A History of North Omaha’s McCreary Mansion

Built: 1876
Address: 3706 North 24th Street
Architecture: Italianate
Demolished: 1926

Built at the height of an early boom in Omaha, the McCreary Mansion was built three miles north of the city in the mid-1870s. After moving to the Nebraska Territory from Ohio in 1860, the early career of John McCreary (1832-1908) was spent building telegraph lines across the Midwest. In addition to lines he laid across Ohio and Kentucky, he was involved in laying the Union Pacific telegraph from Nebraska to Salt Lake City. He married Mary Creighton, the sister of Edward and John Creighton, in that family’s native Ohio.

McCreary Mansion, N. 24th and Pratt Streets, North Omaha, Nebraska — This was the John McCreary Mansion at N. 24th and Pratt Streets circa 1880.

The year after his mansion was finished, McCreary retired to his estate and focused on improving his land. Located immediately north of John Redick’s estate, McCreary had ten acres of land. Located along Saunders Street, McCreary started with a two story Italianate style home that had a dozen rooms, just outside the city limits. Popular Omaha builder Francis Dellone and his brother designed and built the home for McCreary. In the 1890s, McCreary added another floor to the house for a total of 15 rooms.

McCreary was never settled. Towards the late 1880s, he left Omaha for Wyoming, where he launched a ranch of almost 3,000 acres with 500 head of cattle on it. McCreary died in 1908. A generous benefactor of North Omaha’s Sacred Heart Church, he was buried at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.

Swedish Mission Hospital, North Omaha, Nebraska — This was the John McCreary Mansion at N. 24th and Pratt Streets circa 1900.

In 1905, McCreary sold his home and it became the Swedish Mission Hospital. Over the next two decades, the institution was a landmark in North Omaha. With fifteen rooms in three wards, they added a separate three story building, allowing the hospital to treat 600 patients annually.

In 1926, the hospital came under formal control of of the Swedish Evangelical Covenant Church and was renamed the Evangelical Covenant Hospital. They tore down the old McCreary Mansion that year to replace it with a new building.

Today, there is no historical marker at the site, and few students of history remember the contributions of John McCreary to North Omaha history.

BONUS PIC!

Redick Mansion, aka the Mayne Mansion, aka Omaha University Redick Hall, 3612 North 24th Street in 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. Note the McCreary Mansion is sitting to the right, showing the proximity of these two wealthy mens’ homes.

John McCreary, North 24th and Pratt Street, North Omaha, Nebraska — This is a biography of John McCreary, whose mansion in North Omaha stood for more than 75 years.

4 Comments

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John Kendig says:

December 19 at 9:15 pm

I was adopted in 1938 from the Swedish Mission Hospital. I have never been able to find where birth records may be currently located. Any suggestions?

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1. Adam F.C. Fletcher says:
  
  December 22 at 2:50 am
  
  Hi John. Unfortunately I don’t know the best place to look. I would suggest you contact History Nebraska, which used to be called the Nebraska State Historical Society. Google them and ask – they have a lot of archives and other details from old hospitals. Good luck.
  
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