Category: society

20th century, 21st century, Black History, Civic Infrastructure, Culture, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, North 24th Street, society1 Comment
Elks Club Iroquois Lodge 92 2420 Lake Street Omaha, Nebraska

A History of North Omaha’s Elks Hall and Iroquois Lodge 92

Adam F.C. Fletcher

Starting in 1905, the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World, also called the black Elks, met in North Omaha. They were determined to help foster positive social connections, build community and foster growth within Omaha’s African American community. Almost 100 years later, it keeps going. Continue reading A History of North Omaha’s Elks Hall and Iroquois Lodge 92

20th century, 21st century, Architecture, Black History, business, Crime, Culture, Economics, historic preservation, Near North Side, North 24th Street, Politics, Race riot, society10 Comments
A history of the 24th and Lake Historic District by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com. The picture shows the intersection of N. 24th and Lake Streets in North Omaha, Nebraska, circa 1940.

A History of the 24th and Lake Historic District in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

North Omaha is screaming full of history, and the new 24th and Lake Historic District is a tremendous example of how that’s so. After its first developments in the 1870s, this intersection evolved to become a hotbed of the African American community; as well as the heart of the Jewish community; a farm supply area; and much, much more. In 2016, 38 buildings were included in a new listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This article is an introduction to the powerful, poignant past of a large jewel in North Omaha’s historical crown. Continue reading A History of the 24th and Lake Historic District in North Omaha

20th century, Black History, Civic Infrastructure, Culture, History of Nebraska, Industry, Lost history, society21 Comments
This is a history of the Belt Line Railway in North Omaha from 1883 to 1987 by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com.

A History of North Omaha’s Belt Line Railway

Adam F.C. Fletcher

Almost a decade ago, I stumbled across stories of a railroad that looped around Omaha. Different sources told crazy realities, including conflicting ownership, court cases, and the rise and fall of several neighborhoods in North Omaha. I was fascinated that I saw this track all the time when I was growing up, but I never knew its story, so I started researching. I read articles and pamphlets, books and maps. After that, I started an article on Wikipedia to share what I’d found. Well, as you know, that’s never enough for me. With some recent encouragement from John Peterson, a fine Omaha history writer, I am going to expand here on what I’ve researched and learned about the Belt Line Railway in North Omaha. Continue reading A History of North Omaha’s Belt Line Railway

20th century, 21st century, Florence, History of Nebraska, Lost history, Mormons, North 30th Street, society1 Comment
Mormon Tree, Florence, Nebraska 1920

A History of the Mormon Tree in Florence, Nebraska

Adam F.C. Fletcher

The Mormon Tree, also called the Brigham Young Tree, has loomed over my studies of Florence history for a decade now. I’ve seen mentions of it in old newspapers and heard stories about it from older people. However, I couldn’t find anything about it all this time. Until last month. Finally, after all these years, I wrote the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters to ask about the Mormon Tree. Continue reading A History of the Mormon Tree in Florence, Nebraska

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

20th century, Black History, Culture, Lost history, North 24th Street, society6 Comments
History of the Carnation Ballroom, Adam Fletcher Sasse, NorthOmahaHistory.com

History of the Carnation Ballroom in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

African Americans stepped up to create community for themselves. Since Blacks weren’t allowed to move away from the Near North Side neighborhood, that’s where the community arose. Black churches, restaurants, clothing stores, and entertainment venues filled the North 24th Street strip from Cuming north to Lothrop Streets, and along Lake Street too. Continue reading History of the Carnation Ballroom in North Omaha

20th century, 21st century, Black History, Crime, Culture, Economics, Government, Omaha Claim Club, Race riot, Racism, society8 Comments
A mob stands outside the Douglas County Courthouse in 1919, waiting to lynch an African American man named Will Brown for a crime he didn't commit.

A History of Mob Violence in Omaha

Adam F.C. Fletcher

Mobs have terrorized Omaha since the city was founded in 1854. Defined as “the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims,” terrorism was been the weapon of Omaha’s mobs from the beginning. Early on, they were seemingly concerned with horse thieves, claim jumping and break-ins. In more recent times, mobs attacked people in Omaha because of their race and ethnicities. 50 years ago, mobs lashed out at businesses. Notably, there haven’t been any mob terror trials, monuments, or other acknowledgments of the acts of the masses in Omaha throughout its 160+ years of existence. Continue reading A History of Mob Violence in Omaha

19th century, 20th century, Culture, East Omaha, Houses, North 16th Street, society1 Comment
These images are from Squatter's Row in the 1930s.

A History of Squatter’s Row in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

One area that benefited a lot from Nebraska’s pro-squatting law was a little strip in North Omaha, from North 11th Street on the east to North 13th on the west; Nicholas Street on the south to Locust on the north. This area was home to the North Omaha rail yards, but the railroads didn’t have without any concern for the squatters were starting putting up their shacks there as early as the 1860s. Continue reading A History of Squatter’s Row in North Omaha

20th century, Architecture, Culture, Economics, Forest Lawn burial, Historic houses, Near North Side, societyLeave a comment
Salvation Army Women's Hospital, North 16th and Grace Streets, North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Governor Alvin Saunders Estate in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

The fine Second Italianate Renaissance Style home built by Nebraska Territory governor Alvin Saunders was located in North Omaha at 1510 Sherman Avenue / 2008 North 16th Street. Learn more about it in this article. Continue reading A History of the Governor Alvin Saunders Estate in North Omaha

20th century, Black History, Crime, General history, Near North Side, schools, society1 Comment
Kellom School in Omaha in the 1910s.

The History of An Unsolved Murder in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Adam’s note: I’m a little hesitant to share this story, but I’m going to. Bad things happen in communities, and this story is part of North Omaha’s history. I’ve removed family names out of respect for the families involved. In … Continue reading The History of An Unsolved Murder in North Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Architecture, Black History, business, Crime, Economics, General history, Government, History of Nebraska, Industry, Lost history, Poverty, Public health, Racism, White flight6 Comments

History of Lead Poisoning in North Omaha

Adam F.C. Fletcher

For more than 15 years, the Environmental Protection Agency has been fighting lead poisoning in North Omaha as part of a citywide environmental cleanup focused on the 27-square-miles east of 72nd Street. Continue reading History of Lead Poisoning in North Omaha

18th century, 19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Cemeteries, Culture, History of Nebraska, Religion, societyLeave a comment
SAVE HISTORIC CEMETERIES IN NORTH OMAHA.

A History of Cemeteries in North Omaha

Adam F.C. Fletcher

Did you know that North Omaha has at least eight historic cemeteries? Serving religious and ethnic populations as well as the general public, these are the final resting places of thousands of people from the 1840s through today. Continue reading A History of Cemeteries in North Omaha

20th century, 21st century, Black History, business, Culture, Economics, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Politics, society4 Comments
The Omaha Star building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo by Joe Kinney.

History of the Omaha Star

Adam F.C. Fletcher

More than 65 years ago, a newspaper was launched to serve Omaha’s African American community. Coming from a legacy of several Black newspapers before it, the paper was launched by the visionary Mildred Brown and her husband Ed Gilbert. Losing its direct competitors within a decade, The Omaha Star became the city’s Civil Rights media champion, refusing to print negative news and constantly focusing on keeping it positive. The original banner was “Joy and Happiness”, and the only told good news. Continue reading History of the Omaha Star

19th century, Architecture, Culture, Historic houses, History of Nebraska, Industry, Near North Side, societyLeave a comment
Bailey Mansion, North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Bailey Residence in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Built: 1875 estimated Address: 1504 North 19th Street Architecture: Eastlake Style Demolished: 1900 estimated When Omaha was first starting up in the 1850s and 1860s, it was built with wood. Wood-frame stores, hotels, homes and boarding houses were all over. … Continue reading A History of the Bailey Residence in North Omaha

19th century, Biographies, Cuming Street, Guest author, History of Nebraska, Politics, society, WealthLeave a comment
The Nebraska First Territorial Capital was completed in 1855, and is where young Tom Cuming would've governed the Nebraska Territory.

A Biography of Nebraska Territorial Governor Thomas B. Cuming by Ryan Roenfeld

Adam F.C. Fletcher

One of North Omaha’s landmark roadways that has always intrigued me is Cuming Street. My dad used to take my brother and I to Canfield’s, where we’d comb the aisles for what seemed like hours. Creighton University seemed like a … Continue reading A Biography of Nebraska Territorial Governor Thomas B. Cuming by Ryan Roenfeld

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, East Omaha, History of Nebraska, Lost history, Settlements, society37 Comments
This is a line map of the former town of East Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Town of East Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Once upon a time, there was an unincorporated town of 2,400 people south of Eppley Airfield, west of the Missouri River. A school, stores, bars, churches and a large dump were fixtures in the community. Today, its almost entirely gone and memories are quickly disappearing. This is a history of the town of East Omaha… Continue reading A History of the Town of East 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

Biographies, Black History, Culture, History of Nebraska, North 24th Street, society, storytelling1 Comment

A Biography of North Omaha’s Dr. Marguerita Washington

Adam F.C. Fletcher

This story begins with the death. On November 2nd, 1989, Mildred Brown passed away. Easily the mother of North Omaha pride, Mildred co-founded The Omaha Star in the late 1930s and ran it by herself for almost 50 years. She promoted the community mercilessly, building pride, power and purpose through her paper, and her death was a massive loss to everyone in North Omaha, especially the African American community. Continue reading A Biography of North Omaha’s Dr. Marguerita Washington

20th century, 21st century, Architecture, Biographies, Historic houses, History of Nebraska, Kountze Place, Politics, society2 Comments

A History of the John E. Reagan House in North Omaha

Adam F.C. Fletcher

With the old country ties in mind, one lawyer in Omaha took it upon himself to bring some fellow Irishmen back to Omaha to stump for “Cowboy” Jim Dahlman, Omaha’s corrupt longtime mayor who was controlled by local boss Tom Dennison. Did his tireless campaigning get him a seat in the Nebraska State Legislature? Was there dirty money involved in building his palatial home? Continue reading A History of the John E. Reagan House in North Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Architecture, business, Demolished buildings, Economics, Lost history, Near North Side, North 16th Street, society8 Comments
A History of North Omaha's Storz Brewery by Adam Fletcher for NorthOmahaHistory.com

A History of North Omaha’s Storz Brewery

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Before Gottlieb Storz, a few other entrepreneurs tried their hand at brewing beer in North Omaha. Afterwards though, Storz dominated. For more than 75 years, his family ran Omaha’s beer industry, and even though the brewery closed in the 1970s, … Continue reading A History of North Omaha’s Storz Brewery

18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Americans, Black History, Economics, Government, History of Nebraska, North Omaha, Omaha, Politics, Poverty, Race riot, Racism, society, White flight7 Comments
This is a visual map of the racial composition of Omaha as of 2010. Green represents African American; orange, Hispanic/Latino; red, Asian American; blue, white. From the Racial Dot Map at https://demographics.virginia.edu/DotMap/index.html

A Timeline of Racism in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Race and racism has dominated Omaha has history of movement, organizing and activism for civil rights for African Americans and others that goes almost back to the founding of the city. Following is a timeline of race and racism in North Omaha. Continue reading A Timeline of Racism in Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Black History, Crime, Culture, Economics, Government, Near North Side, North 24th Street, Omaha, Politics, Poverty, Race riot, Racism, society, White flight4 Comments
Near North Side, Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Near North Side Neighborhood in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

As far as I’m concerned, the history of Omaha’s Near North Side neighborhood is the richest in all of Omaha. It has been home to working class families, poor people, and the wealthy; northern Europeans, African Americans, and eastern Europeans; Lutherans and Catholics, Jews and Black Muslims; slums, family homes, and mansions; looked like a pioneer town, had country gentleman farms, been a suburb, and had slums; professional offices, warehouses, manufacturing plants, local storefronts, printing presses, training centers, supermarkets and pop-up shops; giant churches and synagogues, and tiny storefront temples and more. So much has happened here, and clearly its story is still being written… Continue reading A History of the Near North Side Neighborhood in North Omaha

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

19th century, 20th century, Carter Lake, Civic Infrastructure, Culture, East Omaha, Florence, Government, Parks, society, StreetsLeave a comment
River Drive, North Omaha, Nebraska

History of the River Drive in Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Imagine a smooth, easy drive on a Saturday afternoon in the fall all of it weaving along nineteen miles of the city’s waterfront. There are long, calm curves and tall, stately oaks lining the boulevard, with walkers and bikes moving … Continue reading History of the River Drive in Omaha

19th century, 20th century, 21st century, Culture, History of Nebraska, Kountze Place, North 24th Street, society1 Comment
Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Florence Boulevard, Kountze Place neighborhood, North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

The Presbyterians were one of the congregations that grew along with Omaha. Arriving soon after the city’s founders, the first Presbyterian church in Omaha was opened in 1856. Over the next 25 years, more than 100 Presbyterian churches were founded in towns and cities across Nebraska. Their buildings became institutions for the faithful, for their communities and for the culture of the state. One institution made leaders for these flocks for more than 50 years. Continue reading A History of the Omaha Presbyterian Theological Seminary in North 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

16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, Americans, Economics, English, French, History of Nebraska, Native Americans, North Omaha, Politics, society, Spanish3 Comments
Native Americans aren't just Omaha history. NorthOmahaHistory.com

A History of Native Americans in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Native Americans are not gone, and neither is their culture. This article is not intended to mythologize, romanticize, or historicize American Indians of any kind in any way. Instead, its a simple summary of what white people have found about the Native Americans who lived in the area we know today as North Omaha. Continue reading A History of Native Americans in North Omaha

19th century, 20th century, Economics, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Near North Side, society11 Comments
Historic hospitals in North Omaha pictured (from upper left) the 2nd Wise Memorial; Methodist; Evangelical Covenant; Presbyterian; Immanuel; and Swedish Memorial.

A History of Hospitals in North Omaha

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Today, North Omaha is a medical desert. With more than 40,000 residents in its boundaries, there is a stark absence of medical service providers of all kinds. Making it worse, the community is greatly underinsured. That leaves people who have no insurance and no money needing to travel to other parts of the city to get care. However, that hasn’t always been the case. There have been more than ten hospitals in North Omaha throughout its 150+ year history. Continue reading A History of Hospitals in North Omaha

20th century, Black History, business, Civic Infrastructure, Crime, Economics, Government, Lost history, Near North Side, North 16th Street, North 24th Street, North 30th Street, North Omaha, Politics, Poverty, Race riot, Racism, society, White flight, Wrecked buildings7 Comments
On June 27, 1969, these kids were pictured going through one of the burned out businesses along North 24th Street after the killing of Vivian Strong.

A History of the North Omaha Riots

Adam Fletcher Sasse

Because of when the riots happened and what they did, there are scars on North O that that haven’t healed almost 50 years later. Here’s a history of what happened. Continue reading A History of the North Omaha Riots

16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Black History, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Lost history, society6 Comments
North Omaha History Part 1: Before 1885 by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com

A History of North Omaha Part 1: Before 1885

Adam Fletcher Sasse

This is “A History of North Omaha, Part 1: Before 1885” by Adam Fletcher Sasse for NorthOmahaHistory.com. Almost a thousand years ago early American Indians roamed the thick woodlands the lined the Missouri River bottoms in East Omaha. There were … Continue reading A History of North Omaha Part 1: Before 1885

18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Cemeteries, Civic Infrastructure, ghosts, Halloween, historic preservation, History of Nebraska, Prospect Hill Cemetery, society2 Comments
Prospect Hill Cemetery, North Omaha, Nebraska

A History of North Omaha’s Prospect Hill Cemetery

Adam Fletcher Sasse

There are places in Omaha where ghosts, legends and history come alive. With mysterious burial sites, whispy hauntings and grand memorial trees, the pioneer graveyard called Prospect Hill Cemetery may be the most haunted of all. Read on to learn more… Continue reading A History of North Omaha’s Prospect Hill Cemetery