A History of the Redick Mansion in North Omaha

Built: 1885
Address: 3612 North 24th Street
Architecture: Eastlake Style
Demolished: 1916

The most famous mansion built in North Omaha was probably the Mayne Mansion, also known as the Redick Mansion. Clifton E. Mayne was a pioneer real estate investor and salesman in the city. In the 1870s, a farmer built a little house along Saunders Street leading north out of Omaha. He sold ten acres and his little farmhouse to Mayne in 1885.

A Wealthy Man’s Mansion

Redick Mansion, aka the Mayne Mansion, aka Omaha University Redick Hall, 3612 North 24th Street, North Omaha, Nebraska — This was the Redick Mansion, aka the Mayne Mansion, aka Omaha University Redick Hall, at 3612 North 24th Street in North Omaha.

Clifton Mayne was wealthy and determined to build a monument to his own success, quickly built his new home. It was built in the Eastlake style from the remnants of an earlier farm house located at the same spot. Standing near the intersection of North 24th and Pratt Streets, Mayne kept 10 acres along with the home and carriage house.

The house’s tower, several fireplaces and the gingerbread-trimmed veranda made the home a “Victorian extravaganza,” as mentioned in one Omaha architectural guide.

The house had 20 rooms total. After entering through a large wraparound porch, visitors were immediately greeted by a formal Victorian foyer, and then ushered to the grand oak parlor. A large kitchen held its own dining table, as well as a formal dining room. Hardwood floors, twelve foot ceilings, plenty of bedrooms, and a large basement including a wine cellar were features in the mansion. Mayne also built a five story tower on the mansion, with a fancy viewing area at the top. Located on a wide, flat plain, this tower could see miles in every direction. The estate itself felt expansive, with fine trees planted along its edges, a large prairie held the wonders of nature for Mayne. He also expanded on a fruit orchard planted by the farmer before him.

As a wheeler and dealer in the early city’s growth, Mayne threw lavish parties and regularly hosted his colleagues and dignitaries in his home. However, the party didn’t last long because Mayne’s fortunes waxed and waned with Omaha. When the city hit hard times in the late 1870s, he had to sell his crown jewel.

Changing Hands

Redick Mansion, aka the Mayne Mansion, aka Omaha University Redick Hall, 3612 North 24th Street in North Omaha, Nebraska — This was the Redick Mansion, earlier known as the Mayne Mansion and later as the Omaha University Redick Hall. It stood at 3612 North 24th Street in North Omaha. Notice the McCreary Mansion to the right of the Redick Mansion in this pic.

John Redick was a pioneer lawyer, politician and judge in Omaha. When Mayne had to sell the mansion in 1878, Redick was there to pick up the beautiful home. Acquiring a quarter section of land around the mansion, Judge Redick raised his family in the home for the next few decades. In those years, he and his wife Mary hosted a plethora of social events, making the home…

“…a center of hospitality and gaiety and many and joyous were the parties that filled the house in Nebraska’s early days.”
⁠—Omaha: The Gate City, and Douglas County, Nebraska, Volume 2, Arthur Cooper Wakeley (1917)

For more than 15 years, the Redicks held an open house on New Years Day, along with all the social activities for their popular children, including John Jr., Oak, George, Albert and Elmer. When Judge Redick’s wife died in 1896, he remarried and moved away. His son Oak managed the home, and inherited it in 1908 when Judge Redick died. It was during Oak’s life that Augustus Kountze, who owned the land around the mansion, started selling lots in his Kountze Place neighborhood. By this point, the Redick Mansion was regarded as an old house and lots its desirableness.

Becoming Redick Hall

In 1909, the Omaha University campus had only three buildings: the gymnasium at right, the carriage house in the middle, and the Redick Hall at the right.

In 1909, Oak Redick joined the board of a new higher education institution called the University of Omaha. Originally offering them the entire estate for $100,000, the board failed to raise all of the money they needed. Consequently, Oak sold them just the mansion and a city block’s worth of land for $25,000. They renamed it Redick Hall and used it as their primary building for the five years.

Students at the University loved the old house. Many of their notes and poems fawned over it, celebrating the halls, kitchen and creepy spaces throughout.

Taken Apart and Shipped Away

After using the building for several years, in 1916 the University sold the mansion to a resort on Keeley Island on Lake Shetek near Currie, Minnesota. Workers dismantled the entire home and loaded it onto railcars, which shipped it to the Vahalla Resort, located on Vahalla Island in Lake Shetek. Rebuilt and renamed the Valhalla Pavilion, it was a roaring celebration for visitors until 1928, when it burnt down in a fire.

The University of Omaha built a new hall in the same place and expanded the campus. In the 1930s, it moved to 60th and Dodge and was renamed the University of Nebraska – Omaha.

Today, the location of the Redick Mansion is occupied by the 12-story Evans Tower, a public housing project for senior citizens. There is no historical marker, monument or plaque designating the location of this once-vibrant North Omaha landmark.

Bonus Pic!

Redick Hall, Omaha University, N. 24th and Pratt Streets, North Omaha, Nebraska — This is a circa 1911 pic of students standing outside Redick Hall in the driveway.

7 Comments

Pingback: The Kountze Place Neighborhood – North Omaha History
Pingback: Historic Neighborhoods – North Omaha History
Pingback: North 24th Street – North Omaha History
paroda2002 says:

December 5 at 4:38 pm

Thank you for the website. I research closed/merged colleges and show my research on a noncommercial website http://www.lostcolleges.com. I find “North Omaha History” very helpful in my research of the University of Omaha. May I use one of your images of Redick Mansion? Or could you direct me to a source for the image?

Thanks,
Paul Batesel
Mayville State University

LikeLike

1. Adam says:
  
  December 5 at 5:43 pm
  
  Hi Paul, and thanks for your note.
  
  What an exciting project you have! I’ve been intrigued by lost colleges before, and I think what you’re doing is great. In addition to OU, North Omaha has been home to several other institutions of higher ed–or attempts therein! I wrote an article summarizing them at https://northomahahistory.com/2017/05/21/a-history-of-higher-education-in-north-omaha/
  
  Unfortunately, I can’t give you permission because I don’t own the images. However, I suggest you contact the Durham Museum, which owns several images of Redick Hall. You can find info at https://durhammuseum.org/exhibits-collections/photo-archive/
  
  On a related note, I hope you found the Naomi Institute, which I wrote a wikipedia article about more than a decade ago at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomi_Institute
  
  Good luck!
  
  LikeLike
  
paroda2002 says:

December 5 at 11:55 pm

Many thanks.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Maury Pepper says:

November 20 at 5:24 pm

The following sentence is misleading: “In the 1930s, it moved to 60th and Dodge and was renamed the University of Nebraska – Omaha.” It was not until 1967 that the University of Omaha became UNO. It was a politically contentious move. In another article, you correctly used the word “eventual” regarding the renaming.

LikeLike