[5][6][full citation needed] Nebraska City is home of Arbor Day, the Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Center (which focuses on the natural history achievements of the expedition), and the Mayhew Cabin, the only site in the state recognized by the National Park Service as a station on the Underground Railroad.

Early European-American official exploration was reported in 1804 by Lewis and Clark as they journeyed west along the Missouri River.

They encountered many of the historic Native American tribes whose ancestors had inhabited the territory for thousands of years.

During the years of early pioneer settlement, in 1846 the US Army built Old Fort Kearny at Nebraska City.

Several years later, the army abandoned it to relocate the fort to central Nebraska, now south of present-day Kearney.

Shortly after the post was vacated, John Boulware developed an important river-crossing and ferry service from Iowa to present-day Nebraska City.

Three townships were incorporated by settlers including Stephen Nuckolls, one of the fathers of Nebraska City.

Before the American Civil War, Nebraska City was noted as having the Territory's largest population of slaves.

By the mid-19th century, steamboats on the Missouri River were the vitalizing force behind Nebraska City's growth, bringing commerce, people and freight to the west.

In the spring of 1858 Russell, Majors and Waddell started freighting from Nebraska City[7] on a government contract to transport all provisions for all western forts.

Nebraska City's favorable position (with a gradual slope from the river to the table land above) and good trail made it an important link to the west.

Since that beginning, the city became established as a regional transportation, economic, and agriculture hub for the three state area.

Additional forms of transportation were important, including the steam wagon and the first locomotive engine of the Midland Pacific.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.69 square miles (12.15 km2), all land.

In Nebraska City is Arbor Lodge, home of the first Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, J.

Each year, the AppleJack Festival in Nebraska City takes place on the third weekend of September.