(Source: Lincoln Journal Star, January 30, 2015)
LINCOLN, Neb. — In order to establish a railroad link between the East and West coasts of the United States, the federal government awarded huge grants of land to provide right of way as well as real estate that could be sold to provide working capital for construction. In order to insure the presence of a railroad, the state, counties, cities, corporations and even individuals added grants, which meant that at the peak, railroads actually owned 16.6 percent of all the real estate in Nebraska.
Full story: Lincoln Journal Star