Whether they are home to stores, shops, industries, or offices, there have been a lot of different types of places in North Omaha for business to happen. All the major streets and some of the smaller ones have had a variety of enterprises, and although many are gone, they have left a permanent mark on the community. This is a history of commercial buildings in North Omaha.

The Beginnings

Commerce in North Omaha was established before the City of Omaha was founded. A little encampment called Winter Quarters on the farthest north reaches of the city was home to as many as 5,000 people starting in 1846. While many of them left, their traces went on with the first businesses in the city’s history.

Outside the neighborhood that became Florence, the first businesses in North Omaha were along California Street at the Missouri River. One of the earliest trails through Omaha was called the California Trail, and it became present-day Military Road. From there, businesses spread throughout the present-day North Downtown area, and then north along North 16th Street and Saunders Road, which is called North 24th Street today.

Histories of Individual Commercial Buildings in North Omaha

• A History of 2621 North 16th Street
• A History of 1324 North 24th Street
• A History of 1924 North 24th Street
• A History of 2936 North 24th Street
• A History of 4402 Florence Boulevard
• A History of 4225 Florence Boulevard
• A History of 4426 Florence Boulevard
• A History of 3702 North 16th Street

Histories of Intersections with Commercial Buildings in North Omaha

• A History of 16th and Locust Historic District in North Omaha
• A History of the 24th and Lake Historic District in North Omaha
• The Recent History of 24th and Lake
• A History of the 24th and Fort Intersection in North Omaha
• A History of the Intersection of North 30th and Fort Streets
• A History of the Intersection at North 40th and Hamilton Streets
• A History of the Intersection at North 40th and Ames Avenue
• A History of the Intersection of North 42nd and Redman Avenue

There are a LOT of historic commercial buildings in North Omaha! What would you like to read about? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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MY ARTICLES ON THE HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE IN NORTH OMAHA

GENERAL: Architectural Gems | The Oldest House | The Oldest Places
PLACES: Mansions and Estates | Apartments | Churches | Public Housing | Houses | Commercial Buildings | Hotels | Victorian Houses
PEOPLE: ‘Cap’ Clarence Wigington | Everett S. Dodds | Jacob Maag | George F. Shepard | John F. Bloom
HISTORIC HOUSES: Mergen House | Hoyer House | North Omaha’s Sod House | James C. Mitchell House | Charles Storz House | George F. Shepard House | 2902 N. 25th St. | 6327 Florence Blvd. | 1618 Emmet St. | John E. Reagan House
PUBLIC HOUSING: Logan Fontenelle | Spencer Street | Hilltop | Pleasantview | Myott Park aka Wintergreen
NORMAL HOUSES: 3155 Meredith Ave. | 5815 Florence Blvd. | 2936 N. 24th St. | 6711 N. 31st Ave. | 3210 N. 21st St. | 4517 Browne St. | 5833 Florence Blvd. | 1922 Wirt St. | 3467 N. 42nd St. | 5504 Kansas Ave. | Lost Blue Windows House | House of Tomorrow | 2003 Pinkney Street
HISTORIC APARTMENTS: Historic Apartments | Ernie Chambers Court, aka Strehlow Terrace | The Sherman Apartments | Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects | Spencer Street Projects | Hilltop Projects | Pleasantview Projects | Memmen Apartments | The Sherman | The Climmie | University Apartments | Campion House | Ivy / Fairfax Apartments
MANSIONS & ESTATES: Hillcrest Mansion | Burkenroad House aka Broadview Hotel aka Trimble Castle | McCreary Mansion | Parker Estate | J. J. Brown Mansion | Poppleton Estate | Rome Miller Mansion | Redick Mansion | Thomas Mansion | John E. Reagan House | Brandeis Country Home | Bailey Residence | Lantry – Thompson Mansion | McLain Mansion | Stroud Mansion | Anna Wilson’s Mansion | Zabriskie Mansion | The Governor’s Estate | Count Creighton House | John P. Bay House | Mercer Mansion | Hunt Mansion | Latenser Round House and the Bellweather Mansion
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS: 4426 Florence Blvd. | 2410 Lake St. | 26th and Lake Streetcar Shop | 1324 N. 24th St. | 2936 N. 24th St. | 5901 N. 30th St. | 4402 Florence Blvd. | 4225 Florence Blvd. | 3702 N. 16th St. | House of Hope | Drive-In Restaurants
RELATED: Redlining | Neighborhoods | Streets | Streetcars | Churches | Schools

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