History of North Omaha, Nebraska facts for kids
The history of North Omaha, Nebraska is a long and interesting story. It includes the founding of Fort Lisa in 1812, which happened even before the rest of Omaha was settled. This area was also home to the Mormon settlements of Cutler's Park and Winter Quarters in 1846.
North Omaha has seen many changes over the years. It grew with a lively community on 24th Street in the 1920s and saw the African-American community thrive through the 1950s. There were also challenging times, like periods of social unrest in the 1960s. Today, North Omaha continues to grow and change with new developments.
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Early People and Settlements
Before European settlers arrived, different Native American tribes lived around the area now known as Carter Lake. These included the Pawnee, Otoe, and Sioux nations. Later, the Omaha nation settled near what is now East Omaha.
Sadly, a smallpox sickness greatly reduced their population. As more American settlers moved in, the Omaha people sold their lands. In 1856, they moved to their current reservation north in Thurston County, Nebraska.
First Trading Posts
The very first settlements in North Omaha were trading posts. Fort Lisa was built in 1812 near Hummel Park. It was founded by Manuel Lisa, a famous fur trapper. This fort was important for the fur trade in the Louisiana Territory.
Later, in 1823, Cabanne's Trading Post was built along the Missouri River. This post belonged to the American Fur Company. They competed with other traders to buy furs from local Native American tribes. Another post, Fontenelle's Post, eventually became the start of Bellevue, Nebraska's first town.
Mormon Settlements
In August 1846, a group of pioneers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints created Cutler's Park. They were traveling from Nauvoo to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Mormons had permission to stay temporarily. However, Native American tribes debated if they should pay a fee for using the land.
Because of this disagreement, the pioneers moved three miles east. They settled on a bluff by the Missouri River. This new settlement was called Winter Quarters. Here, they built 800 cabins and sod huts for the winter. The town had a store, a bank, and a town square. By spring, they even had a mill called Florence Mill. Most of the people left in 1848 to continue their journey west.
Growth of Towns
In 1854, James C. Mitchell bought the Winter Quarters site. He founded the town of Florence, which became an official town two years later. Florence was a key stopping point for settlers heading west on the California Trail. It had banks, a post office, a large mill, and other businesses. Today, the Bank of Florence is Omaha's oldest building.
South of Florence, the Town of Saratoga was founded in 1856. It was near North 24th Street and Ames Avenue. Saratoga's economy relied on its connection to the Missouri River. At its busiest, it had a post office, a hotel, businesses, and over 60 homes. For a while, it was even bigger than Omaha City or Florence.
Between Saratoga and Florence, many Irish immigrants built simple homes in the mid-1850s. This area was sometimes called "Gophertown." The Irish community grew strong in Omaha. They gained economic and political power before more European immigrants and African Americans arrived later.
Scriptown was another area in North Omaha. It was planned in 1855 to give land to Nebraska Territory lawmakers. This area developed quickly with many important homes. North Omaha became a place where different European immigrant communities mixed with the growing African-American community. The Jewish community was also strong, with several synagogues and cemeteries.
Other early communities included Casey's Row, where many African-American families lived. The men often worked as porters for the Union Pacific railroad. Squatter's Row was another residential area near the Storz Brewery. People lived there for over 75 years without officially owning the land.
Late 19th Century Developments
The Near North Side, close to downtown, grew quickly in the late 1800s. Many working-class European immigrant and African American families built homes there.
Transportation helped businesses and housing grow. Horse-drawn streetcars started in the 1870s, followed by electric streetcars until 1955. Many early businesses in North Omaha were started by Jewish immigrants.
In 1875, the Omaha Driving Park Association bought land for horse racing. This park later hosted the Douglas County Fair and the Nebraska State Fair.
Kountze Place and the Expo
A banker named Herman Kountze owned a large area in North Omaha. He divided it into a neighborhood called Kountze Place. On May 17, 1883, Buffalo Bill started his famous Wild West show there. Over 8,000 people watched the first show near 18th and Sprague Streets. The show returned to North Omaha for the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in 1898. This Expo also brought over 500 American Indians from 35 tribes to the area for the Indian Congress.
After the Expo, Kountze Place grew with large homes around Kountze Park. Lake Nakoma, now called Carter Lake, was popular for sports like sailing and rowing. Miller Park was an early spot for golfing and boating.
Many European Jewish immigrants became involved in social movements during this time. Some helped organize workers in the meatpacking industry. Catholic churches also grew with new Irish and German immigrant families. The Ak-Sar-Ben civic group was formed in 1895 because of events like the Nebraska State Fair in North Omaha.
20th Century Changes
North Omaha has faced severe weather. In 1902, a big storm damaged the Monmouth Park neighborhood. It destroyed the original Immanuel Hospital and closed the Franklin School.
The most significant weather event was the Easter Sunday tornado of 1913. It tore a path seven miles long and a quarter-mile wide through the city. In Omaha, 140 people died, and 400 were hurt. Over 2,300 people lost their homes. The Idlewild Pool Hall on North 24th Street saw the most deaths, with 14 people killed. North 24th Street was devastated. The Webster Telephone Exchange Building became a recovery center, with operators working even though the building had no windows.
Community Growth and Culture
In the 1910s, the Minne Lusa neighborhood near Florence became home to a mostly Danish immigrant community. This neighborhood was a cultural center for many working-class and middle-class white families. The North Omaha Business Men's Association helped develop a new athletic field at Omaha University in 1928.
African American migrants came to Omaha for jobs in the meatpacking industry. Their population doubled between 1910 and 1920. North Omaha's African-American community developed a rich culture of blues and jazz music through the 1950s. In 1938, Mildred Brown and her husband started the Omaha Star newspaper. It has been the only black newspaper in Nebraska since 1945.
In the 1930s and 40s, the black community worked with white labor organizers. They fought against segregated practices in meatpacking plants. They formed the United Packinghouse Workers of America union, which was integrated and supported the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
From the 1930s to the 1950s, the Reed Ice Cream Company had many small "ice cream bungalows" across Omaha. Their plant was at 3106 N 24th Street. Other businesses included the Wax Paper Products Company and the Independent Biscuit Company. The Storz Brewery, built in 1894, was one of the largest breweries in the region. The Minne Lusa Theater was a neighborhood movie house that opened in the 1930s.
In the 1940s, North Omaha was home to the African-American players of the Omaha Rockets baseball team. They played exhibition games against Negro League teams.
Economic Shifts and Challenges
By 1947, 15,000 people worked in the meatpacking industry in Omaha. By 1957, half of the city's workers were in this industry. The United Packinghouse Workers union used its power to demand an end to segregation in Omaha's businesses.
However, the meatpacking industry changed in the 1960s. Operations moved closer to where the meat was produced. Omaha lost 10,000 jobs, which also meant a loss of political power for African Americans and other working-class people. While some new meatpackers have opened, union membership has dropped, and African Americans have not gained many of the new jobs.
This job loss led to more poverty in North Omaha, and the area became mostly African American. While demographics continue to change, Omaha's improving economy has allowed for new investments in the community.
Homes and Neighborhoods
North Omaha's first homes were built in the Florence area. It became a distinct suburb of Omaha in the 1870s. Many important Omaha families, businesses, and organizations were located here. In 1887, North Omaha officially became part of the city of Omaha. Early homes were often built by European immigrants from Ireland and Eastern Europe, as seen in churches like Holy Family Church.
The West Central-Cathedral Landmark Heritage District grew around the Academy of the Sacred Heart, opened in 1882, and St. Cecilia Cathedral. This area, mostly residential, is part of what is known as the Gold Coast.
After World War II, a housing boom filled in many communities in far North Omaha.
Public Housing and Fair Housing
North Omaha was home to several federal housing projects. These were built in the 1930s to provide affordable homes for working-class families. Over time, due to job losses and population changes, these projects became almost entirely inhabited by poor African Americans.
Because of issues like crime and segregation, the city tore down these facilities, including the Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects, in the early 2000s. They were replaced with new housing that mixes different income levels and offers more community features.
After the 1919 Omaha Race Riot, some landlords used agreements called covenants to restrict who could live in certain areas based on race. This tried to keep North Omaha "black" and the rest of the city "white." Banks also practiced Redlining, which meant they limited loans for homes in North Omaha. The federal government's mortgage insurance efforts also led to racial discrimination in loans. These restrictions were made illegal in 1940.
For example, Harry Buford, a well-off African-American man, built a large home in 1929 at 1804 North 30th Street. The location of his home showed his family's status during a time of racial segregation. These differences based on social and racial lines were common in North Omaha and other communities.
During the Great Depression, the federal government built the Logan-Fontenelle projects to improve housing for working-class families. These projects housed up to 2,100 people in 556 apartments. They were a big improvement for residents. However, as jobs were lost, more unemployed people lived there. Logan Fontenelle also became very segregated and faced challenges due to a concentration of poor families.
Racial Tensions and Civil Rights
In the early 1900s, as more immigrants and migrants arrived, competition for jobs and housing led to racial tensions. Many African Americans were first hired by the meatpacking industry as strikebreakers, which caused resentment from other working-class groups.
In 1919, during a period of racial unrest across the country, a white mob in Omaha attacked the city's African-American population. They dragged Will Brown from his jail cell, beat him, and killed him. After this terrible act, they attacked property and other African Americans. However, soldiers from Fort Omaha arrived and created a boundary to protect African-American neighborhoods. They also stationed troops in South Omaha to prevent more mobs.
Later in the 20th century, other incidents of racial tension occurred, including property damage and skirmishes with police. While the area still faces challenges, it has not had any major race incidents since 1993.
Political and Civil Rights Movements
North Omaha has been a center for political activism, especially for Jewish American and African-American communities. They worked together in labor organizing, successfully forming the Meatpacking Union in the 1930s and 1940s.
Starting in the 1920s, North Omaha was home to groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Urban League. These organizations worked for equal rights for African Americans. The De Porres Club also met there starting in the late 1940s. In the 1960s, places like the Fair Deal Cafe and Goodwin’s Spencer Street Barbershop were popular gathering spots for activists. Ernie Chambers, who later became a Nebraska State Senator, was a barber there. The movement for civil rights continues in the community today.
Historical Buildings
Early buildings and homes in North Omaha were often simple. Examples include the four-square-style houses on N 38th Street and Glenwood Avenue. Craftsman-style bungalows were also popular in wealthier areas. Many neighborhoods have homes and businesses from the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as housing built after World War II.
Because of its unique history, North Omaha has many historical buildings and landmarks. Many of these are listed on the Registered Historic Places.
Transportation and Military History
Early transportation included horse-drawn coaches and then electric street cars. North Omaha had at least four streetcar lines running along 16th, 20th, 24th, and 30th Streets. There were also several railroad tracks, including the Webster Street Depot and the Florence Depot.
Nebraska Highway 5 used to run through North Omaha. By 1931, US 73 was on N. 30th Street, which was later replaced by US 75 in 1984. A new freeway, the North Omaha Freeway, was built between 1978 and 1980.
Fort Omaha
In 1878, Fort Omaha became the headquarters for the Department of the Platte. This fort supplied troops for the American Indian Wars, World War I, and World War II. Fort Omaha is famous for its role in the 1879 trial of Ponca chief Standing Bear. Most of the original buildings still stand at 30th and Fort Streets.
The Fort Omaha Balloon School was the first military balloon school in America. It was located in North Omaha. A sub-post called "Florence Field" was acquired for training with balloons. Troops from Fort Omaha were also responsible for restoring order after the Omaha Race Riot of 1919.
Libraries
In 1921, the city opened the North Branch Church Library at 25th and Ames. This library has moved twice and is now called the Charles B. Washington Branch.
Famous People from North Omaha
North Omaha has been home to many important people. These include Malcolm X, a famous civil rights leader; Whitney Young, another important civil rights leader; Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers; and author Tillie Olsen.
Musicians like singer Wynonie Harris, saxophonist Preston Love, and Buddy Miles have lived in North Omaha. Businesswoman Cathy Hughes is also from the community. North Omaha has also produced many sports stars, such as baseball player Bob Gibson, football player Johnny Rodgers, and basketball player Bob Boozer. Actresses Gabrielle Union and John Beasley are also from North Omaha.
Images for kids
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Night view of the Grand Court. Photograph by Frank Rinehart, 1898.
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The young Malcolm X
