For outdoor enthusiasts, Nebraska is not the first state that comes to mind. While the state is not home to national parks, it is home to some beautiful, historic, and natural sites. Many of these incredible sites lie in Nebraska’s small towns. The small Nebraskan town of Brule is home to Lake McConaughy, offering beautiful beachfront views, while Harrison is another small Nebraska town, that draws visitors in to see the Agate Fossil Beds. These are only a couple examples of the natural wonders in Nebraska’s small towns, however, they are worth a visit for outdoor enthusiasts. 

Harrison

Harrison is home to a natural wonder that brings people to Nebraska annually, the Agate Fossil Beds. The hills are the place where paleontologists found mammal skeletons, including the complete skeletons of extinct Miocene mammals in the 1900s. Dozens of fossils show the area’s 20 million years of natural history. At the Agate Fossil Beds, there are 2.7-mile-long Fossil Hills Trail that takes travelers through the hills and across the Niobrara River. Along the trail, there are interpretive signs explaining the plants of the area.

Another outdoor attraction in Harrison is the Gilbert Baker Wildlife Management Area. The area includes 2,537 acres of park and is perfect for camping and hiking. A trail in the area takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete. On the trail, hikers might see deer, elk, rabbits, or wild turkeys. Near the wildlife area, lies Monroe Creek and Gilbert Baker Pond; this peaceful creek and pond are great places for fishing or bird watching.

Brule

Brule is a small community in Nebraska with more wildlife than people. The town has less than 500 residents and is a serene, rural area. Lake McConaughy draws people in to visit the town. This is Nebraska’s largest reservoir, with 100 miles of shoreline. The lake is an excellent place for outdoor recreation. The white sand beaches and clear waters are perfect for boating, jet skiing, windsurfing, swimming, and fishing. Golfers are also drawn to the lake area for the Bayside Gulf Club’s course. The golf course is on the shores of Lake McConaughy, offering stunning views while lulling visitors to sleep.

Brule is also near the California National Historic Trail. This trail is for nature and history lovers. The mid-19th century highway was a migration route to the West. The route is 1600 miles, traveling from Missouri River towns to California. Some portions of the road are drivable. Brule is one of the closest towns in the section that goes through Nebraska. Hikers on the trail can rest in town and enjoy the rural countryside scenery. 

Bayard

The small town of Bayard is home to Chimney Rock, an outdoor monument that draws people to Nebraska annually. Chimney Rock National Historic Site is a towering rock made from a thin spire standing an estimated 325 tall from tip to base. Thirty-four million years ago, the rock formed from volcanic ash. Folks can see the different layers of volcanic ash in its formation today. The rock is one of the most famous historic monuments in the state. It was an essential landmark for navigating the California, Oregon, and Mormon trails during pioneer days. There is a nine-hole golf course and restaurant near the Chimney Rock Site to enjoy a game of gold while admiring the towering rock. 

Beyond the pretty scenery of Chimney Rock, Bayard has an exciting history. Guests can learn more about it by visiting the Bayard Depot Museum. The museum is in an old Northern Railroad depot and has ancient artifacts of the town. One of the most impressive is a 100-year-old cookie!

Gering

Gering is near Bayard, a town with vibrant green prairie lands. Gering next to the Oregon Trail and the famed Scotts Bluff National Monument. The Scott’s Bluff National Monument is a towering bluff surrounded by rugged badlands. There are also 3,000 acres of protected and historic areas near the bluff. A popular trail near the monument is the Saddle Rock trail. The 1.6-mile trail has a self-guided tour of the area. The trailhead begins east of the visitor center. For a shorter version of the hike, begin on the trail at the summit of the Scotts Bluff. From the trail, there is a stunning view of the North Platte River Valley that is worth the short trek.

A spot for people who are interested in history is the Legacy of the Plains Museum. The museum has interactive exhibits that show the history of settlement and Westward Expansion in the North Platte Valley and High Plains. Gering is also close to the scenic Yellowstone National Park and the Black Hills, making for some pretty scenery around town.

Bridgeport

Bridgeport is another Nebraska town with picturesque scenery. The town has its own Recreation Area encompassing 326 acres of land to explore and 78 acres of water in five sandpit lakes. Visitors can enjoy camping or hiking on the shores. Water activities, including kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding, are popular on the East and West lakes in all seasons. 

The Courthouse and Jail Rocks are popular spots to stop at just 5 miles south of town. Made from Brule clay, the rocks look like a courthouse and castle.  Over time, wind and water sculpted the rocks into what they look like today. To get to the stones, there is an unpaved road and trail open year-round. 

Just 6 miles north of the rocks is the Bridgeport Pioneer Trails Museum. This Homestead museum is just off the Oregon Trail, Mormon Trail, and Pony Express Route. This was a popular stop point for pioneers traveling on the trails. While at the museum, check out a section of the surrounding trails for a peaceful stroll through the woods. 

Sutherland

For history and nature lovers, Sutherland is the ideal town—home to the Sutherland State Aid Bridge, a beautiful bridge over the water that offers scenic views. The bridge dates back to the State Aid Program between 1912 and 1936. The bridge is unique as one of the only remaining unaltered bridges built by the program.  

Another great spot in town with a pioneer history is the O’Fallon’s Bluff. The bluffs are 20 miles long and sit along the South Platte River. Here, visitors can see the Oregon-California Trail wagon wheel ruts and old emigrant trails. You can see the ruts from wagon wheels today because of the thousands of wagons going over the dry bluffs.  Walking through the bluffs makes for a great day hike to enjoy nature and history.

Beyond the bridge and pioneer history, Sutherland has a large State Recreation Area. The outdoor area has something for everyone, from boating to fishing, camping, and swimming. The recreation area is a popular alternative to Lake McConaughy since it is not as busy.

Whether visitors want to explore the bluffs or enjoy some time on the lake, Nebraska has some surprising outdoor adventures. The small-town vibes of these Nebraska towns and their unique outdoor attractions make them a perfect place for any outdoor enthusiast. The next time one plans a road trip, consider stopping in one of these towns for a pitstop. Whatever season folks are headed to Nebraska, there will be something that caters to the outdoorsy types.

First National of Nebraska (OTCMKTS:FINN – Get Free Report) and BOK Financial (NASDAQ:BOKF – Get Free Report) are both mid-cap finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, profitability, analyst recommendations, earnings, risk, valuation and dividends.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares First National of Nebraska and BOK Financial’s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

BOK Financial has higher revenue and earnings than First National of Nebraska.

Profitability

This table compares First National of Nebraska and BOK Financial’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

0.7% of First National of Nebraska shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 34.4% of BOK Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. 41.7% of First National of Nebraska shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 56.9% of BOK Financial shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for First National of Nebraska and BOK Financial, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

BOK Financial has a consensus target price of $97.10, suggesting a potential upside of 5.49%. Given BOK Financial’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe BOK Financial is more favorable than First National of Nebraska.

Risk and Volatility

First National of Nebraska has a beta of 0.36, meaning that its stock price is 64% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BOK Financial has a beta of 1.2, meaning that its stock price is 20% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

BOK Financial beats First National of Nebraska on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About First National of Nebraska

(Get Free Report)

First National of Nebraska, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for First National Bank of Omaha that provides various banking products and services. The company offers checking, savings, and individual retirement accounts; certificates of deposit; and credit cards. It also provides personal loans and lines of credit; auto loans; mortgage loans; home equity lines of credit and loans; small business loans and lines of credit; small business administration loans; and commercial lending solutions. In addition, the company offers treasury management, debt consolidation, financial planning, retirement planning, wealth management, merchant, and payroll services; and personal, commercial, and farm insurance products. Further, it provides solutions for agribusiness, commercial real estate, healthcare, transportation, and correspondent banking; investment services, such as capital market and institutional asset management; and digital banking services. First National of Nebraska, Inc. was founded in 1857 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

About BOK Financial

(Get Free Report)

BOK Financial Corporation operates as the financial holding company for BOKF, NA that provides various financial products and services in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Northwest Arkansas, Colorado, Arizona, and Kansas/Missouri. It operates through three segments: Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking, and Wealth Management. The Commercial Banking segment offers lending, treasury, cash management, and customer commodity risk management products for small businesses, middle market, and larger commercial customers, as well as operates TransFund electronic funds transfer network. The Consumer Banking segment engages in the provision of retail lending and deposit services to small business customers through retail branch network; and mortgage loan origination and servicing activities. The Wealth Management segment offers fiduciary, private bank, insurance, and investment advisory services; and brokerage and trading services primarily related to providing liquidity to the mortgage markets through trading of U.S. government agency mortgage-backed securities and related derivative contracts, as well as underwrites state and municipal securities. The company also provides commercial loans, such as loans for working capital, facilities acquisition or expansion, purchases of equipment, and other needs of commercial customers; and service, healthcare, manufacturing, wholesale/retail, energy, and other sector loans. In addition, it offers commercial real estate loans for the construction of buildings or other improvements to real estate and property held by borrowers for investment purposes; residential mortgage and personal loans; and automated teller machine, call center, and Internet and mobile banking services. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Receive News & Ratings for First National of Nebraska Daily – Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts’ ratings for First National of Nebraska and related companies with MarketBeat.com’s FREE daily email newsletter.

On a day where the pitching was exhausted, an exhausting season came to a close with a focus on the future…and future returns to Omaha.

Omaha, NE – There’s a big sign inside the indoor hitting cages at Bill Davis Stadium that reads, The Road To Omaha.  It was one of Bill Mosiello’s first commandments when he took the job, and you cannot hit without being aware of that sign.

The Sheward-Fulks agency, in Jackson, Ohio, proudly supports the Buckeyes.

Well, the Buckeyes finished their season in Omaha Friday, sure enough, albeit on the wrong end of 12-5 score, Nebraska beating five pitchers around to improve to 36-20, and advance to Saturday’s semi-final round of the Big Ten Tournament.

The goal now becomes…how to get back here on a more consistent basis.  2024 marked the first time since 2019 that the Buckeyes qualified for the post-season tournament, and had to win impressively on the season’s final weekend to do it.  More about this in a few hundred words.

First, the down dirty of 12-5 loss to a team that has many of the attributes that Mosiello believes the Buckeyes will have in short order.  Nebraska simply pitched better, and with better depth of pitching.  “They have the arms to make a deep regional run,”  said Mo in the post-game presser Friday.

Matt Graveline has to sky to pull down a throw attempting to knock off a Nebraska runner in the third.

“This is a good team with a good staff and a good baseball culture.  I’ve known Will Bolt since his time at Texas A&M.  And it’s taken me some time to realize what he’s done in the Big Ten, to appreciate the Big Ten, and I’ve eaten enough humble pie.  Going forward we have to get better.”

Colin Purcell made the start on the mound, and immediately gave up a hit batter and a walk, preceding a home run to right by Nebraska’s Gabe Swansen…3-0, Cornhuskers.

They added single runs in the second and third, while the Buckeyes got on the board in the top of the third on a walk to Ryan Miller, a stolen base, and an RBI single by Trey Lipsey…5-1 Nebraska.

Colin Purcell would last just 2.2 innings, replaced in the third by Gavin Bruni, who finished the third and then pitched a scoreless fourth.  Ohio State added another run in the fourth with a leadoff double by Tyler Pettorini, who eventually scored on a ground out by Hunter Rosson…5-2, Nebraska.

Kaup Pharmacies is proud to sponsor area sports on Press Pros Magazine.

And for a third straight inning the Buckeyes scored in the fifth when Lipsey walked ahead of Henry Kaczmar, who scored him with an RBI double, his 11th of the season…5-3, Nebraska.

Nebraska quickly got that run back off Bruni in the bottom of the fifth, who then pitched a scoreless sixth to accumulate 3.2 innings of work having given up 2 runs on 3 hits, striking out 3…6-3, Nebraska.

The final game hurt…pitching Colin Purcell reacts to lasting just 2.2 innings against Nebraska.

But the Buckeyes simply could not put up a crooked number off Nebraska starter Mason McConnaghey, and never got any closer than 6-3.  Zach Brown came out to work the seventh and immediately ran into trouble, giving up a run on 2 hits, replaced by Justin Eckhardt with two outs, with the game still in reach.

But Nebraska jumped all over Eckhardt, who lasted just 0.2 of an inning, surrendering 3 runs on 4 hits before giving way to Jacob Morin.  Morin recorded the final out of the inning with Nebraska now leading 12-3.

A boisterous crowd of Husker fans were howling with each succeeding run, eager to see Nebraska return the favor of a run-rule finish, like the Buckeyes handed out on Tuesday.  But they avoided that indignation by scoring a pair of runs in the top of the ninth off the relievers Jalen Worthley and Rans Sanders…before Joe Mershon grounded out to second for the final out of the 2024 season.  A very frustrating 2024 season that saw some encouraging highs, but also some discouraging lows to remind Bill Mosiello and staff just how far they have yet to reach if they want to be like Nebraska.

The McKinley Funeral Home, in Lucasville, proudly supports Buckeye baseball on Press Pros Magazine.com.

Advertisement

They closed with 5 runs on just 7 hits, and committed 1 error.

Nebraska moved on to play on Saturday with 12 runs on 13 hits and had 1 error.

It was a stinging loss for a group of Buckeyes who had played through that frustration, and those like Mitch Okuley, who had played through Covid, along with losing baseball.

“But there’s a good core of young players here,”  said Okuley in the post-game presser.  “And the staff has recruited more good young players.  I think Buckeye baseball will be good for years to come.”

There were, in fact, a lot of hugs and more than a few moist eyes…a reminder of the brotherhood that comes with baseball, as well as the realization for some, like Justin Eckhardt, that Friday probably marked his last day in organized baseball as a player.

“It’s a hard reality,”  said Mosiello.  “Baseball is a tough game, to be played by tough people, and we have had great kids – wonderful kids – who are great students and never give you any trouble.

It was tough for the umps, too. Umpire Jim Schaly watches the  scoreboard video as his call on a third inning steal was reversed by replay.

“But we have to get tougher.  We need to improve, and we’ve done a better job as the season went on.  We beat a great Nebraska team in Omaha, and beat them once early in the year.  And toughness is always a staple with Nebraska.  I challenged our kids with that after the game.  Our culture is great – great kids, great workers, and we’re doing a lot of great things.  But we have to become better baseball players, and we have to get tougher.”

The young core that Okuley talked about will include incombants Henry Kaczmar, Matt Graveline, and Tyler Pettorini in 2025, as well as developing bright lights like Isaac Cadena, Chase Herrell, Gavin DeVooght and Zach Brown.

“But our priority between now and then will be pitching…pitching…pitching…and more pitching,”  added Mosiello.  “We got to do a lot of recruiting and we’re going to be all over the place.  We’re limited with portal spots because we were so aggressive in bringing in high school talent early on, but we have to use the spots we have to find more pitching, and pitching that can help us immediately.”

Ever-Green Lawn and Landscaping supports Ohio State sports on Press Pros.

Translation:  There’s a lot of opportunity at Ohio State if you can throw experienced strikes and get people out.

“If you look at all the teams in this league we’re by far the youngest group.  All the teams that are really playing well are older groups,”  he added.  “I’ve always been a believer in developing young players, but things have changed and I kinda’ have to change my mind a little bit with that…because we see in all that sports what’s happening.

Justin Eckhardt and Ryan Miller react to the final game of the 2024 Buckeyes’ season.

“But we’re in a tough spot in terms of position spots for portal talent because of all the guys we’ll have coming back.”

Statistically, there was some marginal improvement in team batting average, and the fact that they finished with six bats that finished with an average of .280 or better.  And overall, as a team they improved from .265 to .280.

But pitching was another matter.  Forced to lean too much on those young freshman arms, the composite earned run average was up nearly a run at 6.37.  And this cardinal sin…they walked the leadoff hitter 54 times in 2024, an increase of 13 over 2023.

But those young arms, as well as players like Ike Cadena and Zach Fjelstad will be in summer baseball leagues, taking their own next steps toward 2024.  Steels sharpens steel, they say, and they need to play.

So how to get back to Omaha?

Development of existing talent, of course.  And the man makes no bones about recruiting, and with a priority on pitching.

Pitching…pitching…pitching…and more pitching!

Wilson Health proudly sponsors the best in Ohio State sports coverage on Press Pros Magazine.com.