A History of 4517 Browne Street in North Omaha

Adam’s Note: I like what the Omaha Municipal Land Bank is doing. Working with homeowners that are underwater on their residential, commercial, or other property throughout the community, this psuedo-city agency is working to bring investment back to neighborhoods by insisting on investment, upkeep and empowerment from buyers.

In support of their mission, I’m reaching out on Facebook to ask the NorthOmahaHistory.com followers which properties the Land Bank is offering that I’m interested in, too. If enough people respond, I’m researching and writing thorough summaries of the history of these properties. I have no stake in what they’re doing beyond simply wanting better for North Omaha; share your thoughts, ideas and other responses in the comment section below.

A West Saratoga Home

Built in 1908, the home at 4517 Browne Street originally sat on two lots originally in the Central Park neighborhood. With 1,300 square feet, there are two bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, living room and dining room. It sits on an unfinished full basement. J.G. Collins built the home after buying the land from D.H. MacAslan in 1905, The Jolly Twenty Club was organized at 4517 Browne Street in 1899, before the current house was built.
Today the house is considered to be in the Fontenelle View neighborhood. Mrs. Collins moved out in 1928 after her husband passed away, and sold the house to R. Peterson. In 1929, the house was for rent as being “all modern except gas.” There was also a garage and chicken house that came with it. Monthly rent was $25. In 1936, Elizabeth Glover, age 88, died there. Her survivors included her daughters, Mrs. W. A. Bucklin, Mrs. C.H. Lyman, and Mrs. Belva Burr. Dorothy Rystrom bought it in 1936, and by 1939 there were 3 lots included with the address.

Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Lyman lived at the house after Elizabeth Glover, along with their children. Their son, R.G. Lyman, was a US Army and US Air Force lieutenant during WWII. In 1944 the Lymans rebuilt the porch on the house, and their son was promoted to captain that same year. His wife, Eva Lyman, lived at the house with his parents during the war. He was a supply officer in China. In 1947, Eva Lyman recovered a wallet she lost using the Omaha World-Herald want ads.

By 1953, E. L. Rystrom owned the house, and in 1955, the house was for sale again. This time it was advertised with 5 rooms with fruit trees, berry bushes and flowers. There were three bedrooms, a sun porch, a kitchen, dining room and living room. “In good condition throughout,” and in the Holy Angels Parish. For sale on a “100 foot lot,” it was priced at $8,700.

Changing Times

Floyd Sharrar lived there in 1960. In 1962 it was up for sale again, and advertised as being the in the Central Park School area. The ad said, “lots of extras including tile bath, Rusco windows, extra lot all fenced.” It was priced at $12,500. By February 1963, it was down to $10,950 and its “large level lot” was being featured.

In 1969, a daughter was born to Duane and Judith Worley, who lived there. Duane’s mother, Helen, came to live with them shortly thereafter. Her old-fashioned quilting and memories of the airmail airplanes were featured in the newspaper a few times in the 1970s.

William Wallace lived there in the 1980s, until he was sent to prison in 1985. In 1996, David and Sandy Marlenee had a son born there. A company called Guardian Tax Partners Inc sold it to the Omaha Municipal Land Bank in 2015, and this year the OMLB is selling it.

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