Levi Carter Park facts for kids

Levi Carter Park is a large and fun park located in East Omaha, Nebraska. It's named after Levi Carter, who was an important businessman in Omaha a long time ago. He owned a factory that worked with metals.

How the Park Began

Believe it or not, in 1876, the land where Levi Carter Park is now was actually part of the Missouri River! But the very next year, a big flood changed everything. The river jumped its banks and created a new, shorter path. This left a long, curved part of the old river behind, which became a lake shaped like an oxbow (a U-shape).

People who lived on both sides of the river suddenly found themselves on the Nebraska side. Because of this, the lake was first called "Cut-Off Lake." Later, its name was changed to Lake Nicoma. This name came from a story about an Omaha woman who was married to an early Nebraska settler named Peter A. Sarpy.

Back then, the lake was a really popular place for people to visit. There were sailing events, a place called Bungalow City, a gun club, and even a YMCA camp. People loved to go rowing and fishing on the lake. There were also many hotels and clubhouses around the water.

In the early 1890s, the city of Omaha decided to rename the lake. They chose to honor Levi Carter because his wife gave $1,000,000 to the city. This money was used to make the area around the lake even better, and that's how it became Levi Carter Park.

A few years later, in 1896, the United States Supreme Court made a decision. They ruled that the nearby town of Carter Lake actually belonged to the state of Iowa, even though it was surrounded by Nebraska.

Building with the CCC

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a special program during the 1930s that helped young men find work. They built a camp right in Levi Carter Park! These workers helped make many important improvements. They built new roads, removed old railroad bridges, added beautiful landscaping, and even built boardwalks for people to walk on.

The CCC also helped create the Omaha Municipal Beach. They brought in sand, fixed up the piers (docks), and built large bathhouses. These bathhouses were so big they could handle 10,000 people at once! The bathhouses, built for men and women, along with a snack building, have been updated by the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation department. They are even listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of their historical importance.

Amusement Park Days

For a while, Levi Carter Park was home to a fun place called the Carter Lake Pleasure Pier. This amusement park opened in May 1949 and was run by Jim and Dorothy Carpenter. It had several rides for adults.

The Pleasure Pier also had a special section just for kids called Carter Lake Kiddieland. This part of the park had many kiddie rides, like pony carts, a small ferris wheel, a boat ride, a miniature train, and a ride called a doodle bug.

Sadly, the amusement park closed in 1959. The next owner of the land built a marina for boats and added a few more rides.

More recently, Levi Carter Park was the location for a big annual music event called Z-bash, put on by radio station Z-92. This event happened every year from 1997 to 2005. The annual Stone Soul Picnic, another popular event, has been held at Levi Carter Park since the 1990s and still continues today.

What You Can Do Today

Today, Carter Lake is a great place for water activities. You can go water-skiing, fishing, and boating. The park itself has lots of things to do on land too! There are baseball fields, football fields, and basketball courts. You'll also find paths for walking or biking, picnic areas, shelters, restrooms, a pavilion, and wide open spaces for playing.