Going back to 1886, the southwest corner of 24th and Lake has been vital to North Omaha! Its first Black-owned business didn’t happen until 1968 though. Find out more in this history of Duffy Drugs!
Category Archives: White flight
A History of the Corby Theater
This is a history of North Omaha’s Corby Theater, an unprotected gem that could be demolished anytime.
A History of North Omaha’s Covenant Presbyterian Church
The Covenant Presbyterian Church was located in North Omaha for almost 100 years. Learn more here…
A History of the Ponca Hills in North Omaha
The Ponca Hills have a deep and rich history with American Indians, horse thieves, fur trappers and more. Here’s my account…
A Timeline of the Omaha DePorres Club
This is a timeline of a 1950s-era civil rights group in Omaha called the DePorres Club.
A History of North Omaha’s McLain Mansion
Many of Kountze Place’s finest homes are gone now, demolished by indifferent landowners and city planners who are blind to the value of the neighborhood. One of these homes stood at 2214 Wirt Street, and it was clearly one of the biggest homes in the area. This is a short history of the address. […]
A History of the Near North YMCA in North Omaha
The Near North Side YMCA was a staple of the community for more than 50 years. Here’s the story…
A History of Segregated Schools in Omaha, Nebraska
There were and are many segregated schools in Omaha, and this is an account of their history.
A History of North Omaha’s Collier Place Neighborhood
The story of a historic neighborhood in North Omaha.
A History of North Omaha’s Kellom Heights Neighborhood
This is a history of the Kellom Heights neighborhood, including the pioneer era, the school and its redevelopment.
A History of Monmouth Park Elementary School in North Omaha
Monmouth Park School was open for 80 years, leaving indelible marks on the soul of North Omaha forever.
A History of the Bemis Park Landmark Heritage District in North Omaha
The Bemis Park Landmark Heritage District is a jewel in the crown of North Omaha history. This is a summary of its history.
A History of 2936 North 24th Street
This is a history of a former commercial building and social service office in North Omaha.
A History of the Intersection at North 40th and Hamilton Streets
The intersection of 40th and Hamilton has a rich legacy affecting several neighborhoods…
A History of Ak-Sar-Ben in North Omaha
Examining the rise and fall of North Omaha requires a long and complicated journey through politics, culture, economics and more. One of the important early anchors of the community demonstrated the ability of one organization to steer things astray. Opening the Coliseum Built in 1879, the Coliseum was located at 2226 North […]
A History of North Omaha’s Kountze Park, Once Called Malcolm X Park
Malcolm X Memorial Park sits in the heart of North Omaha’s Kountze Place. Discover why you don’t hear about it anymore.
A History of the 24th and Fort Intersection in North Omaha
This is a history of the buildings at North 24th and Fort Streets in the Miller Park neighborhood.
A History of Pearl Memorial United Methodist Church in North Omaha
From the 1890s through the 2000s, Pearl Memorial United Methodist Church stood as a beacon in North Omaha. This is it’s history.
A History of North 20th and Lake Streets in North Omaha
Street signs at 20th and Lake in North Omaha, Nebraska. There are unsung intersections throughout North Omaha. These are places the past treated as important and meaningful, packed with businesses and enterprise, possibilities and the future. Unfortunately, almost every one of them met it’s demise when white flight kicked in and the community ran into […]
A History of the Stroud Mansion in North Omaha
Built: 1909 Address: 5100 Florence Boulevard Architecture: Neo-Classical Demolished: 1969 In 1895, Thomas F. Stroud started his wagon making business in North Omaha. He was going to make his fortune selling wagons to western farmers in the city considered to be the Gateway to the West. In order to truly appreciate his wealth, he had to construct a magnificent home. […]
A History of Apartments in North Omaha
Tall and wide, regal and plain, North Omaha has been home to many types of apartment buildings throughout the years. This article summarizes those styles and gives examples.
A History of the North 30th and Ames Commercial District
The intersection of North 30th and Ames Avenue was an important suburban crossroads in North Omaha as early as the 1890s and going all the way into the 1960s. Then, with white flight in full force and North Omaha divestment underway, the intersection started to struggle. Today, it continues to flounder, but many businesses stay open, overcoming the negative, challenging and demeaning perceptions many Omaha’s have about the community.
A History of the Ernie Chambers Court aka Strehlow Terrace in North Omaha
A history of the Ernie Chambers Court aka Strehlow Terrace Apartments in North Omaha, Nebraska.
A History of 16th and Locust Historic District in North Omaha
The N. 16th and Locust Street intersection was a beehive of commercial activity for more than a century. The Locust overpass of the MoPac Railroad was a key. Learn more.
A Timeline of Race and Racism in North Omaha
On October 24, 1889, the Omaha Daily World reported that G.S. Kennedy, an African American mechanic who frequented the bar at the Paxton Hotel, was “somewhat indignant” for being charged a higher price than usual because, as the bartender said, he was Black. My review of other articles from early Omaha shows wasn’t Kennedy’s experience wasn’t exception in […]
A History of North Omaha’s Binney Street
The historic Wirt Street in North Omaha is packed with houses, churches and more from 125 years ago in Nebraska history.
A History of the Near North Side Neighborhood in North Omaha
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…
A History of North Omaha’s Jewish Community
The Jewish people in North Omaha were tied together with the establishment and growth of the community for a century…
A History of the Viking Ship in North Omaha
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 The Prettiest Mile Club. Introduction 2582 Redick Avenue through the years: 1916 […]
A History of North Omaha’s Adams Park
This is a history of Adams Park in North Omaha, Nebraska
A History of the Citizens Civic Committee for Civil Liberties, or 4CL, in Omaha
“This town is sick… I’m not speaking of open sores, either — nothing as simple as the ghetto on the ‘Near North Side,’ where all but a handful of 30,000 Omaha Negroes live. No, our sickness is in the bloodstream — in our inner posture. We are an undemocratic city.” – Rev. James T. Stewart, […]
A History of North Omaha’s Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects
Once upon a time, there was a massive public housing project located at the intersection of North 24th and Paul Streets in the Near North Side neighborhood. Originally named the “Northside Village Public Housing Project,” the name was officially changed in honor of the famous Omaha tribe leader Logan Fontenelle.
A History of Redlining in Omaha
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.
A History of African American Politics in North Omaha
This is a timeline of African American politics in North Omaha, Nebraska, including African American Nebraska State Legislators.
A History of North Omaha, Part 2
Between 1870 and the 1950s, A LOT happened in North Omaha. This is a summary of the people, events, organizations and more that made history…
A History of the Miller Park Neighborhood in North Omaha
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.
A History of the Druid Hall in North Omaha by Karen Clopton
A guest article by Karen Clopton explores the history of the Prince Hall Masons and their century-old Druid Hall in North Omaha, Nebraska.
A Street of Dreams
African American patrons of a drug store on N. 24th Street in the 1940s. As this blog tells repeatedly, the history of North Omaha is richer, deeper and more meaningful than anyone gives it credit for. In 1994, NET helped reveal some of this history through a powerful documentary called “A Street of Dreams.” From […]
A Time for Burning
One of the most powerful documentaries to ever be made in Omaha is called A Time For Burning. Nominated for an Academy Award for documentary filmmaking in 1966, the film highlights then-barber/future Nebraska legislator Ernie Chambers. A graduate of the Creighton University Law School, he was elected Senator to the Nebraska Legislature in 1970. By […]
