Elmwood Park (Omaha) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elmwood Park
Elmwood Park golf course
Type	Municipal (Omaha)
Location	Midtown Omaha
Area	216.4
Created	1889
Open	All year

Elmwood Park is an important neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. It has a lot of history and was built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The neighborhood stretches from Leavenworth Street to Center Street, and from South 50th Street to South 72nd Street.

Years ago, Elmwood Park was a place where Swedish families celebrated. Today, the park is famous for hosting the city's "Shakespeare on the Green" festival.

A Look Back: Elmwood Park's History

Before Elmwood Park became a neighborhood, it was the site of a very important event. In 1857, the very first court case in the Nebraska Territory happened here. A man named F.M. Woods sued J. Pentecost over land ownership. Edward Morearty, a politician from Nebraska at the time, defended Pentecost, and Pentecost won the case.

In the 1880s, C.C. and J.E. George helped develop the area. They planned and built Happy Hollow Boulevard. They also added sidewalks and streetlights, making the area a great place to live. The houses built there had cool styles like Colonial, Georgian, and Tudor. On April 24, 1917, Omaha officially made Elmwood Park part of the city.

The Park and Its Boulevard

In 1889, a landscape architect named H.W.S. Cleveland suggested that Omaha should get a large park. He thought a big park could help people relax away from city noise. Elmwood Park, which opened in 1889 at 802 South 60th Street, became one of Omaha's biggest parks.

The city first received about 55-acre (220,000 m²) of land for the park. The Omaha Bee newspaper described it as a "wild and romantic place." It had a wooded area with a small stream and some of the largest trees around. Elmwood Park and Happy Hollow Boulevard were part of Cleveland's big plan for Omaha's parks. Today, the boulevard goes north from Elmwood Park, past the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Memorial Park, all the way to Benson.

The Elmwood Park Pavilion

The Elmwood Park pavilion was built in 1909. It cost $5,323 to build and was designed by F. A. Henninger. This building was one of the first in Omaha made from cast concrete. It had open sides with cool archways.

In 1939, the pavilion was thought to be unsafe and was closed. It was updated and enclosed in 1940. Later, in 1987, it was fixed up again with $100,000. Today, the pavilion is enclosed and people can rent it for events.

Fun and Changes at the Park

Elmwood Park has seen many interesting things over the years. In 1912, a local businessman gave a totem pole to the park, which stood there until the 1930s. The park was also a popular camping spot until the 1950s.

The Elmwood Park Golf Course opened in 1916. It had fun features like ravines and grassy fields. By 1917, the park had grown to 208.13 acres (0.8423 km²), making it the second largest park in Omaha. For many years, a big annual event for Omaha's African American community was held at the park, with thousands of people attending.

In 1933, a small island was built in the park for Rhesus macaque monkeys from the Henry Doorly Zoo. After one monkey escaped, the island was removed, and the monkeys went back to the zoo.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha moved next to the park in 1937. This meant the park's size became permanent. In the 1940s, famous Omaha billionaire Warren Buffett even set up a golf ball stand at the park's golf course!

The park has continued to be improved. In 1993, it received a $1 million renovation. In 2000, the Peter Kiewit Foundation gave money to fix up the park's historic spring area, improve the swimming pool, and add new entrance signs.

Elmwood Park Today

Today, Elmwood Park is still a great place for everyone. It has an 18-hole golf course, two baseball fields, and a swimming pool. There are also paths and trails for biking and walking. You can find a lagoon, picnic areas, restrooms, the historic pavilion, and open spaces. The park also hosts the annual Creighton Prep cross country race.