Category: Miller Park

20th century, 21st century, Civic Infrastructure, Fort Omaha, Government, historic preservation, Lost history, Miller Park, North 30th Street5 Comments
Fort Omaha Balloon School, Nebraska

A History of the Fort Omaha Balloon School

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Drifting high above North Omaha for 12 years, dirigibles and balloons that were lighter than air showed how Fort Omaha was central to US Army experimentation. This article shares the short history of the balloon school that showed so much promise early on. Continue reading A History of the Fort Omaha Balloon School

20th century, 21st century, Architecture, Historic houses, History of Nebraska, Houses, Miller Park, society5 Comments
Miller Park Duplex Historic District, N. 24th and Himbaugh Ave., North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Miller Park Duplex Historic District in North Omaha

Adam F.C. Fletcher

Immediately after World War II, there was a rush of soldiers flush with government money that allowed them to buy homes and build families right away. A lot of North Omaha finished in-filling during this period, with houses constructed in just a few months and selling a lot quicker than that. Spread across a few streets in the Miller Park neighborhood, one set of these homes created an architecturally distinct area that should be designated as a historic district and preserved quickly. Continue reading A History of the Miller Park Duplex Historic District in North Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Architecture, Black History, Culture, historic preservation, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Racism, Religion, society31 Comments

History of Churches in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

In its first 75 years, North Omaha was home to no fewer than four Jewish synagogues, six Catholic parishes and 50 Protestant congregations. These churches reflected the community’s diversity, including ethnic churches where only Italian, German, Norwegian, Danish and other languages were spoke. Within 25 years of Omaha’s founding, there were also several Black churches in the neighborhood north of downtown. Following is a history of churches in North Omaha. Continue reading History of Churches in North Omaha

19th century, 20th century, Fontenelle Boulevard, Miller Park, North Omaha, schools14 Comments
The Nebraska School for the Deaf was called the "Deaf and Dumb Institute" in the 1910s when this postcard was made.

A History of the Nebraska School for the Deaf

Adam Fletcher Sasse

In 1869, a Deaf man named William DeCoursey French founded the Nebraska School for the Deaf on 23 acres northwest of the City of Omaha. Today, the school is gone and the former campus is blended in with the rest of North Omaha. Its legacy is far from over though. Continue reading A History of the Nebraska School for the Deaf

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Americans, Economics, Government, History of Nebraska, Miller Park, Native Americans, society11 Comments
Fort Omaha Historic District by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com

A History of Fort Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Nestled between the Miller Park neighborhood and Sorenson Parkway is a 150+ year old institution that’s been a powerhouse, a prison, a balloon school and a neglected surplus, and many other things. This is a short history of Fort Omaha. Continue reading A History of Fort Omaha

20th century, 21st century, Culture, Economics, historic preservation, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, society, White flight7 Comments
Enlargement of Miller Park pond photograph shows bridge near Prettiest Mile Clubhouse by Bostwick and Frohardt in 1917 at North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Viking Ship in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Suburbs need social clubs, and social clubs need swingin’ good fun! North Omaha’s Viking Ship was that place for more than 50 years before turning into a quasi-community center. Here’s the history of the Viking Ship, aka Birchwood Club aka … Continue reading A History of the Viking Ship in North Omaha

20th century, 21st century, Black History, Crime, Culture, Florence, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, Near North Side, North 24th Street, North Omaha, Omaha, Omaha Claim Club, Politics, Racism, White flight17 Comments
This is a 1930s era US federal government Home Owners Loan Corporation map from the US Library of Congress. It was found by Palma Joy Strand, a professor at Creighton Law School and the Werner Institute 2040 Initiative at Creighton University.

A History of Redlining in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

The history of North Omaha includes redlining starting during the 1920s, and being made illegal in the 1960s. This article explores that history, including the context in which it happened and some of the outcomes. Continue reading A History of Redlining in Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Florence, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, schools3 Comments

An Interesting History of Fort Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

This is an interesting history of Fort Omaha. Every school student in North Omaha is taught about the fort, that it existed and stuff happened there. But what they are taught and what the average Omahan knows pales in comparison … Continue reading An Interesting History of Fort Omaha

1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, 19th century, East Omaha, Expo Grounds, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, OmahaLeave a comment

A History of the Location of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition

Adam Fletcher Sasse

By now, many North Omahans are familiar with the grand, wonderful, exuberant and spectacular event know as the Trans-Mississippi Exposition of 1898. However, not many people know that the “event of the century” almost didn’t happen in banker Augustus Kountze’s land centered on 24th and Evans. In planning for at least three years before it was launched, the Expo committee worked diligently for many months to identify the absolute perfect place to hold the event. Led by early Omaha banker Gurdon Wattles, this committee was stocked with business leaders and other informed by locally important people including David Mercer and … Continue reading A History of the Location of the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition

20th century, Civic Infrastructure, Miller Park, North Omaha, schools1 Comment

A History of the Fort Street Special School for Incorrigible Boys

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Just like school districts everywhere, Omaha Public Schools has had a challenge serving disengaged students ever since students were mandated to go to school by compulsory school law. In Nebraska, that year was 1887. After a few decades, they had an answer to the challenge these students posed. This is a history of the Fort Street Special School for Incorrigible Boys. Continue reading A History of the Fort Street Special School for Incorrigible Boys

20th century, 21st century, Architecture, Black History, Culture, Historic houses, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Miller Park, North 24th Street, Racism, schools, Streets, White flight44 Comments
Miller Park NEIGHBORHOOD, established 1891 in North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Miller Park Neighborhood

Adam Fletcher Sasse

The place where I grew up, Omaha’s Miller Park neighborhood, rushes through my imagination a lot. I want to see it acknowledged, appreciated and accentuated every day. This article is my acknowledgment of the past and contribution to the future. Continue reading A History of the Miller Park Neighborhood

Benson, Black History, Carter Lake, Civic Infrastructure, East Omaha, Florence, Fontenelle Boulevard, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, Near North Side, Omaha, Racism, Saratoga, schools, White flight50 Comments
Schools in North Omaha, from upper left: Fort Street Special School; Long School classroom; Pershing School; Florence School; Lake School; Florence School bus; Saratoga School; Florence School classroom; Monmouth Park School; Long School; Lake School students; Miller Park School

A History of Schools in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

If walls could talk, North Omaha’s schools would be much noisier, much more colorful, and much more complicated than anyone wants to hear. For more than 150 years, schools throughout the community have served students of all ages. With a deep history including segregation and school violence, its can be hard to remember all the positive people and events that emerged in the community’s schools. Following is my ever-growing history of the old schools in North Omaha. Continue reading A History of Schools in North Omaha

Architecture, Benson, Carter Lake, East Omaha, Florence, Fontenelle Boulevard, Kountze Place, Miller Park, Minne Lusa, Near North Side, Omaha, Politics, Race riot, Racism, Saratoga18 Comments
A map of historic neighborhoods in North Omaha, Nebraska

Historical Tour of North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Following is a list of places I would visit on a long, winding North Omaha history tour. If you have anything you would like me to write about, add, or otherwise know, please share here. I LOVE NORTH O! These are listed by neighborhood, starting at Dodge Street and heading northwards. Note that all links go to articles I created, either on Wikipedia or on this blog. Continue reading Historical Tour of North Omaha