christian, Lincoln Lutheran, Parkview Christian and Pius X High School.

Colleges and universities

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the flagship campus of the University of Nebraska system, is the largest university in Nebraska. Other colleges and universities based in Lincoln are: BryanLGH College of Health Sciences, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Southeast Community College and Union College.

Colleges and universities with satellite locations in Lincoln are Bellevue University, Concordia University, Nebraska, College of Saint Mary, Doane College, and Kaplan University.

Memorial Stadium

Sports teams

Lincoln is best known for the university's football team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In total, the University of Nebraska fields 24 men's and women's teams in 14 NCAA Division I sports. Other sports teams are the Lincoln Saltdogs, an American Association independent minor league baseball team; the Lincoln Stars, a USHL junior ice hockey team. Lincoln is also home to the No Coast Derby Girls, a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.

Arts, entertainment, and culture

Lincoln's primary venues for live music include: Pershing Auditorium (large tours and national acts), Bourbon Theatre, Duffy's Tavern, Red9 (opened in 2009, previously P.O. Pears), Knickerbockers, Duggan's Pub (local and regional acts; smaller venues), and the Zoo Bar (blues). The Pla-Mor Ballroom is a staple of Lincoln's music and dance scene, featuring its house band, the award-winning Sandy Creek Band.

The Lied Center is a venue for national tours of Broadway productions, concert music, and guest lectures. Lincoln has several performing arts venues. Plays are staged by UNL students in the Temple Building; community theater productions are held at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, the Loft at The Mill, and the Haymarket Theater.

Downtown Lincoln at night (14th and O Streets)

For movie viewing, Marcus Theatres owns 32 screens at four locations, and the University of Nebraska's Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center shows independent and foreign films. Standalone cinemas in Lincoln include the Joyo Theater and Rococo Theater. The Rococo Theater also hosts benefits and other engagements. The downtown section of O Street is Lincoln's primary bar and nightclub district.

Lincoln is the hometown of Zager and Evans, known for their international No. 1 hit record, "In the Year 2525". It is also the home town of several notable musical groups, such as Remedy Drive, VOTA, the Bathtub Dogs, For Against, Lullaby for the Working Class, Ideal Cleaners, Matthew Sweet, Dirtfedd, and The Show is the Rainbow. Lincoln is also home to Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine.

In 2012, the city was listed among the 10 best places to retire in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.

Annual events

• March: Nebraska high school state boys' and girls' basketball tournaments
• Mid April: ConStellation Science Fiction convention
• First Sunday in May: Lincoln Marathon
• May 13 – July 17: Live thoroughbred horse racing at Lincoln Race Course
• Early May- Late October: The Farmers' Market in the Haymarket district.
• Early June: Cornhusker Boys' State and Cornhusker Girls' State
• Mid June: Formula SAE Lincoln
• Tuesday evenings in June: Jazz in June, an outdoor summer concert series
• Third Friday in June, July, and August: Dock Stock
• Late June: International Thespian Festival of the International Thespian Society at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Thursday evenings in July: Movies on the Green, movies shown on the green space near Kimball Hall
• Early August: Lancaster County Fair
• Second weekend in August: Capital City Ribfest
• Late August: Annual Zombie Walk and Zombie Fest
• Late August to late November: Nebraska Cornhuskers football
• Early September: Sports Car Club of America Solo National Championship Autocross
• Late September/Early October: Lincoln Calling – Music Festival.
• Early November: Nebraska high school state football championships at Memorial Stadium

Local media

Television

Lincoln has four licensed broadcast television stations:

• KLKN (Channels 8 and 31; 8.1 DT) – ABC; LWN affiliate 8.2
• KOLN (Channel 10; 10.1 DT) – CBS affiliate; MyTV 10.2
• KUON (Channel 12) – PBS affiliate, NET Television flagship station
• KFXL (Channel 51) – Fox

The headquarters of Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET), which is affiliated with the Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio and Public Radio International, are in Lincoln.

Lincoln is one of the few cities without its own NBC affiliate; Omaha's WOWT serves as the city's default NBC affiliate on cable, while Hastings' KHAS-TV is available in satellite locals packages. Most of Omaha's other television stations can also be picked up in Lincoln with an antenna, and all are available on cable.

Lincoln also has analog TV translators for 3ABN on channel 27 and TBN on channel 29.

Radio

There are 22 radio stations in Lincoln.

FM stations include:

• KLCV (88.5) – Religious talk
• KNBE (88.9) – Religious talk and gospel
• KZUM (89.3) – Independent Community Radio
• KFLV (89.9) – Contemporary Christian
• KRNU (90.3) – Alternative / College radio UNL
• KUCV (91.1) – National Public Radio
• K220GT (91.9) – Contemporary Christian
• KTGL (92.9) – Classic Rock
• KJFT-LP (93.7) – Chinese-language Religious
• KNTK (93.7) – Sports
• K233AN (94.5) – Contemporary Christian
• KRKR (95.1) – Contemporary Christian
• KZKX (96.9) – Country
• KFGE (98.1) – Country
• KOOO (101.9) – Classic pop (Licensed to Lincoln; targeting Omaha)
• KVSS (102.7) – Catholic Radio
• KIBZ (104.1) – Active Rock
• KLNC (105.3) – Adult Hits
• KFRX (106.3) – Top-40
• KBBK (107.3) – Hot AC

AM stations include:

• KFOR(1240) – News/Talk
• KLIN (1400) – News/Talk
• KLMS (1480) – Sports

Most areas of Lincoln also receive radio signals from Omaha and other surrounding communities.

Print

The Lincoln Journal Star is the city's major daily newspaper. The Daily Nebraskan is the official campus paper of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The DailyER Nebraskan is the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's biweekly satirical paper. The Clocktower is the official campus paper of Union College.

Notable people

• Nancy Coover Andreasen, prominent neuroscientist and neuropsychiatrist, was born in Lincoln
• Fred Beebe, former professional baseball player
• Michael Biehn, actor
• Shawn Bouwens, former American football player in the National Football League, played professionally for the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars
• Dan Brown, video blogger and entertainer with an audience of over 250,000 daily subscribers
• Johnny Carson, television host and comedian, was raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, but attended college at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Joba Chamberlain, pitcher for the New York Yankees, was born in Lincoln and graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School
• Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States under George W. Bush, was born in Lincoln but raised in Casper, Wyoming
• Amasa Cobb, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin
• Amy Sue Cooper, U.S. Model, and Playboy Cyber Girl of the Year 2005
• Richard Cowan, United States Army soldier during World War II and posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Mary and David Doyle, sibling actors
• Mignon G. Eberhart, mystery novelist
• Loren Eiseley, anthropologist, science writer, ecologist, and poet
• Alex Gordon, MLB player, was born and raised in Lincoln
• Bob Kerrey, 35th Governor of Nebraska and a U.S. Senator from Nebraska
• Lars Krutak, tattoo anthropologist, writer, photographer
• Tosca Lee, award-winning Christian fiction author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve
• Louise Le Baron Opera singer and Lincoln voice teacher
• Verne Lewellen, NFL player for the Green Bay Packers
• Gilbert N. Lewis, physical chemist known for the discovery of the covalent bond
• Gordon MacRae, actor
• Danny Noonan, former player in the National Football League, played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers
• Dirk Obbink, Lecturer in papyrology and Greek Literature at Oxford University and head of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri Project
• Roscoe Pound, legal scholar and educator
• James Lee Rankin, United States Solicitor General (1956–61)
• Shawn Redhage, basketball player for the Perth Wildcats, grew up in Lincoln but represented Australia at the 2008 Summer Olympics
• Barrett Ruud, NFL linebacker for the New Orleans Saints
• Bo Ruud, NFL linebacker for the Cleveland Browns
• Brandon Sanderson, fantasy author
• Lindsey Shaw, actress known for her starring roles as Jennifer Mosely on Nickelodeon's sitcom, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and Claire Tolchuck in Aliens in America
• Samuel K. Sloan, pioneer news director for the award-winning Slice of SciFi podcast and Sirius–XM satellite program
• Ted Sorensen, President John F. Kennedy’s special counsel and adviser, legendary speechwriter, and alter ego, whom Kennedy once called his “intellectual blood bank”
• Charles Starkweather, spree killer who murdered 11 victims in Nebraska and Wyoming during a road trip with his underage girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate
• Ryland Steen, drummer for the ska punk band Reel Big Fish
• Alex Stivrins, NBA player for the Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Atlanta Hawks
• Hilary Swank, two-time Academy Award–winning actress, was born in Lincoln
• Matthew Sweet, solo pop rock artist
• Brandon Teena, transgender murder victim
• Janine Turner, actress, was born in Lincoln but raised in Texas
• James Valentine, guitarist for the band Maroon 5, was born and raised in Lincoln
• Robert Van Pelt, U.S. District Judge in the District of Nebraska
• VOTA, contemporary Christian rock band signed to INO records
• Milton I. Wick, organized a book business in Lincoln that employed college students to sell books to farmers in the summer. The enterprise was so successful that it was expanded to Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, employing more than 500 students during the three years of its existence. Wick later founded Wick Communications Company.
• Don Wilson, announcer and occasional actor in radio and television
• Mary Zimmerman, award-winning theatre director and playwright

See also

• List of people from Lincoln, Nebraska

External links

• City of Lincoln, Nebraska
• Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau
• ExploreLincoln
• Downtown Lincoln
• Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development
• A Virtual Tour of The Nebraska State Capitol Building on Roundus