A History of Industry in North Omaha

From the beginning of the community in 1856, there have been countless light, medium, and heavy industries in North Omaha. Food production, railroads, vehicle manufacturing, and many other industries have all been important, and many others. This is a history of industries in North Omaha.

From the Beginning

Douglas Manufacturing Company, North 30th Street, North Omaha, Nebraska — This is a postcard for the Omaha-based Douglas Manufacturing Company located on North 30th Street.

There were industries in North Omaha from it’s beginnings, and perhaps even earlier. As early as 1810, the fur trading industry was operating in present-day North Omaha under the leadership of Manuel Lisa at his Fort Lisa. His Missouri Fur Company acted as an important ambassador for American interests in the Indian Territory, and paved the way for its successor that arrived a decade later. In 1822, John Pierre Cabanné of the French Company opened a post on the Missouri River that stayed open for almost 20 years. Other trappers came through the future Omaha area in those decades, and the fur trading industry was important in many ways.

Regular industry including shipping and grain production started early in the community’s history. One of the first recorded developments was the Saratoga Brewery, run by an English immigrant at North 16th and Commercial Avenue in the town of Saratoga in 1857. This business was sold a few times and eventually became the infamous Storz Brewery. There were other industries at Saratoga, including a milling operation and shipping warehouses on the Missouri River at Sulphur Springs.

The railroad industry in North Omaha took off in 1865, when the Union Pacific shops opened in the North Downtown area. The Omaha and Grant Smelting and Refining Company opened a major facility on the riverfront in North Downtown starting in the 1870s, and in 1889 the American Smelting and Refining Corporation or ASARCO bought it, operating the facility for the next century. Despite this concentration downtown, there were industries all over North Omaha. Woven through the fabric of the community, plants, warehouses, factories and shops existed from Florence to East Omaha, the Near North Side to Walnut Hill, and beyond.

For instance, starting in 1921 for a week in April every year the Imperial building played host to the North Side Activities Club Industrial Exposition. With the slogan “Forward, North Omaha!”, products from industrial plants and commercial stores around North Omaha were displayed at the event, and entertainment and speeches were given, too. This type of event went on in the building for almost 20 years, and was also called the North Omaha Merchants Exposition or the North Omaha Trade Expo. In the first year the event had 30,000 visitors and in the second year annual expo in 1922 drew in 40,000 visitors and cost $10,000 to stage.

Dozens of industrial operations reliant on the Belt Line Railway throughout North Omaha. Started in the 1880s as a commuter railroad connecting the neighborhoods in the city’s farthest reaches, in the 1890s the Belt Line became a freight line for vehicle production, household goods manufacturers, coffin builders and monument makers, and more. While the railroad was taken out in the early 1980s, its legacy is still intact today with many light industries filling in or sitting next to it’s pathway throughout the community today.

On the south end of North Omaha, a section of land was recently acknowledged by the National Parks Service for its industrial contributions to the growth of Omaha by listing it on the National Register of Historic Places. The Nicholas Street Historic District is bound by North 11th Street, Izard Street, North 14th Street and a line just north of Nicholas Street. This area is packed with former plants and warehouses, with more than 15 total buildings included in the district.

Following is just some of the information available about historic industries in North Omaha.

Omaha Motor Car Company, 2411 Florence Boulevard, North Omaha, Nebraska — This is an architect’s drawing of the Omaha Motor Car Company factory that was planned to be built at the southeast corner of the intersection of Ames Avenue and Florence Boulevard.

Historic Vehicle Industry in North Omaha

A History of Vehicles Made in North Omaha
- Stroud Company (1894-1931), North 20th and Ames Avenue
- Omaha Motor Car Company (1913-1914), North 20th and Ames Avenue
- Badger Body and Truck Equipment Company (1917), North 16th and Cuming Street
- Douglas Motors Corporation Factory (1918-1927), North 30th and Taylor Street
- Ford Company Truck Factory (1916-1932), North 16th and Cuming Street
- Oliver Farm Equipment Company (1931-1956), 4402 Florence Boulevard
- Wayne Auto Truck and Trailer (1945-1968), 1322 Nicholas Street
Overland Trail Rubber Company (1916-1934), 3015 Taylor Street
Crown Rubber Company (1926-1929), North 18th and Izard Street
Omaha Auto Speedway
Omaha Driving Park

Historic Food Manufacturing Industry in North Omaha

A History of Restaurants, Diners and Food Businesses in North Omaha
Uncle Sam Breakfast Food Company
Bakeries in North Omaha
- Iten-Barmettler Biscuit Company
- Omar Baking Company, North 45th and Hamilton Streets
- Jay Burns Baking Company 2015 Cuming Street
- Continental Baking Company
- Forbes Bakery, Ak-Sar-Ben Bakery, and Royal Bakery, 2711 North 24th Street
- Adler Bakery, 1722 North 24th
- Chicago Bakery, 1608 North 24th Street
- Himelbloom Bakery, 1511 North 24th Street
- Fuffs Bakery, 1419 North 24th Street
- Baker Bakery, 1802 North 20th Street
- Home Bakery, 2505 North 31st
- J and G Bakery, North 16th and Corby Street
- Kenwood Pastry Bakery, 30th and Ames Street
- Wilberg Bakery, 1829 North 24th Street
- Mulligan Bakery (1851-1920), North 24th and Parker Street
- Kuenne’s Bakery, 4106 North 24th Street
- P. F. Petersen Bakery, North 24th and Cuming Street
- Union Pacific Steam Baking Company, North 30th and Wirt Street

The Storz Brewery—Beer
Saratoga Brewery (1854-1870)
Ice Manufacturing Industry
- Lakeside Ice House ( -1925), North 14th and Spaulding Street
- Cudahy Ice House, Carter Lake
- Hammond Ice House, Carter Lake
- Cornish Ice House, Carter Lake
- Swift Ice House, Carter Lake
- Armour Ice House, Carter Lake
- Talbot’s Ice House, Florence Water Works
Baker Ice Machine Company
Omaha Cereal Company (1889-1916)—Milling
American Cereal Company—Milling
Omaha Hay Company (18??-1901)—Milling
Omaha Alfalfa Milling Company—Milling

Belt Line Railroad crossing at North 45th Street and Cuming Street, North Omaha, Nebraska — This is the Belt Line Railroad crossing over Cuming Street at North 45th Street in 1907.

Historic Railroad Industry in North Omaha

Railroads in North Omaha
Belt Line Railway in North Omaha
North Yard, N. 11th and Nicholas St (demolished)
Missouri Pacific Freight Depot, N. 14th and Webster St (demolished)
Webster Street Station, 1490 Mike Fahey St (demolished)
Oak Chatham Depot, 4351 N. 22nd St (demolished)
Druid Hill Depot, 4230 N. 30th St (demolished)
Lake Street Depot, 2480 N. 40th St (demolished)
Nicholas Street Depot, 4360 Nicholas St (demolished)
Walnut Hill Depot, 4242 Hamilton St (demolished)
Florence Depot, 2800 Tucker St (standing)
Briggs Depot, 3190 Grand Ave (demolished)
Briggs Station, 5300 Sargent St (demolished)
Omaha View Depot, 3200 Grand Ave (demolished)
DeBolt Station, 7000 N. 60th St (demolished)
Omaha Road Roundhouse, 35 Carter Lake Shore Dr (demolished)
Missouri Pacific Roundhouse, 35 Carter Lake Shore Dr (demolished)
Illinois Central Bridge, 41°16’44.4″N 95°53’31.8″W (standing)
Missouri Pacific Trestle, 4448 Cuming St (demolished)
Missouri Pacific Railroad Yard Office, N. 15th and Grace Street (demolished)
Chicago and Northwestern Trestle, 4900 N. 30th (demolished)
OPPD Trestle, 41°19’39.1″N 95°56’25.6″W Minne Lusa
Omaha Road Trestle, 41°19’37.2″N 95°56’58.4″W Minne Lusa (standing)
Missouri Pacific Trestle, 4140 N. 16th (demolished)
Union Pacific Bridge, 4405 Carter Lake Shore Dr. W (demolished)
Locust Street Bridge, 1415 Locust St (demolished)
Locust Street Viaduct, 1415 Locust St (demolished)
Nicholas Street Viaduct, 1450 Nicholas St (demolished)
Missouri Pacific Carter Lake Bridge, 35 Carter Lake Shore Dr (demolished)

Historic Public Transportation in North Omaha

Streetcars in North Omaha
- Streetcars in Benson
- 26th and Lake Streetcar Shop
- Omaha Streetcar Company Nicholas Street Carbarn, North 20th and Nicholas Streets
- Omaha Streetcar Company Nicholas Street Powerhouse, North 23rd and Nicholas Streets
- Cablecar Depot, northwest corner of North 20th and Lake Streets
- Omaha Motor Railway Streetcar Barn, north side of Ames Avenue at Commercial Ave
- Omaha Horse Railway Stable, North 26th and Lake Streets.
- Omaha and Council Bluffs Street Railway Company Ames Avenue Carbarn, southeast corner of North 24th and Ames Avenue.
- Omaha and Council Bluffs Street Railway Company Cuming Street Carbarn, northeast corner of North 26th and Cuming Streets
A History of Omaha’s Eppley Airfield

Talbot’s Ice House was located on the Omaha Road railroad at the Florence Water Works when this 1901 Sanborn Fire Company insurance map was made.

Historic Household Products Industry in North Omaha

Tip Top Products Company (1935-1981), 1515 Cuming Street—Household products
Weaver Pres-Kloth Company (1946 to 1973), 4426 Florence Boulevard—Cleaning products
Tidy House Factory (1926-1969), 1400 Evans Street—Cleaning products
U.S. Brush Company (1916-1969), 4301 North 28th Avenue—Beauty and cleaning products
Murphy, Wasey and Company Factory—Furniture manufacturing
Orchard & Wilhelm, 1113-1117 Nicholas Street (1892-1921) and 1302-1306 Izard Street (1918-1932)—Furniture manufacturing

Historic Housing Industry in North Omaha

Adams & Kelly Millwork Factory (1898-1964), 1202-1212 and 1220-1224 Nicholas Street—House building
Adamant Wall Plaster Company—House building
Carter White Lead Company Factory (1889-1907)—Paint
Monitor Hard Plaster Works—Construction products
Imperial Sash and Door Company, 4402 Florence Boulevard—House construction

Healthcare Industry in North Omaha

MY ARTICLES ON THE HISTORY OF HEALTHCARE IN NORTH OMAHA
GENERAL: Segregated Hospitals
HOSPITALS: People’s Hospital | Salvation Army Hospital | Immanuel Hospital | Provident Hospital
PEOPLE: Dr. William W. Peebles | Dr. Craig Morris | Dr. John A. Singleton, DDS | Dr. Aaron M. McMillan | Dr. Matthew O. Ricketts
RELATED TOPICS: Lead Poisoning

Listen to my podcast on the History of Hospitals in North Omaha »

Death Industry in North Omaha

J. F. Bloom and Company (1926-2018), 4335 Florence Boulevard—Monuments
Omaha Casket Company—Caskets
Shepard Monument Company—(c1890-1920), Florence

Entertainment History in North Omaha

Other Historic Industries in North Omaha

Asarco (1889-1997)—Lead manufacturing
Union Pacific Railroad—Railroad shops
Aaron Ferer and Sons—
Deep Rock Oil Company (1920-1963), 1126 North 11th Street
Gould, Inc. (1963-1982)—Battery manufacturing
M.A. Disbrow Company Factory, 1001 North 12th Street
L.G. Doup Company (1906-1965), 1301-1311 Nicholas Street—Mattress manufacturing
Lozier Corporation—Store and warehouse fixtures
Gate City Iron Works, 1022 Seward Street—Construction supplies
Woerner Wire Works, 2852 Pratt Street—Industrial supplies
Barber Asphalt Paving Company—Asphalt
East Omaha Box Company (1890-2018)—Cardboard
Marks’ Brothers Saddlery Company (1891-)—Saddles
Martin and Morrisey Company (1891-)—Furniture
J. T. Robinson Notion Company (1885-)—
DeGraff Manufacturing Company—
Kilpatrick-Koch Dry Goods Company—Housewares

This is Thomas Frank Stroud, Omaha industrialist, from a 1909 edition of the Omaha Bee newspaper.

Historic Industrial Figures in North Omaha

Thomas F. Stroud (1854-1939)
Levi Carter (1830-1903)

North Omaha Industry Today

With dozens of industries thriving in the community for more than a century, its important to understand North Omaha’s legacy in the entire city. These plants provided good paying working class jobs that allowed hundreds of thousands of residents to become stable and successful, if not upwardly mobile. This happened from the launch of the city in 1854 and continues today.

Although there’s no North Side Activities Club Industrial Exposition this year, who knows what next year holds? Maybe the community will become a great hub for substantial work again. In the meantime, perhaps the community will launch an industrial history tour and feature major sites, or more. Only time will tell…