From the beginning of the community in 1856, there have been countless light, medium, and heavy industries in North Omaha. This is a collection of articles I’ve written related to those industries, including food production, railroads, vehicle manufacturing, and many others.
Industries of all types of woven into the fabric of the community, from the far north to downtown. 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.
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.
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
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
- 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
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
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
Historic House Construction 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
- Monitor Hard Plaster Works—Construction products
- Imperial Sash and Door Company, 4402 Florence Boulevard—House construction
Other Historic Industries in North Omaha
- Carter White Lead Company Factory (1889-1907)—Paint
- 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
- Murphy, Wasey and Company Factory—Furniture manufacturing
- Orchard & Wilhelm, 1113-1117 Nicholas Street (1892-1921) and 1302-1306 Izard Street (1918-1932)—Furniture manufacturing
- M.A. Disbrow Company Factory, 1001 North 12th Street
- L.G. Doup Company (1906-1965), 1301-1311 Nicholas Street—Mattress manufacturing
- Omaha Casket Company—Caskets
- 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
- J. F. Bloom and Company (1926-2018), 4335 Florence Boulevard—Monuments
Historic Industrial Figures in North Omaha
- Thomas F. Stroud (1854-1939)
- Levi Carter (1830-1903)
Closing
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…
You Might Like…
- Manufactures Building—1898 Trans-Mississippi Expo
- History of the North Freeway in Omaha
- Historic Postcards from North Omaha
BONUS!
North Omaha History 