North Omaha has hosted large and small industry throughout its history, starting in the 1860s and extending to this day. One of the major manufacturers that has called North Omaha home was the Douglas Motors Corporation.
In 1918, the Douglas Motors plant opened at 4024 North 30th Street, near the Druid Hill School. Originally known as the Drumond Motor Car Company, the company was founded in Omaha in 1917.
Drummond built cars for touring and roadsters, as well as a town car. However, they were only built for a year.
In 1918, the company name was changed to the Douglas Motors Corporation. They built a new plant in North Omaha where the Douglas V-8 was made, along with some commercial trucks, and continued manufacturing trucks there until the mid 1930s. The company was closed during the Great Depression.
The Exide Corporation, which manufactures batteries, operated here in the 1990s. After their building was designated a part of the Omaha Superfund cleanup site, Exide moved to southwest Omaha. After the plant was demolished and remediation on the site was completed, the Omaha Police Department built a new substation at the location.
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