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A History of the Ames Avenue Bridge in North Omaha (c1890-1913)

This is a history of the Ames Avenue Bridge, which stood between the City of Omaha, Nebraska, and the City of Carter Lake, Iowa from circa 1890 to 1913.

Adam Fletcher Sasse
3 minutes

This is a history of the Ames Avenue Bridge, which stood between the City of Omaha, Nebraska, and the City of Carter Lake, Iowa from circa 1890 to 1913.

Omaha Road Roundhouse, North Omaha, Nebraska
To the south of the Ames Avenue Bridge was Omaha Road roundhouse, built c. 1890 and demolished c. 1960. It was located north of Locust Street, south of Cornish Boulevard, and east of Carter Lake Drive.

As late at 1950, Ames Avenue continued due east from the Saratoga neighborhood straight down the hill to connect directly to Ames Avenue past North 16th Street instead of ending at Commercial Avenue. It stayed connected as it went east toward Carter Lake.

This is a 1930 aerial picture of the Saratoga neighborhood showing Ames Avenue connecting directly down the hill beyond the railroad tracks then to East Omaha.

Once upon a time there was a bridge between Ames Avenue in North Omaha and Ave R in Carter Lake, which was originally called Ames Avenue too. Built circa 1890 by the Illinois Central Railroad, it was a railroad bridge that carried cargo from points west across the lake and towards the East Omaha Factory District, and in the other direction, from the east to Saratoga, Florence, and all points north.

Carter Lake Bridge
This is the Illinois Central Bridge across Carter Lake. It used to span from Ames Avenue in Omaha across the fishing pier to the present-day Ave R in Carter Lake, and was destroyed by the 1913 Easter Sunday tornado.

After it was destroyed by the 1913 Easter Sunday tornado, the bridge was never rebuilt. In the mid-1930s, federal workers from the Carter Lake Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp demolished the rest of the bridge, which had been rotting in place for more than 20 years. They refurbished the western approach to the bridge as an earthen fishing pier and boat landing by adding cement block walls and planting a tree.

The original site of the Illinois Central Bridge across Carter Lake, the fishing pier and boat landing was refinished by the CCC in the 1930s.
The original site of the Illinois Central Bridge across Carter Lake, the fishing pier and boat landing was refinished by the CCC in the 1930s.

In the 1950s, the pier was refurbished again by a private investor to become the Carter Lake Pleasure Pier. There was a concession booth and dance floor built there, and with ample parking and the Carter Lake Kiddieland nearby it was a popular attraction for almost a decade.

Ames Avenue Bridge, Omaha, Nebraska
This is the approximate location of the Ames Avenue Bridge of the Illinois Central Railroad between Omaha, Nebraska, and Carter Lake, Iowa, traversing the Carter Lake.

Today, the original western approach to the Illinois Central Bridge across Carter Lake is still intact, and sometimes used for fishing. In Omaha, go to Ames Avenue and Carter Lake Shore Drive West, and then walk to the end of the pier. In Carter Lake, go to Wavecrest Park near Shoreline Drive, where there are no remnants. Neither side has a historic marker acknowledging the site.

Special thanks to Ryan Roenfeld for his contributions to this article.

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MY ARTICLES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF EAST OMAHA
SEE ALSO: East Omaha History Tour
AREAS: Town of East Omaha | Carter Lake | Winspear Triangle | North Omaha Bottoms | Sherman | Sulphur Springs | Edgewood Park | Bungalow City | Squatter’s Row | Lakewood Gardens | East Omaha Factory District
BUSINESSES: East Omaha Truck Farms | Carter White Lead Company | Nite Hawkes Cafe | Railroads
CARTER LAKE, IOWA: Courtland Beach | Omaha Rod and Gun Club | Carter Lake Club | Sand Point Beach and Lakeview Amusement Park | Omaha Auto Speedway
CARTER LAKE PARK: Municipal Beach | Bungalow City | Pleasure Pier and Kiddieland
PEOPLE: Selina Carter Cornish | Levi Carter | Granny Weatherford
TRANSPORTATION: Ames Avenue Bridge | Eppley Airfield | 16th and Locust Streets | JJ Pershing Drive | North 16th Street | Pulitzer Airfield | Locust Street Viaduct
SCHOOLS: Beechwood School | Pershing School | Sherman School | St. Therese Catholic School
OTHER: The Burning Lady | CCC Camp | St. Therese Catholic Church | 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition

Listen to our podcast “A History of East Omaha” online now!

MY ARTICLES RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF AMES AVENUE
NEIGHBORHOODS: Saratoga | Collier Place | Monmouth Park
INTERSECTIONS: 30th and Ames | 40th and Ames | 24th Street | North Freeway | Fontenelle Boulevard
BUSINESSES: LaRue’s | Max I. Walker | North Star Theater aka Ames Theater | King Solomon’s Mines aka Shaver’s | Beacon Theater | Parkside Cafe | Ames Plaza | Battiato’s Super Market | Mergen House
PUBLIC PLACES: Ames Avenue Bridge | Saratoga School | Charles Washington Branch Library | Monmouth Park School | North High School | Fontenelle Park
OTHER: Druid Hall | St. Vincent’s Retirement Home | Ames Avenue United Methodist Church | Mergen House

MY ARTICLES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PARKS IN NORTH OMAHA
PARKS: Adams Park | Miller Park | Fontenelle Park | Kountze Park aka Malcolm X Park | Hummel Park | Levi Carter Park | Jefferson Square Park
PRIVATE PARKS: Danish Vennelyst Park | Omaha Driving Park | Charles Street Bicycle Park | Omaha Rod and Gun Club | Carter Lake Club
AMUSEMENT PARKS: Kiddieland and the Pleasure Pier | Lakeview Amusement Park | Cortland Beach | Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition
RELATED: Kellom Pool | Omaha Municipal Beach | CCC Camp | Ames Avenue Bridge

BONUS

This pic shows the 1913 Easter Sunday tornado’s destruction of the bridge from the south. Pic courtesy of Kristine Gerber.
North Omaha Roundhouse after 1913 Easter Sunday tornado
This is a pic of the Missouri Pacific Roundhouse in North Omaha, along with the Illinois Central Railroad bridge over Carter Lake, after the 1913 Easter Sunday tornado.
Omaha Municipal Beach 1940 aerial pic Omaha Nebraska
This is a 1940 aerial pic of the Omaha Municipal Beach. Visible is the Carter Lake CCC Camp and the old footing for the Ames Avenue Railroad Bridge removed by the CCC in 1936.

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8 responses to “A History of the Ames Avenue Bridge in North Omaha (c1890-1913)”

  1. Roger Brandt Avatar
    Roger Brandt

    Amazing. I knew I had once read about rail tracks crossing the lake. I did not know, however, that the fishing pier was once one end of the bridge. Thank you for this article…

    Reply
  2. Brenda Watkins Avatar
    Brenda Watkins

    Afternoon. I never knew this. 😒 Interesting 🤔. My oldest son used to play in the area

    Reply
  3. Mary Lou Hawkins Avatar
    Mary Lou Hawkins

    Thanks for this fascinating information about the bridge, Ames Avenue going across Carter Lake, and more! I couldn’t stop reading until I got to the end.

    Reply
  4. AJ Valadez Avatar
    AJ Valadez

    I like reading these articles which is why I feel bad saying this but I believe the location of the bridge on here is wrong. After looking at maps it appears the bridge crossed further south. There was also more to the lake on the south side that appears to have dried up. If you go to the historic aerials site you can see a remnant of it. The bridge crossed just north of the Missouri Pacific roundhouse. On a present day map go to Wilow drive in Carter Lake – the town and look straight west to the lake and that is the location I believe it crossed. It angled up northwest where it connected to the mopac’s beltline. Sorry I can’t post maps here for you.

    Reply
    1. Adam F.C. Fletcher Avatar
      Adam F.C. Fletcher

      This is GREAT that you shared this AJ, thank you! I frequently get details wrong, and given the range of my research and studies in the community I can’t always get everything right. Its VITAL people step in and correct my mistakes, so THANK YOU!

      That said, I’m not sure when I’ll fix this error, so be patient and I’ll get there… 🙂

      Thanks again!

      Reply
      1. railfanomaha Avatar
        railfanomaha

        Btw I’m AJ it changed my name for some reason.

  5. railfanomaha Avatar
    railfanomaha

    I live in Omaha and am very much interested in history you have written amazing articles on here. I had actually thought of making my own site but your site is so detailed there’s really no need.

    Reply
    1. Adam F.C. Fletcher Avatar
      Adam F.C. Fletcher

      I’m always looking for guest contributors! If you’re interested please send me an email – info@northomahahistory.com

      Reply

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