Lincoln is the capital city of Nebraska, and the second largest city in the state. Its population reached approximately 251,000 by 2008. The University of Nebraska is located in Lincoln, and Lincoln was named one of the healthiest of all the United States cities. Omaha was originally the capital of Nebraska, since the creation of Nebraska in 1854, but due to the fact that most of the population of Nebraska lived south of the Platte River, the residents of this area considered becoming part of Kansas. In order to prevent this move, the capital of Nebraska territory was changed to Lancaster (now Lincoln) in the west and south of the Platte. In order to prevent this territory from remaining within Nebraska, Omaha interests got the name of Lancaster changed to Lincoln, in honor of the President who had recently been assassinated. Since the people of the southern part of Nebraska tended to side with the south and the confederate states it was believed by these interests that the new name of Lincoln would prevent people to vote for this city to be the capital of Nebraska. This political maneuverings did not work, and despite everything Lincoln became the capital when Nebraska was admitted into the United States on March 2, 1867.