A History of the Ideal Cement Stone Company

For more than 25 years, North Omaha was the fastest growing neighborhood in the city. Suppliers were needed to feed construction of new houses, businesses and industries, and from that place a company was born in the Bedford Place neighborhood. This is a history of the Ideal Cement Stone Company in North Omaha.

Meet the Founder

This is Nels J. Johnson (1867-1927), a Swedish immigrant who became a successful North Omaha businessman.

Nels J. Peterson (1867-1927) was the founder and first president of the company. Born in Sweden, Johnson immigrated to the United States in 1872 with his parents. After growing up in Kansas he worked for the Union Pacific, eventually becoming a foreman.

Nels’ parents were Nils (1830-1911) and Kajsa (1932-1910), and his siblings were Andrew (1861-1944), Carl (1862-1862), Sophia (1865-1914), Ida (1875-1891), and Charles (1878-1952).

When he was still in Kansas, Nels married Ella Englund (1867-1950) and their children were Beatrice (1902-1992), Mildred (1903-1961), Earl (1905-1994) and Stan (1910-1997).

Peterson founded his business in 1904 as the Ideal Cement Stone Company. It was “opened in a small shed” in the developing Bedford Place neighborhood along John A. Creighton Boulevard and the Belt Line Railway in North Omaha, and it lasted for more than 75 years afterward.

Swedish Mission Church, North Omaha, Nebraska — This is the Swedish Mission Church in the heart of Little Stockholm in North Omaha. Johnson was a lifelong member here.

After forming the company, Nels became a trustee of the Swedish Mission Hospital and was a lifelong member of the Swedish Mission Church in Little Stokholm.

A Family Affair

Ideal Cement Stone Company, North 31st and Spaulding Street, North Omaha, Nebraska — This was the Ideal Cement Stone Company at North 31st and Spaulding Street.

Ideal Cement Stone Company was originally a family affair, with Nels’ brother Charles (1878-1972) and his son Earl as later company leaders. Warren Peterson was an assistant secretary at the company and Earl’s sister Mildred Peterson was the treasurer and office manager for years. Charles’ son Ray (1918-1990) was a vice-president too. Other early leaders were A.V. “Al” Johnson, a later president and Claude Johnson, a secretary.

Lore said the company was started in a shack near the railroad. Originally incorporated in 1906, the business was incorporated again in 1925 with $200,000 capital. In addition to its home base that turned out “3,000 blocks a day,” in 1924 the company opened up a plant in south Omaha to produce “about the same.” A two-story building that cost $4,000 was added onto the site in 1913.

This is a pic of the Ideal Cement Stone Company office and showroom at N. 19th and Cuming Street in 1950.

Peterson died in 1927, leaving his son to operate the company.

After World War II there was a building boom in Omaha and by 1950, Ideal had become one of the largest concrete block plants in the nation. In 1956, the North Omaha Sun newspaper said, “While there are other plants in the United States that are larger, costlier, and which do a great volume of business, there are not many that started earlier and have been in continuous operation for a longer period of time.” It was said to be “a high volume plant, using the latest up-to-date equipment with all the facilities to provide efficiency and economy.” That year, the plant extended from the Spaulding Street production facility to Pinkney Street, with thousands of blocks stored between the 12-acre facility. It apparently included the old Murphy, Wasey and Company factory at the time.

This image of a worker in the Ideal Cement Stone Company factory came from the North Omaha Sun newspaper in 1956.

This is an outside pic of the Ideal Cement Stone Company storage yard in North Omaha.

This is the Ideal Cement Stone Company factory at 31st and Spaulding around 1950.

Along with concrete blocks, Ideal made concrete lintels, window sills, copies and other building trim, as well as cement paint, steel windows and fireplace equipment. Producing 5 million blocks annually, the company had a fleet of 30 trucks and semi-trucks.

With more than 75 employees, many of who lived in North Omaha, the Ideal Cement Stone Company was clearly a significant force in the development and stabilization of the community as a working class stronghold in the city.

Changing Times

This was the Ideal Cement Stone Company plant at 3124 Spaulding in the Bedford Place neighborhood of North Omaha. — This is a 2024 Google maps image of the Ideal Cement Stone Company plant at 3124 Spaulding in the Bedford Place neighborhood.

White flight hit North Omaha in so many ways, and the Ideal Cement Stone Company was affected, too. As customers moved west and construction ended throughout the community, Ideal was less viable as a business. In 1969, Ideal was purchased by Abel Investment and the name was changed to Ideal Concrete Products Company. However, it continued operating in the community and shipping products to further reaches in the city. Eventually it was renamed Concrete Industries of Omaha and continued to operate until 1988. That year, it merged with the Watkins Concrete Block Company, both owned by NEBCO, and ceased operating its facility at North 31st and Spaulding STreets.

In 1988, the building went for sale for the first time. It was advertised as a 65,000 square foot complex with “warehouses, garages, shop, storage area and first class office,” with 12-plus acres of land as well.

Since the Ideal Cement Stone Company moved out the building has had several different uses.

A Catholic outreach organization called Heart Ministry Center opened in the building in 1997 and moved out in 2005. From their the nonprofit provided a variety of services for the community, including food, clothing, educational activities and more. Lutheran Family Services had offices there in the 1980s, too.

A company called Plastrglas was located there from 1996 to 2007, when it was the target of immigration raids and apparently closed down.

Today, the building is marked as having been constructed in 1950, which was when most of the current structure was completed. It has 42,000 square feet indoors and is marked in poor condition. There is also a separate 5,000 square foot warehouse and 1.5 acres of land left. Who knows what’s ahead? Maybe someday it’ll be recognized for its historical value.

You Might Like…

Elsewhere Online

“About Us” NEBCO official website

BONUS

This ad for the Ideal Cement Stone Company came from a 1956 newspaper.

This is some kind of advertisement for the Ideal Cement Stone Company factory and offices at 31st and Spaulding in North Omaha.