A Tour of the 24th and Lake Historic District

There is a LOT of history to see in North Omaha! With its uniquely diverse history of Jewish and African American culture set against a backdrop of historically distinct places, 24th and Lake Historic District is one of the jewels of Omaha’s history today. This is a tour of addresses in the district, along with links to find more information about each place listed.

There are three sections in this tour:

1. Essential Events
2. Vital Places
3. Important People

Do you have places to add to this list? Share them in the comments below!

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Essential Events

These are essential events in the history of 24th and Lake Streets.

• 1856: George Lake arrives in Omaha. Read “A Biography of George Lake” »
• 1898: The Trans-Mississippi Expo happens. Read “A History of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition” »
• 1913: An F-4 tornado demolishes much of 24th and Lake. Read “A History of the 1913 Easter Sunday Tornado” »
• 1919: The lynching of Will Brown leads to the US Army occupying the intersection of 24th and Lake. Read “The Lynching of Will Brown” »
• 1934: The US federal government Home Owners Lending Corporation (HOLC) formally segregates Omaha. Read “A History of Redlining in North Omaha” »
• 1964: The US Congress formally ends redlining with the first Civil Rights Act.
• 1966-1969: Rioting strikes North Omaha repeatedly, with National Guard troops occupying the intersection several times. Read “A History of the North Omaha Riots” »
• 1980-2020: The City of Omaha, State of Nebraska and the US federal government report they are improving and redeveloping the historic district repeatedly. Read “The Recent History of 24th and Lake” »
• 1983: The City of Omaha, State of Nebraska and the US federal government fund the renovation of the Blue Lion Center. Read “A History of the Blue Lion Center” »
• 2016: The National Park Service lists the area around the intersection on the National Register of Historic Places. Read “A History of the 24th and Lake Historic District” »

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Vital Places

These are vital places in the history of 24th and Lake Streets.

National Register of Historic Places and/or Omaha Landmarks

1. Jewell Building / Dreamland Ballroom, 2221 North 24th Street. Built in 1923, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Read “A History of the Jewel Building” »
2. Webster Telephone Exchange Building, 2213 Lake Street. Built in 1906, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
3. Broomfield Rowhouse, 2502-2504 Lake Street. Built in 1913, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
4. Omaha Star Building, 2216 North 24th Street. Built in 1923, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Read “A History of the Omaha Star” »
5. Micklin Lumber Company Building, 2109 North 24th Street. Built circa 1911, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
6. Skeet’s BBQ Ribs and Chicken, 2201 North 24th Street. Built circa 1955, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Read “A History of Skeet’s” »
7. United States Post Office Station “A”, 2205 North 24th Street. Built in 1948, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
8. White Rose Gas Station, 2323 North 24th Street. Built in 1920, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
9. F.J. Carey Block, 2401 North 24th Street. Built in 1914, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
10. Lion Products Building, 2423 North 24th Street. Built in 1918, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Read “A History of the Blue Lion Center” »
11. Allen’s Showcase, 2229 Lake Street. Built in 1946, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Read “A History of Allen’s Showcase” »
12. Jones and Chiles Building, 2314 North 24th Street. Built in 1914, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
13. Joseph D. Lewis Mortuary, 2310 North 24th Street. Built circa 1926, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
14. Terrell Drugs, 2306 North 24th Street. Built in 1914, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
15. Safeway Store, North 24th and Lake Streets. Built in 1964 and closed in 1968, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Read “A History of Safeway at 24th and Lake“
16. Ideal Hotel, 2522 North 24th Street. Built in 1914, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
17. Boston West Wash Laundry Building, 2414 Lake Street. Built in 1913, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
18. Elks Club, 2420 Lake Street. Built in 1920, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Read “A History of the Elks Club” »
19. 26th and Lake Garage, 2526 Lake Street. Built in 1946, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.
20. Carnation Ballroom, 2701 North 24th Street. Built in 1923. Read “A History of the Carnation Ballroom” »
21. Omaha Small Business and Technology Center, 3515 North 24th Street. Built in 1964, demolished in 2021. Read “A History of Safeway at 24th and Lake“

Under-Acknowledged Historic Buildings

1. St. Benedict the Moor Catholic School, 2423 Grant Street. Built in 1921. Read “A History of St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church” »
2. O’Bee Funeral Home, 2518 Lake Street. Built around 1910.
3. Murray the Tinner’s Building, 2520 North 24th Street. Built in 1914
4. Basket Grocery, 2518 North 24th Street. Built in 1916
5. Nesselson’s Grocery, 2514 North 24th Street. Built in 1910
6. Tomasso’s Restaurant ,2510 North 24th Street. Built in 1916
7. Huba Meat Market, 2506 North 24th Street. Built in 1910
8. Carver Savings and Loan Association, 2412 Lake Street. Built in 1913, the building was renovated in 1945 for the bank. Read “A History of the Carver Savings and Loan Association” »
9. Sig N Archur’s, 2302 North 24th Street. Built in 1959
10. Harry Frazen’s Confectionary, 2218 North 24th Street. Built in 1915
11. McDonald House, 2225 Lake Street. Built in 1898
12. Paulsen House, 2206 Lake Street. Built in 1880
13. Phillips 66 Gas Station, 2303 North 24th Street. Built circa 1934
14. Dining Car Waiters Key Club / Metoyers BBQ, 2311 North 24th Street. Built in 1956.
15. Myers Funeral Home, 2416 North 22nd Street. Built in 1910.

Demolished Buildings

1. 26th and Lake Streetcar Shop, 2606 North 26th Street. Built in 1905; demolished in 2018. Read “A History of the 26th and Lake Streetcar Barn” »
2. Tuchman Brothers Grocery, 2504 North 24th Street. Built in 1913; demolished in 1970
3. Duffy Drugs, 2401 Lake Street. Built in 1913; demolished in 1999. Read “A History of Duffy Drugs” »
4. Hart Building, Northeast corner 24th & Lake. Built in 1913; demolished in 1963
5. Omaha Wet-Wash Laundry, 2519 North 24th Street. Built in 1912; demolished in 1963
6. Diamond Theatre, North 24th and Lake Streets, 1913; demolished in 1978. Read “A History of 2410 Lake Street” »
7. Off Beat Club, 2410 Lake Street. Built in 1913; demolished in 1978. Read “A History of the Off Beat Club” »
8. Calhoun Hotel, 2423 Lake Street. Built circa 1890, demolished in circa 1980. Read “A History of the Calhoun Hotel” »

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Important People

There are too many people who were significant in the history of 24th and Lake to include them all here. This is just a sampling and shouldn’t be considered complete or all-inclusive.

• Mildred Brown (1905–1989), business owner and community organizer. Read “A Biography of Mildred Brown” by Jody Lovallo »
• Lucy Carter (1901-1983), business owner. Read “A History of Carter’s Cafe” »
• Charles Washington (1923-1986), community organizer
• Ernie Chambers (1937), politician. Read “A Biography of Ernie Chambers” »
• Bertha Calloway (1925-2017), community organizer. Read “A Biography of Bertha Calloway” »
• Charles Hall (1930-2009), business owner. Read “A History of the Fair Deal Cafe” »
• Earl Little (1890-1931), community organizer. Read “A Biography of Malcolm X in Omaha” »
• Mondo we Langa aka David Rice (1947-2016), community organizer. Read “A History of the Case of Rice and Poindexter” »
• Edward Poindexter (1944), community organizer. Read “Framed: A Series about the Omaha Two” by Michael Richardson »
• Will Calhoun (1908-1959), businessman and sports impresario. Read A History of the Omaha Rockets Independent Black Baseball Team »

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• “Survive the Pandemic with Me” Online History Talks
• A History of the 24th and Lake Historic District
• A Recent History of 24th and Lake
• “A History of 24th and Lake” Slideshow