A look at a map of the USA will reveal that the northeast portion of Colorado cuts a rectangular chunk out of southwestern Nebraska. Originally, Congress intended that this quadrilateral parcel be incorporated as part of Nebraska, not Colorado. The resulting shape for Colorado would have been similar to Utah--not the basic rectangular shape Colorado has today--and Nebraska would have been configured much like Kansas. However, the Nebraska representatives successfully resisted the inclusion of this area as part of their future state, as it was full of rich gold-bearing ore. The representatives did not want the presence of mining camps with their collateral confluence of con artists, saloon keepers, gamblers, and whores to sully Nebraska's fair reputation.
Finally, in 1867, Nebraska achieved a high enough population to gain admission to the Union. The bulk of this growth was attributable to the Union Pacific running the Transcontinental Railroad line through the middle of the state with numerous towns springing up along the line to service the railroad construction as it advanced westward. Many of the initial inhabitants of these towns were con artists, saloon keepers, gamblers, and whores.
The building of the Transcontinental Railroad is, of course, the inspiration for the excellent, albeit gritty, AMC TV series Hell on Wheels.
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